# Case Studies

Providing secure time reference to a leading pharmaceutical organization - Vifor Pharma

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Vifor Pharma, a global pharmaceutical company based in Switzerland and specialized in iron deficiency treatments, needed an enterprise-level NTP time server solution to synchronize more than 800 servers simultaneously and coordinate their activity at their twenty remote sites.

After careful analysis of Vifor Pharma’s timing and synchronization processes, the company identified the critical need for a consistent, reliable and secure resilient timing solution.

While many organizations rely on Internet time to synchronize their data and operations, it is less secure and far more unreliable than time data from proven GPS/GNSS time servers.

WHY INTERNET TIME IS PROBLEMATIC

  • Time obtained from internet sources is highly variable
  • Unknown time sources have no traceability
  • Users are unable to correlate events across different locations
  • There are security risks in having an open port to the outside for time synchronization

Time from GPS/GNSS-based time servers is far more accurate and secure; it is legally traceable, and it significantly improves sync between locations. Learn more by checking out our dedicated Tech Brief “The Traceability of Time Synchronization: Why Internet Time Isn’t Good Enough”.

Vifor Pharma contacted Orolia to provide a solution to make their Time source more reliable and secure.

Solution

Orolia provided Vifor Pharma with a dedicated NTP server configuration adapted to their specific needs and infrastructure challenges associated with geographically dispersed locations.

To meet these requirements, Orolia configured its Enterprise-Class SecureSync NTP Server with an 8230 Anti-Jam Antenna, upgrade options for a GPS/GNSS interference detection system, and STL alternative aGNSS signal technology.

The combination of Orolia’s SecureSync time server and the STL signal provided by Satelles has recently been tested and confirmed by GMV to deliver extremely accurate timing indoors and underground, as compared to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

The holdover capability embedded in the SecureSync NTP Server through Orolia’s high-quality OCXO oscillator also enables this platform to maintain precise time and frequency during long periods of GNSS outage.

Results

Vifor Pharma was thus provided with a resilient timing infrastructure that fulfilled all requirements for precise, accurate NTP time distribution across its global network. This solution also enables our customer to comply with the latest regulations regarding the time stamping of production control and operations.

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