This RFC provides a description of the DCN protocols for maintaining
connectivity, routing, and clock information in a local network These
procedures may be of interest to the designers and implementers of
other local networks

This document describes the Network Time Protocol (NTP), specifies its
formal structure and summarizes information useful for its
implementation. [STANDARDS-TRACK]

/pdf/network-time-protocol-version-3-specification-implementation-320diiyv7x.pdf

DCN local-network protocols

Network Time Protocol (Version 3) Specification, Implementation and Analysis

From the Publisher:
Written for TCP/IP network administrators, protocol designers, and network application developers, this book gives the most complete and practical view ever into the inner workings of Internet routing. The book focuses on OSPF (Open Shortest Path First), a common TCP/IP routing protocol that provides robust and efficient routing support in the most demanding Internet environments. A methodical and detailed description of the protocol is offered and OSPF's role within the wider context of a TCP/IP network is demonstrated. 
Practical throughout, the book provides not only a theoretical description of Internet routing, but also a real-world look into how theory translates into practice. It shows how algorithms are implemented, and how the routing protocols function in a working network where transmission lines and routers routinely break down.
You will find clear explanations of such routing fundamentals as how a router forwards packets, IP addressing, CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing), the routing table, Internet routing architecture, and the two main routing technologies: Distance Vector and link-state algorithms. OSPF is discussed in depth, with an examination of the rationale behind OSPF's design decisions and how it has evolved to keep pace with the rapidly changing Internet environment. OSPF topics covered by the book include the following:
OSPF areas and virtual links NBMA (Nonbroadcast multi-access) and Point-to-MultiPoint network segments OSPF configuration and management Interaction with other routing protocols OSPF cryptographic authentication OSPF protocol extensions, including the Demand Circuit extensions and the multicast extensions to OSPF (MOSPF) An OSPF FAQ

IP multicast and multicast routing are also discussed. Methods for debugging routing problems are explained, including a catalog of available debugging tools. The book also offers side-by-side comparisons of all the unicast and multicast routing protocols currently in use in the Internet. 
You will come away from this book with a sophisticated understanding of Internet routing and of the OSPF protocol in particular. Moreover, the book's practical focus will enable you to put this deeper understanding to work in your network environment.

OSPF: Anatomy of an Internet Routing Protocol

This Network Working Group Request for Comments documents the currently assigned values from several series of numbers used in network protocol implementations. This RFC will be updated periodically, and in any case current information can be obtained from Joyce Reynolds. The assignment of numbers is also handled by Joyce. If you are developing a protocol or application that will require the use of a link, socket, port, protocol, network number, etc., please contact Joyce to receive a number assignment.

Assigned numbers

The paper considers a network with many apparently-independent periodic processes and discusses one method by which these processes can inadvertently become synchronized. In particular, the authors study the synchronization of periodic routing messages, and offer guidelines on how to avoid inadvertent synchronization. Using simulations and analysis, they study the process of synchronization and show that the transition from unsynchronized to synchronized traffic is not one of gradual degradation but is instead a very abrupt 'phase transition': in general, the addition of a single router will convert a completely unsynchronized traffic stream into a completely synchronized one. They show that synchronization can be avoided by the addition of randomization to the traffic sources and quantify how much randomization is necessary. In addition, they argue that the inadvertent synchronization of periodic processes is likely to become an increasing problem in computer networks. >

methods

The synchronization of periodic routing messages

This document describes the Network Time Protocol (NTP), a protocol
for synchronizing a set of network clocks using a set of distributed
clients and servers. NTP is built on the User Datagram Protocol (UDP),
which provides a connectionless transport mechanism. It is evolved
from the Time Protocol and the ICMP Timestamp message and is a
suitable replacement for both. This RFC suggests a proposed protocol
for the ARPA-Internet community, and requests discussion and
suggestions for improvements.

/pdf/network-time-protocol-ntp-2voopjaeby.pdf

DCN local-network protocols

Citations

Network Time Protocol (Version 3) Specification, Implementation and Analysis

OSPF: Anatomy of an Internet Routing Protocol

Assigned numbers

The synchronization of periodic routing messages

Network Time Protocol (NTP)

Related Papers (5)

Routing Information Protocol

Algorithms for synchronizing network clocks

Network Time Protocol (NTP)

User Datagram Protocol

Data networks