Implementing Sequentially Consistent Shared Objects Using Broadcast and Point-to-Point Communication

A distributed algorithm that implements a sequentially consistent collection of shared read/update objects using a combination of broadcast and point-to-point communication is presented and proved correct. This algorithm is a generalization of one used in the Orca shared object system. The algorithm caches objects in the local memory of processors according to application needs; each read operation accesses a single copy of the object, while each update accesses all copies. Copies of all the objects are kept consistent using a strategy based on sequence numbers for broadcasts. The algorithm is presented in two layers. The lower layer uses the given broadcast and point-to-point communication services, plus sequence numbers, to provide a new communication service called a context multicast channel. The higher layer uses a context multicast channel to manage the object replication in a consistent fashion. Both layers and their combination are described and verified formally, using the I...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1995
• Where: ICDCS
• Authors: Alan Fekete, M. Frans Kaashoek, Nancy A. Lynch
• Keywords: Algorithm, Context Multicast Channel, Distributed And Parallel Computing, ICDCS 1995, Point-to-point Communication