Compiling Parameterized X86-TSO Concurrent Programs to Cubicle-W

Abstract

We present PMCx86, a compiler from x86 concurrent programs to Cubicle-W, a model checker for parameterized weak memory array-based transition systems. Our tool handles x86 concurrent programs designed to be executed for an arbitrary number of threads and under the TSO weak memory model. The correctness of our approach relies on a simulation result to show that the translation preserves x86-TSO semantics. To show the effectiveness of our translation scheme, we prove the safety of parameterized critical primitives found in operating systems like mutexes and synchronization barriers. To our knowledge, this is the first approach to prove safety of such parameterized x86-TSO programs.