Strong Memory Consistency For Parallel Programming

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Degree type
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Graduate group
Computer and Information Science
Discipline
Subject
Atomicity
Memory Consistency
Parallel Programming
Computer Engineering
Computer Sciences
Funder
Grant number
License
Copyright date
2018-09-27T20:18:00-07:00
Distributor
Related resources
Contributor
Abstract

Correctly synchronizing multithreaded programs is challenging, and errors can lead to program failures (e.g., atomicity violations). Existing memory consistency models rule out some possible failures, but are limited by depending on subtle programmer-defined locking code and by providing unintuitive semantics for incorrectly synchronized code. Stronger memory consistency models assist programmers by providing them with easier-to-understand semantics with regard to memory access interleavings in parallel code. This dissertation proposes a new strong memory consistency model based on ordering-free regions (OFRs), which are spans of dynamic instructions between consecutive ordering constructs (e.g. barriers). Atomicity over ordering-free regions provides stronger atomicity than existing strong memory consistency models with competitive performance. Ordering-free regions also simplify programmer reasoning by limiting the potential for atomicity violations to fewer points in the program’s execution. This dissertation explores both software-only and hardware-supported systems that provide OFR serializability.

Advisor
Joseph Devietti
Steve Zdancewic
Date of degree
2018-01-01
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Journal Issue
Comments
Recommended citation