David Mitlyng for Xairos
Distributed Systems Need Better Timing
The need for accurate timing cuts across multiple sectors, but there seems to be a common thread: the trend towards distributed architectures.
Consider distributed databases, distributed computing, distributed communication networks, distributed sensor arrays, and distributed controls.
Generally speaking, distributed systems offer resiliency and efficiency but require low latency and better synchronization.
Do you think the GPS architects are planning for this? We are.
Last Week's Theme: You Better Watch Out
- Attended the 2021 Q2B Practical Quantum Computing Conference and presented at the Quantum Start-ups Pitch Session in Santa Clara, California. Lots of good meetings with quantum partners and investors.
- Completed the second CDL Quantum Stream session and got the green light (thank you to our mentors!) to move on to the third session in February. With the opportunity comes a new set of objectives and challenges.
- Completed a National Science Foundation (NSF) proposal with our university partner, and now prepping for upcoming NASA and Air Force and DoD 22.1 solicitations.
- Advisory Board is coming together.
2021
- TC Sessions: Space 2021, December 14 - 15, virtual
2022
- Colloquium on the Physics of Quantum Electronics (PQE 2022), January 10 - 14, Snowbird, Utah
- SPIE Photonics West, January 22 - 27, San Francisco, CA
- Inside Quantum Technology The Hague, February 21 - 23, The Hague, Netherlands
- Quantum Information Processing (QIP 2022), March 7 - 11, Pasadena, CA
- Satellite 2022, March 21 - 24, Washington DC
- Quantum Business Europe, March 23 - 24, location TBD
- IEEE International Conference on Space Optical Systems and Applications, March 28 - 31, Kyoto, Japan
- Space Symposium, April 4 - 7, Colorado Springs, CO
- Workshop on Synchronization and Timing Systems, May 9 - 12, Denver, CO
- Photonics for Quantum, June 6 - 9, Rochester, NY
- Quantum.Tech Boston, June 14-15, Boston, MA
- IEEE Quantum Week 2022, September 18 - 23, Broomfield, CO
- International Timing and Sync Forum, November 7 - 10, Dusseldorf, Germany
- The Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) released a report to help organizations prepare for a "“post-quantum” world when sufficiently advanced quantum computers can break the encryption standards upon which our modern world greatly depends."
- The National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board held their annual meeting. Former CIA Director of Russia Analysis and author of the "The Russia Trap" George Beebe presented his insights on how GPS could "influence geopolitics and historical examples of how technology imbalances can spark wars."
- A recent "Beyond Silicon Valley" report from Revolution ROTR and PitchBook noted that the "proportion of early-stage VC dollars going to Bay Area startups... is on pace to be below 30% for the first time in more than 10 years."
Last week we highlighted resources to learn about quantum technologies ahead of the holidays.
There are also a plethora of sites available to learn about timing and synchronization.
For data center timing, the Time Appliances Project is a good starting point.
Their site has an extensive set of online articles and the recent 2021 OCP Global Summit presentations.
To learn about timing for telecommunications, the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) is host to white papers and the upcoming Workshop on Synchronization and Timing Systems.
A similar organization, the International Timing & Sync Forum (ITSF), is holding their next conference in November and provides access to presentations from previous conferences.
Next week we will post some of our favorite quantum books and educational videos, so if you have any recommendations please pass them along! You can email us or schedule a meeting here.