Model-checking parameterized concurrent programs using linear interfaces

Abstract

We consider the verification of parameterized Boolean programs- abstractions of shared-memory concurrent programs with an unbounded number of threads. We propose that such programs can be model-checked by iteratively considering the program under k-round schedules, for increasing values of k, using a novel compositional construct called linear interfaces that summarize the effect of a block of threads in a k-round schedule. We also develop a game-theoretic sound technique to show that k rounds of schedule suffice to explore the entire search-space, which allows us to prove a parameterized program entirely correct. We implement a symbolic model-checker, and report on experiments verifying parameterized predicate abstractions of Linux device drivers interacting with a kernel to show the efficacy of our technique. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.