Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Specification and analysis of a data transfer protocol using systems of communicating machines

  • Published:
Distributed Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

A model for communication protocols calledsystems of communicating machines is used to specify a data transfer protocol with variable window size (e.g., HDLC), which is an arbitrary nonnegative integer, and to analyze it for freedom from deadlocks. The model uses a combination of finite state machines and variables. This allows the size of the specification (i.e., number of states and variables) to be linear in the window size, a considerable reduction from the pure finite state machine model. A new type of analysis is demonstrated which we callsystem state analysis. This is similar to thereachability analysis used in the pure finite state model, but it provides substantial simplication by reducing the number of states generated. For example, with the protocol in this paper, ifw is the window size, then the global analysis producesO(w 5) states, while the system state analysis producesO(w 3) states. The system state analysis is then combined with an inductive proof, extending the analysis to all nonnegative integersw.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aggarwal S, Barbara D, Meth KZ: SPANNER: a tool for the specification, analysis and evaluation of protocols. IEEE Trans Software Eng SE-13:1218–1237 (1987)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Aggarwal S, Kurshan RP, Sharma D: A language for the specification and analysis of protocols. Protocol specification, testing and verification III. North-Holland 1983

  3. Bochmann GV, Gecsei J: A unified method for the specification and verification of protocols. Information Processing, North Holland Publishing Company 1977, pp 229–234

  4. Brinskma E: A tutorial on LOTOS. Proc IFIP WG 6.1 5th Int Workshop on Protocol Specification, Testing and Verification. Toulouse-Moissac, France, June 10–13, 1985

  5. Budkowski S, Dembinski P: The formal specification technique estelle. Comp Networks ISDN Syst 14 (1987)

  6. Castenet R, Dupuex A, Guitton P: Ada, a well-suited language for the specification and implementation of protocols. Proc IFIP WG 6.1 5th Int Workshop on Protocol Specification, Testing and Verification, Toulouse-Moissac, France, June 10–13, 1985

  7. Charbonneau LJ: Specification and analysis of the token bus protocol. M.S. Thesis, Department of Computer Science, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 1990

    Google Scholar 

  8. Choi TY, Miller R: Protocol analysis and synthesis by structured partitions. Comp Networks ISDN Syst 11 (5):367–381 (1986)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Diaz M, Ansart JP, Courtiat J, Azema P, Chari V: The formal description technique Estelle. North-Holland Elsivier 1989

  10. Elmiro L: Modeling an improved FDDI protocol. M.S. Thesis, Department of Computer Science, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA (in preparation)

  11. Gouda M, Yu YT: Maximal progress state exploration. ACM SIGCOMM Symposium. University of Texas at Austin, March 8–9, 1983

  12. Hoare CAR: Communicating sequential processes. CACM 21 August 8, 1978

  13. Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. IEEE Standard 802.3: Carrier sense multiple access with collision detection access method and physical layer specification 1985

  14. Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. IEEE Standard 802.4: Token-passing bus 1985

  15. Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. IEEE Standard 802.5: Token ring access method and physical layer specification 1985

  16. Lam SS, Shankar U: Protocol verification via projections. IEEE Trans Software Eng SE-10(4):474–491 (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Keller RM: Formal verification of parallel programs. Commun ACM 371–384 (1976)

  18. Kvaslerud O: Applications of high speed networks. M.S. Thesis, Department of Computer Science, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 1991

    Google Scholar 

  19. Le Moli G: An approach for evaluating formal description techniques. Proc IFIP WG 6.1 5th Int Workshop on Protocol Specification, Testing and Verification. Toulouse-Moissac, France, June 10–13, 1985, North-Holland

  20. Linn RJ: The features and facilities of estelle: a formal description technique based upon an extended finite state machine model. Proc IFIP WG 6.1 5th Int Workshop on Protocol Specification, Testing and Verification. Toulouse-Moissac, France, June 10–13, 1985

  21. Lundy GM: Systems of communicating machines: a model for communication protocols. Ph.D. Thesis, School of Information and Computer Science, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 1988

    Google Scholar 

  22. Lundy GM: Improving throughput in the FDDI token ring network. In: Johnson M (ed) The second IFIP Int Workshop on Protocols for High Speed Networks, Palo Alto, CA 1990, pp 369–382

  23. Lundy GM: Modeling and analysis of data link protocols. TN 86-499.1. Telecommunications Research Laboratory, GRE Laboratories, Inc, 40 Sylvan Road, Waltham, MA January 1986

  24. Lundy GM: Specification and analysis of the token bus protocol using systems of communicating machines. IEEE Systems Design and Networks Conference, Santa Clara, CA 1990

  25. Lundy GM, Akyildiz IF: A formal model of the FDDI network protocol. In: Europa Proceedings of the EFOC/LAN '91, London 1991, pp 201–205

  26. Lundy GM, Christensen P: Specification of the MIL-standard 1553 protocol using systems of communicating machines. IEEE military communications conference, Monterey, CA 1990

