A process includes a port of a bridge providing a reference clock signal to a first end of an interconnect extending between the first port and a network interface controller. The reference clock signal propagates over the interconnect to provide, at a second end of the interconnect, a delayed reference clock signal at the network interface controller. Pursuant to the process, the bridge senses a timing of the delayed reference clock signal. The process includes communicating management traffic between a network interface of a baseboard management controller and the network interface controller via the interconnect. The communication of the management traffic includes the port, responsive to the sensing of the timing of the delayed reference clock signal, synchronizing communication of data with the first end of the interconnect to the delayed reference clock signal.