defmodule HLClock do @moduledoc """ Hybrid Logical Clock Provides globally-unique, monotonic timestamps. Timestamps are bounded by the clock synchronization constraint, max_drift. Implementation assumes that timestamps are (at a minimum) regularly sent; a clock at rest will eventually be unable to generate timestamps due to assumed bounds on the logical clock relative to physical time. In order to account for physical time drift within the system, timestamps should regularly be exchanged between nodes. Generate a timestamp at one node via HLClock.send_timestamp/1; at the other node, call HLClock.recv_timestamp/2 with the received timestamp from the first node. Inspired by https://www.cse.buffalo.edu/tech-reports/2014-04.pdf """ alias HLClock.{NodeId, Timestamp} @doc """ Starts and links the supervision tree. """ def start_link(opts \\ []) do opts |> build_opts |> HLClock.Supervisor.start_link end @doc """ Generate a single HLC Timestamp for sending to other nodes or local causality tracking """ def send_timestamp do GenServer.call(HLClock.Server, :send_timestamp) end @doc """ Given the current timestamp for this node and a provided remote timestamp, perform the merge of both logical time and logical counters. Returns the new current timestamp for the local node """ def recv_timestamp(remote) do GenServer.call(HLClock.Server, {:recv_timestamp, remote}) end @doc """ Functionally equivalent to using send_timestamp. This generates a timestamp for local causality tracking. """ def now do GenServer.call(HLClock.Server, :send_timestamp) end @doc """ Create a millisecond granularity DateTime struct representing the logical time portion of the Timestamp. Given that this representation loses the logical counter and node information, it should be used as a reference only. Including the counter in the DateTime struct would create absurd but still ordered timestamps. ## Example iex> {:ok, t0} = Timestamp.new(1410652800000, 0, 0) {:ok, %HLClock.Timestamp{counter: 0, node_id: 0, time: 1410652800000}} iex> encoded = Timestamp.encode(t0) <<1, 72, 113, 117, 132, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0>> iex> << time_and_counter :: size(64), _ :: size(64) >> = encoded iex> DateTime.from_unix(time_and_counter, :microsecond) {:ok, #DateTime<4899-07-30 06:31:40.800000Z>} """ def to_datetime(%Timestamp{time: t}) do with {:ok, dt} <- DateTime.from_unix(t, :millisecond) do dt end end @doc """ Return the logical, monotonic time portion. Unlike `System.monotonic_time`, if timestamps are regularly exchanged with other nodes and/or clients, this monotonic timestamp will represent a cluster wide monotonic value. """ def to_os_time(%Timestamp{time: t}), do: t @doc """ Configurable clock synchronization parameter, ε. Defaults to 300 seconds """ def max_drift(), do: Application.get_env(:hlclock, :max_drift_millis, 300_000) @doc """ Determines if the clock's timestamp "happened before" a different timestamp """ def before?(t1, t2) do Timestamp.before?(t1, t2) end defp build_opts(opts) do opts |> Keyword.put_new(:node_id, NodeId.hash()) end end