Abstract: A method for clock tracing in a network and a method for clocking tracing, the method for clock tracing in a network includes: distributed network element or a centralized server in the network determining a shortest path to each of clock-source network elements according to stored network topology information and clock-tracing link weight information; determining, among clock sources provided by reachable clock-source network elements, one with an optimal quality, where a clock-source network element with that clock source being considered optimal; and taking a shortest path to the optimal clock-source network element as a clock-tracing path. Furthermore, the method for clocking tracing uses such a clock-tracing path for clock tracing.