August 26, 2025
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Building Resilient Networks in an Uncertain World
Every digital service we rely on, from payments and telecom to energy and transportation, quietly depends on a single invisible ingredient: timing. Without precise synchronization, transactions stall, networks falter, and trust erodes. In a world where disruption is inevitable, resilience begins not with redundancy, but with timing.
Resilience is not just about protection from failures. A resilient network adapts when conditions change, continues operating when primary systems are compromised, and maintains trust in the services it delivers. Natural hazards, human-made threats, and vulnerabilities in global positioning systems remind us that disruption is inevitable. The true test is how well networks perform when it matters most.
Timing as the Foundation of Resilience
Synchronization is the quiet force that keeps systems aligned and operating with precision. In financial markets, microsecond accuracy ensures fairness and transparency. In telecommunications, timing allows millions of connections to coexist without conflict. In energy and transportation, it coordinates distributed systems that must act in harmony.
When timing fails, the consequences ripple far beyond technical performance. Yes, a GPS spoofing incident disrupts navigation. But it can ripple into stock exchanges, telecom networks, and even the grid. Applications slow or stop, transactions falter, and confidence erodes. That is why resilient timing architectures, built on diverse sources and protected against interference, are no longer optional.
Timing andsynchronization are so critical that they form part of what we call Robust Core Network Services, a pillar of Network Intelligence. By ensuring the network can see itself clearly and act consistently, Network Intelligence provides the visibility and assurance needed to recover with resilience when disruptions occur.
The Global Imperative
The conversation about resilience and where timing and synchronization play a role is gaining momentum across industries and governments worldwide. Concerns about GNSS vulnerabilities have grown, with jamming, spoofing, and even natural space weather events recognized as credible risks. At the same time, the scale and complexity of digital infrastructure have reached new heights, with cloud platforms, AI-driven workloads, and edge deployments introducing new dependencies.
Leaders are realizing that waiting for failure is not a strategy. Resilience must be built in from the ground up, starting with visibility and extending through automation, policy, and secure timing. Only then can organizations be confident they are prepared for the unexpected.
SynCan: A Community of Expertise
For more than three decades, SynCan has been where the timing and synchronization community comes together. Engineers, researchers, vendors, and users share expertise to strengthen resilience across North America. What began as a Canadian initiative has grown into one of the continent’s leading events, reflecting both local expertise and international collaboration.
Looking Ahead at SynCan 2025
These issues will be at the center of SynCan 2025, presented with Microchip Technology. This year’s theme is resilience, and the discussion will be enriched by the insights of Dana A. Goward, President of the Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation, a global authority on GPS resilience and timing security. His perspective will bring clarity to both the risks we face, and the practical steps organizations can take to strengthen their infrastructures.
As we approach SynCan, one principle comes in to focus: resilience is more than just protection from failures. It is an enabler of trust, continuity, and long-term success. Timing and synchronization may not be the most visible elements of the network, but they are what allow everything else to stand firm when tested.
