Time Synchronization and Vector Clocks

This project implements a time synchronization system using vector clocks in a distributed network. It simulates message passing between multiple processes while maintaining a consistent ordering of events.

Quickstart Guide

Running the Simulation

1. Copy all the contents from this repository.
2. Open a terminal and navigate to the folder containing time-synchronization.py.
3. Run the program using:

   python time-synchronization.py

4. The simulation will:
   • Create multiple processes (p1, p2, p3, p4, p5).
   • Synchronize processes using vector clocks.
   • Simulate message delivery with delays to test causality preservation.
   • Remove a process from the network dynamically.

How It Works

• Each process maintains a vector clock to track message order.
• Messages are sent asynchronously and delivered in a causally correct manner.
• Processes wait for at least five nodes to join before sending messages.

Core Concepts

• Vector Clocks: Ensure causal ordering in distributed systems.
• Multicast Messaging: Messages are sent with random delays to test synchronization.
• Causal Delivery: Messages are only delivered if all dependencies are satisfied.
• Process Removal: The system adapts dynamically when a node leaves.

Preview of Simulation Output

Example Log Output

[Network] Process 1 is the bootstrap node.
[Network] All five nodes have joined. Message sending is now allowed.
[Process 1] Sending message 'm' with timestamp {1: 1, 2: 0, 3: 0, 4: 0, 5: 0}
[Process 2] Received message 'm' from 1 (timestamp: {1: 1, 2: 0, 3: 0, 4: 0, 5: 0})
[Process 2] Delivering message 'm' from 1

Notes:

• The network delay for each message is randomized.
• Messages are only delivered if all vector clock conditions are met.
• The system removes processes dynamically and updates clocks accordingly.

Future Enhancements

• Implement physical clock synchronization (e.g., Berkeley Algorithm, NTP).
• Introduce network partitions to simulate real-world failures.
• Add visualization tools to track vector clock evolution.