Multiword atomic read/write registers on multiprocessor systems
Journal article, 2008

Modern multiprocessor systems offer advanced synchronization primitives, built in hardware, to support the development of efficient parallel algorithms. In this article, we develop a simple and efficient algorithm, the READERSFIELD algorithm, for atomic registers (variables) of arbitrary length. The simplicity and better complexity of the algorithm is achieved via the utilization of two such common synchronization primitives. In this article, we also experimentally evaluate the performance of our algorithm, together with lock-based approaches and a practical, previously previously known algorithm that is based that is based only on read and write primitives. The experimental evaluation is performed on three well-known parallel architectures. This evaluation clearly shows that both algorithms are practical and that as the size of the register increases the READERSFIELD algorithm performs better, following its analytical evaluation.

synchronization primitives

multiprocessors

Multiword atomic read/write registers

multi-core

Author

Andreas Larsson

Chalmers, Computer Science and Engineering (Chalmers), Networks and Systems (Chalmers)

Anders Gidenstam

Phuong Ha

Marina Papatriantafilou

Chalmers, Computer Science and Engineering (Chalmers), Networks and Systems (Chalmers)

Philippas Tsigas

Chalmers, Computer Science and Engineering (Chalmers), Networks and Systems (Chalmers)

Journal of Experimental Algorithmics

1084-6654 (ISSN)

Vol. 13 7-30

Subject Categories

Computer Engineering

Software Engineering

Computer Science

More information

Created

10/8/2017