University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Maximal Causal Models for Sequentially Consistent Systems

Șerbănuță, Traian Florin; Chen, Feng; Rosu, Grigore

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serbanuta-chen-rosu-2011-tr.pdf

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/27708

Description

Title
Maximal Causal Models for Sequentially Consistent Systems
Author(s)
  • Șerbănuță, Traian Florin
  • Chen, Feng
  • Rosu, Grigore
Issue Date
2011-10-14
Keyword(s)
  • causal properties and models
  • multithreaded systems
  • runtime verification
  • sequential consistency
Date of Ingest
2011-10-15T04:21:55Z
Abstract
This paper shows that it is possible to build a maximal and sound causal model for concurrent computations from a given execution trace. It is sound, in the sense that any program which can generate a trace can also generate all traces in its causal model. It is maximal (among sound models), in the sense that by extending the causal model of an observed trace with a new trace, the model becomes unsound: there exists a program generating the original trace which cannot generate the newly introduced trace. Thus, the maximal sound model has the property that it comprises all traces which al l programs that can generate the original trace can also generate. The existence of such a model is of great theoretical value. First, it can be used to prove the soundness of non-maximal, and thus smaller, causal models. Second, since it is maximal, the proposed model allows for natural and causal-model-independent definitions of trace-based properties; this paper proposes maximal definitions for causal dataraces and causal atomicity. Finally, although defined axiomatically, the set of traces comprised by the proposed model are shown to be effectively constructed from the original trace. Thus, maximal causal models are also amenable for developing practical analysis tools.
Type of Resource
text
Genre of Resource
Technical Report
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/27708

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