vix.ing · top · new · best · stats · spec

Model Checking Paxos in Spin

2014/08/26 by Giorgio Delzanno, Michele Tatarek, Riccardo Traverso
Computer Science · #cs.LO #cs.DC #cs.DM

paper · pdf · doi:10.4204/eptcs.161.13

published as EPTCS 161, 2014, pp. 131-146 · In Proceedings GandALF 2014, arXiv:1408.5560

arxiv created 2014/08/26 · arxiv updated 2014/08/27

Abstract

We present a formal model of a distributed consensus algorithm in the executable specification language Promela extended with a new type of guards, called counting guards, needed to implement transitions that depend on majority voting. Our formalization exploits abstractions that follow from reduction theorems applied to the specific case-study. We apply the model checker Spin to automatically validate finite instances of the model and to extract preconditions on the size of quorums used in the election phases of the protocol.

Citations