A note on a simple equivalence between round-based synchronous and asynchronous models

This short paper characterizes a round-based synchronous (timely) computing model that is equivalent to the popular crash prone round-based asynchronous (time-free) distributed computing model. Equivalence means here that any problem that can be solved by a protocol in one model can be solved by the same protocol in the other model. The style of this note is voluntarily informal. Its aim is mainly pedagogical. Its ambition is to help better understand relations linking synchronous and asynchronous distributed computing systems, and the nature of failures that make them difficult to master.