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Ramifications of Metastability in Bit Variables Explored Via Simpson's 4-Slot Mechanism

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Stephen Paynter, Neil Henderson, Dr James Armstrong

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Abstract

Protocol descriptions often fail to take metastability into account. Metastability, however, can undermine protocols which depend on shared bits. In this paper, a series of increasingly realistic models of bits are developed in CSP, to explore the implications of metastability for Simpson's 4-Slot asynchronous communication mechanism. It is shown that the 4-Slot mechanism with realistic bit models preserves data-coherence, freshness, and sequencing, and is Lamport-atomic. We demonstrate that metastability can undermine the correctness of protocols demonstrated correct with Lamport-safe models of bits; furthermore, realistic bit models can demonstrate protocols correct which Lamport-safe bit models would suggest were incorrect.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Paynter SE, Henderson N, Armstrong JM

Publication type: Report

Publication status: Published

Series Title: School of Computing Science Technical Report Series

Year: 2003

Pages: 21

Print publication date: 01/01/2003

Source Publication Date: January 2003

Report Number: 789

Institution: School of Computing Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Place Published: Newcastle upon Tyne

URL: http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/publications/trs/papers/789.pdf

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