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FTSyn: a framework for automatic synthesis of fault-tolerance

International Journal on Software Tools for Technology Transfer volume 10, pages 455–471 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

In this paper, we present a software framework for adding fault-tolerance to existing finite-state programs. The input to our framework is a fault-intolerant program and a class of faults that perturbs the program. The output of our framework is a fault-tolerant version of the input program. Our framework provides (1) the first automated tool for the synthesis of fault-tolerant distributed programs, and (2) an extensible platform for researchers to develop a repository of heuristics that deal with the complexity of adding fault-tolerance to distributed programs. We also present a set of heuristics for polynomial-time addition of fault-tolerance to distributed programs. We have used this framework for automated synthesis of several fault-tolerant programs including a simplified version of an aircraft altitude switch, token ring, Byzantine agreement, and agreement in the presence of Byzantine and fail-stop faults. These examples illustrate that our framework can be used for synthesizing programs that tolerate different types of faults (process restarts, Byzantine and fail-stop) and programs that are subject to multiple faults (Byzantine and fail-stop) simultaneously. We have found our framework to be highly useful for pedagogical purposes, especially for teaching concepts of fault-tolerance, automatic program transformation, and the effect of heuristics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Computer Science Department, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, 49931, USA

    Ali Ebnenasir

  2. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Sandeep S. Kulkarni

  3. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Anish Arora

Authors
  1. Ali Ebnenasir
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  2. Sandeep S. Kulkarni
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  3. Anish Arora
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sandeep S. Kulkarni.

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Ebnenasir, A., Kulkarni, S.S. & Arora, A. FTSyn: a framework for automatic synthesis of fault-tolerance. Int J Softw Tools Technol Transfer 10, 455–471 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10009-008-0083-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10009-008-0083-0

Keywords

  • Fault-tolerance
  • Automatic addition of fault-tolerance
  • Formal methods
  • Program synthesis
  • Distributed programs

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