  27. Lundy GM, Locke J: Automated design and analysis of protocols. Tech Rep, Department of Computer Science, Naval Postgraduate School 1991 (in preparation)

  28. Lundy GM, Luqi: Specification of a token ring protocol using systems of communicating machines. IEEE systems design and networks conference, Santa Clara, CA 1989

  29. Lundy GM, Miller RE: Analyzing a CSMA/CD protocol through a systems of communicating machines specification (submitted for publication)

  30. Lundy GM, Miller RE: Specification and analysis of a general data transfer protocol. Tech Rep GIT-88/12. School of Information and Computer Science, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 1988

    Google Scholar 

  31. Lundy GM, Miller RE: A variable window protocol specification and analysis. Eighth International Symposium on Protocol Specification, Testing and Verification, Atlantic City, NJ, June 7–10, 1988

  32. Miller RE, Lundy GM: An approach to modeling communication protocols using finite state machines and shared variables. IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference, Houston, TX, December 1–4, 1986

  33. Miller RE, Lundy GM: A model for communication protocols using finite state machines and shared variables. Tech Rep GIT-ICS-86/22, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta GA 30332, October 23, 1986

    Google Scholar 

  34. Nikolaou C, Clarke E, Nisson F, Shuman S: A methodology for verifying request processing protocols. ACM SIGCOMM, University of Texas at Austin, March 8–9, 1983

  35. Proposed draft standard. Distributed queue dual bus subnetwork of a metropolitan area network, IEEE 802.6

  36. Raiche C: Specification and analysis of the token ring protocol. M.S. Thesis, Department of Computer Science, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 1989

    Google Scholar 

  37. Rudin H: An informal overview of formal protocol specification. IEEE Communications Magazine 23 (3):46–52 (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Sarikaya B, Bochmann G, Cerny E: A test design methodology for protocol testing IEEE trans software eng SE-135 (1988)

  39. Shankar Udaya: Verified data transfer protocols with variable flow control. Tech Rep CS-TR-1746, UMIACS-TR-86-25. Department of Computer Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, December 1986

    Google Scholar 

  40. Stenning NV: A data transfer protocol. Comput Networks 1:99–110 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Venkatramen RC, Piatkowski TF: A formal comparison of formal protocol specification techniques. Proc IFIP WG 6.1 5th Int Workshop on Protocol Specification, Testing, and Verification. Toulouse-Moissac, France, June 10–13, 1985, North-Holland

  42. Vuong ST, Cowan DD: Reachability analysis of protocols with FIFO channels. ACM SIGCOMM, University of Texas at Austin, March 8–9, 1983

  43. X3T9 committee of ANSI. FDDI token ring media access control. ANSI Standard X3T9.5, 1990

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, Nayal Postgraduate School, 93943, Monterey, CA, USA

    G. M. Lundy

  2. Department of Computer Science, University of Maryland, 20742, College Park, MD, USA

    Raymond E. Miller

  3. Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Center of Excellence in Space Data and Information Sciences, 20771, Greenbelt, MD, USA

    Raymond E. Miller

Authors
  1. G. M. Lundy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Raymond E. Miller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Gilbert M. Lundy, Jr was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1954. After completing schools in Plano, Texas, he attended Texas A & M University, receiving the B.A. in mathematics (1976). From 1977–81 he served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, based at Fort Ord, California. From 1981–84 he was a software engineer at E-Systems, in Dallas, Texas. During this period he also completed the M.S. program in Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas. From 1984 to 1988, he was a graduate student at Georgia Institute of Technology, receiving the Ph.D. in 1988. His research was in the formal modeling of communication protocols for computer networks. Since September 1988, he has been an Assistant Professor of computer science at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He teaches classes and performs research in computer networks and communications.

Raymond E. Miller received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, in 1957. He was a Research Staff Member at IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown, Heights, NY, from 1957 to 1980, Director of the School of Information and Computer Science at Georgia Tech from 1980 to 1987, and is currently a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Maryland, College Park, and Director of the NASA Center of Excellence in Space Data and Information Sciences at Goddard Space Flight Center. He has written over 90 technical papers in areas of theory of computation, machine organization, parallel computation, and communication protocols. Dr. Miller is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Fellow of the IEEE and a member of ACM. Among his numerous society activities he served as an ACM Council Member-at-Large from 1976–1982, Editor in Chief of the Journal of the ACM from 1972–1976, a Board Member of the Computing Research Association from 1983–1991, and President of the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board from 1985–1987. Currently he is a member of the Board of Governors of the IEEE Computer Society and Vice President for Educational Activities.

This research was performed while the authors were at Georgia Institute of Technology

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lundy, G.M., Miller, R.E. Specification and analysis of a data transfer protocol using systems of communicating machines. Distrib Comput 5, 145–157 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02252957

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02252957

Key words

Search

Navigation