Microchip Technology has introduced the MD-990-0011-B plug-in timing module family, with holdover performance engineered to maintain synchronization through GNSS outages.
This capability is increasingly critical as data centers and 5G virtualized Radio Access Networks build deeper dependencies on satellite-based timing.
The modules support automatic source selection and locking across GNSS, Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE), and Precision Time Protocol (PTP), switching between sources without disrupting timing continuity. That flexibility is central to the design intent: in infrastructure environments where timing failure cascades quickly into service degradation, the ability to transition seamlessly from GNSS to a secondary source — and hold position during that transition — is the operational requirement the module is built around.
When GNSS signal is lost, onboard Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillators maintain holdover for up to eight hours depending on variant. The MD-990-0011-BA01 provides four hours of holdover performance; the MD-990-0011-BC01 extends that to eight. Both integrate a SyncE synthesizer with dual independent Digital Phase-Locked Loop channels, a temperature sensor, EEPROM for board configuration, and a low-jitter oscillator in a single plug-in form factor.
Developed in collaboration with Intel, the modules are designed for compatibility with Intel Xeon 6 SoC-powered server platforms, supporting OEMs and ODMs building next-generation infrastructure for distributed workloads and real-time applications. Both variants are available now in production quantities through Microchip direct sales and authorized distributors.
