The renaming problem as an introduction to structures for wait-free computing

Abstract

The aim of this introductory survey paper is twofold: to be an introduction to wait-free computing and present the renaming problem. "Wait-free" means that the progress of a process depends only on it, regardless of the other processes (that can progress slowly or even crash). It is shown that the design of wait-free algorithms rests on the definition and the use of appropriate data/control structures. To illustrate such structures, the paper considers the renaming problem where the processes have to acquire new names from a small bounded space despite possible process crashes. Two renaming algorithms are presented. The first is a protocol due to Moir and Anderson; it is based on a grid of splitters. The second is due to Attiya and Fouren; it is based on a network of reflectors. It appears that splitters and reflectors are basic data/control structures that permit to define switching networks well-suited to wait-free computing. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.