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Modelling and Model Checking a Distributed Shared Memory Consistency Protocol

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Application and Theory of Petri Nets 1998 (ICATPN 1998)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1420))

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Abstract

Distributed Shared Memory (DSM) systems provide the abstraction of a common virtual address space across a network of processors. Such systems employ a variety of protocols to maintain a consistent view of data across all local memories. Li and Hudak proposed several of the pioneering protocols for DSM [LH 89]. We have used both Petri net modelling and model checking to explore some of their protocols. Our work has detected inefficiencies, unstated assumptions, and errors in the original protocol descriptions. This paper presents Petri net models for one protocol at two layers of abstraction. For each model, we describe corresponding specifications for model checking and provide verification statistics. This combination of models and specifications gives different views of the protocol, inspiring greater confidence in the correctness of our analysis than if we had used only one approach.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77005-1892

    Kathi Fisler & Claude Girault

  2. Laboratory of Computer Science LIP6, University Paris 6, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252, Paris Cedex 05

    Claude Girault

Authors
  1. Kathi Fisler
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  2. Claude Girault
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut AIFB, University of Karlsruhe, D-76128, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Jörg Desel

  2. Departamento de Informatica a Ingenieria de Sistemas Centro Politecnico Superior, Universidad de Zaragoza, c/ Maria de Luna, 3, E-50015, Zaragoza, Spain

    Manuel Silva

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© 1998 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Fisler, K., Girault, C. (1998). Modelling and Model Checking a Distributed Shared Memory Consistency Protocol. In: Desel, J., Silva, M. (eds) Application and Theory of Petri Nets 1998. ICATPN 1998. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1420. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-69108-1_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-69108-1_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-64677-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-69108-2

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