Lecture 20: Linearizability I

COSC 273: Parallel and Distributed Computing

Spring 2023

Announcements

1. Lab 03 due tonight
2. Quiz this Friday
   • sequential consistency
   • linearizability

Previously

An execution of a concurrent object is sequentially consistent if all method calls can be ordered such that:

1. they are consistent with program order
2. they meet object’s sequential specification

An implementation of an object is sequentially consistent if

1. it guarantees every execution is sequentially consistent

Example: A Queue with Locks

Queue supports enq(x) and deq() operations

• each instance stores a lock
• wrap enq and deq operations with lock/unlock
  • modifications are in critical section

Sample Concurrent Calls

Analyzing lock/unlock Calls

Equivalent Sequential Execution

Two Issues

1. Calls to enq/deq are blocking
   • if thread A enters critical section, other threads are blocked from making progress until A unlocks
2. Sequential consistency is a “weak” notion of correctness
   • does not necessarily respect “wall clock” order of method calls

What are “Acceptable” Outcomes?

Another idea

• Make sure execution is consistent with timing of method calls
• Consider sequential executions consistent with each method call taking effect at some instant during the method call

Same Example, Fewer Options

Can only change relative order of method calls if they overlap

Linearization Points

A linearization point is a point in a method call where method “takes effect”

• all events after linearization point see effect of method call
• linearization points must be distinct (correspond to some atomic operation)

Example of Linearization Points

Equivalent Sequential Execution

An Alternative Sequential Execution

Linearizability

A concurrent execution is linearizable if:

• exists a linearization point in each method call such that execution is consistent with sequential execution where method calls occur in order of corresponding linearization points

An implementation of an object is linearizable if:

• it guarantees every execution is linearizable

Back to the Counter

An incorrect (concurrent) counter

public class Counter {
    int count = 0;
    public void increment() { ++count; }
    public int read() { return count; }
}

Better strategy (e.g., from lab 1)?

A Counter for Two Threads

public class TwoCounter {
    int[] counts = new int[2];	
    public void increment (int amt) {
        int i = ThreadID.get(); // thread IDs are 0 and 1
        int count = counts[i];
        counts[i] = count + amt;		
    }
    public int read () {
        int count = counts[0];
        count = count + counts[1];
        return count;
    }}

Is TwoCounter Linearizable?

• if not, find a non-linearizable execution
• if so, what are the linearization points for the execution

Linearizing increment

What is the linearization point of increment?

public class TwoCounter {
    public void increment (int amt) {
        int i = ThreadID.get(); // thread IDs are 0 and 1
        int count = counts[i];
        counts[i] = count + amt;		
    }

Linearizing read

What is the linearization point of read?

    public int read () {
        int count = counts[0];
        count = count + counts[1];
        return count;

First Moral

    public int read () {
        int count = counts[0];
        count = count + counts[1];
        return count;

The linearization point may depend on

• which thread calls the method
• method calls of other threads

Three Threaded Counter?

How to generalize TwoCounter to three threads?

public class ThreeCounter {
    int[] counts = new int[3];
	
    public void increment (int amt) {
        int i = ThreadID.get(); // thread IDs are 0, 1, and 2
        int count = counts[i];
        counts[i] = count + amt;		
    }	
}

A read Method

    public int read () {
        int count = counts[0];
        count = count + counts[1];
        count = count + counts[2];		
        return count;
    }

Is ThreeCounter Linearizable?

Writing Between the Lines

    public int read () {
        int count = counts[0];
        count = count + counts[1];
        count = count + counts[2];		
        return count;
    }

Sequentially Consistency

Questions.

1. Is the previous execution sequentially consistent?
2. Is ThreeCounter sequentially consistent?

Next Time

Linearizable Queues!