The Critical-Section Problem

n processes all competing to use some shared data Each process has a code segment, called critical section, in which the shared data is accessed. Problem ensure that when one process is executing in its critical section, no other process is allowed to execute in its critical section. Structure of process Pi repeat entry section critical section exit section remainder section until false;

Operating System Concepts

6.5

Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Solution to Critical-Section Problem

1. Mutual Exclusion. If process Pi is executing in its critical section, then no other processes can be executing in their critical sections. 2. Progress. If no process is executing in its critical section and there exist some processes that wish to enter their critical section, then the selection of the processes that will enter the critical section next cannot be postponed indenitely. 3. Bounded Waiting. A bound must exist on the number of times that other processes are allowed to enter their critical sections after a process has made a request to enter its critical section and before that request is granted. Assume that each process executes at a nonzero speed. No assumption concerning relative speed of the n processes.
Operating System Concepts 6.6 Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Initial Attempts to Solve Problem

Only 2 processes, P0 and P1 General structure of process Pi (other process Pj ) repeat entry section critical section exit section remainder section until false; Processes may share some common variables to synchronize their actions.

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Algorithm 1
Shared variables: var turn: (0..1); initially turn = 0 turn = i Pi can enter its critical section Process Pi repeat while turn = i do no-op; critical section turn := j; remainder section until false; Satises mutual exclusion, but not progress.

Operating System Concepts

6.8

Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Algorithm 2
Shared variables var ag: array [0..1] of boolean; initially ag[0] = ag[1] = false. ag[i] = true Pi ready to enter its critical section Process Pi repeat ag[i] := true; while ag[j] do no-op; critical section ag[i] := false; remainder section until false;

Satises mutual exclusion, but not progress requirement.

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Algorithm 3

Combined shared variables of algorithms 1 and 2. Process Pi repeat ag[i] := true; turn := j; while (ag[j] and turn=j) do no-op; critical section ag[i] := false; remainder section until false; Meets all three requirements; solves the critical-section problem for two processes.
Operating System Concepts 6.10 Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Synchronization Hardware

Test and modify the content of a word atomically. function Test-and-Set (var target: boolean): boolean; begin Test-and-Set := target; target := true; end;

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Mutual Exclusion with Test-and-Set

Shared data: var lock: boolean (initially false) Process Pi repeat while Test-and-Set(lock) do no-op; critical section lock := false; remainder section until false;

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Semaphore

Synchronization tool that does not require busy waiting. Semaphore S integer variable can only be accessed via two indivisible (atomic) operations wait(S): while S 0 do no-op; S := S 1; signal(S): S := S + 1;

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Example: Critical Section for n Processes

Shared variables var mutex : semaphore initially mutex = 1 Process Pi repeat wait(mutex); critical section signal(mutex); remainder section until false;

Operating System Concepts

6.17

Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Semaphore Implementation

Dene a semaphore as a record type semaphore = record value: integer; L: list of process; end; Assume two simple operations: block suspends the process that invokes it. wakeup(P) resumes the execution of a blocked process P.

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Implementation (Cont.)
Semaphore operations now dened as S.value := S.value 1; if S.value < 0 then begin add this process to S.L; block; end; signal(S): S.value := S.value + 1; if S.value 0 then begin remove a process P from S.L; wakeup(P); end; wait(S):

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Semaphore as General Synchronization Tool

Execute B in Pj only after A executed in Pi Use semaphore ag initialized to 0 Code: Pi . . . A signal(ag) Pj . . . wait(ag) B

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Two Types of Semaphores

Counting semaphore integer value can range over an unrestricted domain. Binary semaphore integer value can range only between 0 and 1; can be simpler to implement. Can implement a counting semaphore S as a binary semaphore.

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Deadlock and Starvation

Deadlock two or more processes are waiting indenitely for an event that can be caused by only one of the waiting processes. Let S and Q be two semaphores initialized to 1 P0 wait(S); wait(Q); . . . signal(S); signal(Q); P1 wait(Q); wait(S); . . . signal(Q); signal(S);

Starvation indenite blocking. A process may never be removed from the semaphore queue in which it is suspended.
Operating System Concepts 6.21 Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Classical Problems of Synchronization

Bounded-Buffer Problem Readers and Writers Problem Dining-Philosophers Problem

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6.25

Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Bounded-Buffer Problem

Shared data type item = ... var buffer = ... full, empty, mutex: semaphore; nextp, nextc: item; full := 0; empty := n; mutex := 1;

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Bounded-Buffer Problem (Cont.)

Producer process repeat ... produce an item in nextp ... wait(empty); wait(mutex); ... add nextp to buffer ... signal(mutex); signal(full); until false;

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Bounded-Buffer Problem (Cont.)

Consumer process repeat wait(full); wait(mutex); ... remove an item from buffer to nextc ... signal(mutex); signal(empty); ... consume the item in nextc ... until false;

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

ReadersWriters Problem

Shared data var mutex, wrt: semaphore (= 1); readcount : integer (= 0); Writer process wait(wrt); ... writing is performed ... signal(wrt);

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

ReadersWriters Problem (Cont.)

Reader process wait(mutex); readcount := readcount + 1; if readcount = 1 then wait(wrt); signal(mutex); ... reading is performed ... wait(mutex); readcount := readcount 1; if readcount = 0 then signal(wrt); signal(mutex);

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Dining-Philosophers Problem

Shared data var chopstick: array [0..4] of semaphore; (=1 initially)

Operating System Concepts 6.31 Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998

Dining-Philosophers Problem (Cont.)

Philosopher i: repeat wait(chopstick[i]); wait(chopstick[i+1 mod 5]); ... eat ... signal(chopstick[i]); signal(chopstick[i+1 mod 5]); ... think ... until false;

Operating System Concepts

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Silberschatz and Galvin c 1998