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Abstract Specification of Resource Accessing Disciplines: Adequacy, Starvation, Priority and Interrupts

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Abstract

A macro notation is introduced. The notation was designed to permit the specification of the behaviour of a distributed system in terms of resources characterised by associated synchronisation statements. The proper co-ordination of processes using the resources can thus be stated as the permissable order of execution of operations on shared resources as part of the resource definition. This contrasts with the usual ""process orientated"" approach which associates synchronisation statements with the processes using the resource. This makes proper co-ordination of processes part of the individual task of each process. We argue that the process orientated approach is not suited for specifying highly parallel systems with distributed decision capabilities. The notions of adequacy, starvation, priority and interrupts are discussed in the context of our ""resource orientated"" approach and compared with their counterparts in a ""process orientated"" approach. Semi formal demonstrations of the adequacy of simple but realistic example systems are sketched.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Lauer PE, Shields MW

Series Editor(s): Shaw B

Publication type: Report

Publication status: Published

Series Title: Computing Laboratory Technical Report Series

Year: 1977

Pages: [40]

Print publication date: 01/12/1977

Source Publication Date: December 1977

Report Number: 117

Institution: Computing Laboratory, The University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Place Published: Newcastle upon Tyne


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