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International Conference on Parallel Computing Technologies

PaCT 2003: Parallel Computing Technologies pp 151–164Cite as

The Renaming Problem as an Introduction to Structures for Wait-Free Computing

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 2763))

Abstract

The aim of this introductory survey paper is twofold: to be an introduction to wait-free computing and present the renaming problem. “Wait-free” means that the progress of a process depends only on it, regardless of the other processes (that can progress slowly or even crash). It is shown that the design of wait-free algorithms rests on the definition and the use of appropriate data/control structures. To illustrate such structures, the paper considers the renaming problem where the processes have to acquire new names from a small bounded space despite possible process crashes. Two renaming algorithms are presented. The first is a protocol due to Moir and Anderson; it is based on a grid of splitters. The second is due to Attiya and Fouren; it is based on a network of reflectors. It appears that splitters and reflectors are basic data/control structures that permit to define switching networks well-suited to wait-free computing.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IRISA, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Cedex, Rennes, France

    Michel Raynal

Authors
  1. Michel Raynal
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Novosibirsk State Technical University, Russia

    Victor E. Malyshkin

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© 2003 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Raynal, M. (2003). The Renaming Problem as an Introduction to Structures for Wait-Free Computing. In: Malyshkin, V.E. (eds) Parallel Computing Technologies. PaCT 2003. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 2763. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-45145-7_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-45145-7_13

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-40673-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-45145-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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