The Derivation of Distributed Termination Detection Algorithms from Garbage Collection Schemes

It is shown that the terminationdetection problem for distributed computations can be modeled as an instance of the garbage collection problem. Consequently, algorithms for the termination detection problem are obtained by applying transformations to garbage collection algorithms. The transformation can be applied to collectors of the mark and sweep" type as well as to reference counting garbage collectors. As examples, the scheme is used to transform the distributed reference counting protocol of Lermen and Maurer, the weighted reference counting protocol, the local reference counting protocol, and Ben Ari's mark and sweep collector into termination detection algorithms. Known termination detection algorithms as well as new variants are obtained.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1991
• Where: PARLE
• Authors: Gerard Tel, Friedemann Mattern
• Keywords: Distributed And Parallel Computing, PARLE 1991, Reference Counting, Reference Counting Protocol, Termination Detection