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Fault Tolerance Computer Programs that Can Fix Themselves!

This article discusses the concept of fault-tolerant software for distributed systems, exploring solutions such as token rings and constant state size. Learn how computers can recover from faults and ensure the reliability of their programs.

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Fault Tolerance Computer Programs that Can Fix Themselves!

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  1. Fault ToleranceComputer Programs that CanFix Themselves! Prof’s Paul Sivilottiand Tim Long Dept. of Computer & Info. Science The Ohio State University paolo@cis.ohio-state.edu

  2. Ubiquity of Computers

  3. Distributed Systems • Computers are increasingly connected • Can cooperate to solve a common task • Example: Voting day • Ballots counted in individual polling stations • District office sums these counts • State office sums the district numbers • Example: Traffic flow • Calculate best route from OSU to downtown Columbus • Based on: roads, distances, construction information, traffic jams, other cars,…

  4. Distributed Programs:Advantages • Speed • Divide a big problem into smaller parts • Solve smaller parts in parallel • Communication • Problem is inherently distributed across space • Must gather information and coordinate • Robustness • Give the same task to many computers • Even if one fails, others are probably ok

  5. So What’s the Downside? • With more computers, there are more things that can go wrong! • Despite our best efforts, “faults” occur • Examples: • “blue screen”, “segmentation fault”, “crash”,… • Possible causes: • Environmental conditions • Computer unplugged, wireless connection lost • Software bug • Human error in engineering the software • User error • Program given bad input, used improperly

  6. Fault-Tolerant Software • A program that still does the right thing, despite faults • Can fix itself, and eventually recover • For sequential software • Restart system • But for distributed software? • Restart isn’t practical! • System must be “self-stabilizing”

  7. Tokens for Taking Turns • Consider all the chefs across the city • Say they need to take turns • Only one can be on vacation at a time • How do they coordinate when to go on vacation? • Solution: use a “token” • Pass token around • Rule: If you have the token, you can go on vacation

  8. Token Ring • Problem: What about faults? • What happens if token is lost? • One fault means disaster!

  9. Prevent Loss of Token: Binary Ring • Rule (for most chefs): if left neighbor is different from me, then I have the token • Make my number equal to that neighbor’s 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

  10. Completing the Ring 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 • One chef is special: if left neighbor is same as me, then I have the token • Make my number differ from that neighbor’s

  11. “1” token 0 “0” token “1” token Fault: Corruption of Values • Problem: multiple tokens in ring • Tokens chase each other around ring • One fault means disaster 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

  12. k-State Token Ring • Solution: use more values than chefs! • Same rule • If left neighbor different from me: • I have the token! (use it) • Change my value to be equal to neighbor • Again, one chef is special • If left neighbor same as me • I have the token (use it) • Change my value to be one bigger

  13. Activity: Anthropomorphism • Form a ring • Each person has number cards • Each person has a chime • When you get the token: • Play your chime • Then change your number • We’ll run different versions • I’ll introduce “faults” and see if you can recover!

  14. Can We Do Better? • Problems with this approach? • Consider a very large ring • Need a very large number of states! • Consider a dynamic ring • When the size changes, everyone needs to be updated! • A better solution would use a fixed number of states • Independent of ring size

  15. Constant State Size • Recall difficulty with binary ring • Many tokens in ring, of different “types” • Chase each other around the ring, never colliding • Solution A: • Force them to “collide” by having more types than chefs • Solution B?

  16. Don’t Use a Ring! 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 • Solution: chop the ring! • Tokens can’t circulate • They reflect back and forth • All chefs responsible for stabilization

  17. 4-State Token “Ring” • Chefs pass tokens right and left • State = value (0/1) and direction (left/right) • Left rule (same as before) • If left neighbor different from me: • I have the token! (use it) • Change my value to be equal to neighbor • Face right • Right rule (other direction) • If right neighbor same as me and facing me: • I have the token! (use it) • Face left

  18. Activity 2 • Form a “ring” again • Pairs at each station • One person for left rule, one for right • Left rule person: • Always “on” • Copy value and face right (may already be facing that way) • Right rule person: • Only “on” when you and right neighbor face each other • Change direction to face left

  19. Take-Home Messages • Ubiquity of Distributed Systems • Computers are getting smaller, cheaper, faster • Increased connectivity • Faults • Some errors are outside of our control • Sequential programs can be reset • Distributed Fault Tolerance • Distributed programs that fix themselves • Eventually stabilize in spite of faults • Subtlety of Distributed Algorithms • Concurrency and nondeterminism • How can we convince ourselves these algorithms are correct?

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