Universal Loop-Free Super-Stabilization

We propose an univesal scheme to design loop-free and super-stabilizing protocols for constructing spanning trees optimizing any tree metrics (not only those that are isomorphic to a shortest path tree). Our scheme combines a novel super-stabilizing loop-free BFS with an existing self-stabilizing spanning tree that optimizes a given metric. The composition result preserves the best properties of both worlds: super-stabilization, loop-freedom, and optimization of the original metric without any stabilization time penalty. As case study we apply our composition mechanism to two well known metric-dependent spanning trees: the maximum-flow tree and the minimum degree spanning tree

Polynomial-Time Space-Optimal Silent Self-Stabilizing Minimum-Degree Spanning Tree Construction

Motivated by applications to sensor networks, as well as to many other areas, this paper studies the construction of minimum-degree spanning trees. We consider the classical node-register state model, with a weakly fair scheduler, and we present a space-optimal \emph{silent} self-stabilizing construction of minimum-degree spanning trees in this model. Computing a spanning tree with minimum degree is NP-hard. Therefore, we actually focus on constructing a spanning tree whose degree is within one from the optimal. Our algorithm uses registers on $O(\log n)$ bits, converges in a polynomial number of rounds, and performs polynomial-time computation at each node. Specifically, the algorithm constructs and stabilizes on a special class of spanning trees, with degree at most $OPT+1$. Indeed, we prove that, unless NP $=$ coNP, there are no proof-labeling schemes involving polynomial-time computation at each node for the whole family of spanning trees with degree at most $OPT+1$. Up to our knowledge, this is the first example of the design of a compact silent self-stabilizing algorithm constructing, and stabilizing on a subset of optimal solutions to a natural problem for which there are no time-efficient proof-labeling schemes. On our way to design our algorithm, we establish a set of independent results that may have interest on their own. In particular, we describe a new space-optimal silent self-stabilizing spanning tree construction, stabilizing on \emph{any} spanning tree, in $O(n)$ rounds, and using just \emph{one} additional bit compared to the size of the labels used to certify trees. We also design a silent loop-free self-stabilizing algorithm for transforming a tree into another tree. Last but not least, we provide a silent self-stabilizing algorithm for computing and certifying the labels of a NCA-labeling scheme

Fast and compact self-stabilizing verification, computation, and fault detection of an MST

This paper demonstrates the usefulness of distributed local verification of proofs, as a tool for the design of self-stabilizing algorithms.In particular, it introduces a somewhat generalized notion of distributed local proofs, and utilizes it for improving the time complexity significantly, while maintaining space optimality. As a result, we show that optimizing the memory size carries at most a small cost in terms of time, in the context of Minimum Spanning Tree (MST). That is, we present algorithms that are both time and space efficient for both constructing an MST and for verifying it.This involves several parts that may be considered contributions in themselves.First, we generalize the notion of local proofs, trading off the time complexity for memory efficiency. This adds a dimension to the study of distributed local proofs, which has been gaining attention recently. Specifically, we design a (self-stabilizing) proof labeling scheme which is memory optimal (i.e., $O(\log n)$ bits per node), and whose time complexity is $O(\log ^2 n)$ in synchronous networks, or $O(\Delta \log ^3 n)$ time in asynchronous ones, where $\Delta$ is the maximum degree of nodes. This answers an open problem posed by Awerbuch and Varghese (FOCS 1991). We also show that $\Omega(\log n)$ time is necessary, even in synchronous networks. Another property is that if $f$ faults occurred, then, within the requireddetection time above, they are detected by some node in the $O(f\log n)$ locality of each of the faults.Second, we show how to enhance a known transformer that makes input/output algorithms self-stabilizing. It now takes as input an efficient construction algorithm and an efficient self-stabilizing proof labeling scheme, and produces an efficient self-stabilizing algorithm. When used for MST, the transformer produces a memory optimal self-stabilizing algorithm, whose time complexity, namely, $O(n)$, is significantly better even than that of previous algorithms. (The time complexity of previous MST algorithms that used $\Omega(\log^2 n)$ memory bits per node was $O(n^2)$, and the time for optimal space algorithms was $O(n|E|)$.) Inherited from our proof labelling scheme, our self-stabilising MST construction algorithm also has the following two properties: (1) if faults occur after the construction ended, then they are detected by some nodes within $O(\log ^2 n)$ time in synchronous networks, or within $O(\Delta \log ^3 n)$ time in asynchronous ones, and (2) if $f$ faults occurred, then, within the required detection time above, they are detected within the $O(f\log n)$ locality of each of the faults. We also show how to improve the above two properties, at the expense of some increase in the memory

Verification and Synthesis of Symmetric Uni-Rings for Leads-To Properties

This paper investigates the verification and synthesis of parameterized protocols that satisfy leadsto properties $R \leadsto Q$ on symmetric unidirectional rings (a.k.a. uni-rings) of deterministic and constant-space processes under no fairness and interleaving semantics, where $R$ and $Q$ are global state predicates. First, we show that verifying $R \leadsto Q$ for parameterized protocols on symmetric uni-rings is undecidable, even for deterministic and constant-space processes, and conjunctive state predicates. Then, we show that surprisingly synthesizing symmetric uni-ring protocols that satisfy $R \leadsto Q$ is actually decidable. We identify necessary and sufficient conditions for the decidability of synthesis based on which we devise a sound and complete polynomial-time algorithm that takes the predicates $R$ and $Q$, and automatically generates a parameterized protocol that satisfies $R \leadsto Q$ for unbounded (but finite) ring sizes. Moreover, we present some decidability results for cases where leadsto is required from multiple distinct $R$ predicates to different $Q$ predicates. To demonstrate the practicality of our synthesis method, we synthesize some parameterized protocols, including agreement and parity protocols

Communication Efficient Self-Stabilizing Leader Election

This paper presents a randomized self-stabilizing algorithm that elects a leader r in a general n-node undirected graph and constructs a spanning tree T rooted at r. The algorithm works under the synchronous message passing network model, assuming that the nodes know a linear upper bound on n and that each edge has a unique ID known to both its endpoints (or, alternatively, assuming the KT? model). The highlight of this algorithm is its superior communication efficiency: It is guaranteed to send a total of O? (n) messages, each of constant size, till stabilization, while stabilizing in O? (n) rounds, in expectation and with high probability. After stabilization, the algorithm sends at most one constant size message per round while communicating only over the (n - 1) edges of T. In all these aspects, the communication overhead of the new algorithm is far smaller than that of the existing (mostly deterministic) self-stabilizing leader election algorithms. The algorithm is relatively simple and relies mostly on known modules that are common in the fault free leader election literature; these modules are enhanced in various subtle ways in order to assemble them into a communication efficient self-stabilizing algorithm

Self-stabilizing K-out-of-L exclusion on tree network

In this paper, we address the problem of K-out-of-L exclusion, a generalization of the mutual exclusion problem, in which there are $\ell$ units of a shared resource, and any process can request up to $\mathtt k$ units ($1\leq\mathtt k\leq\ell$). We propose the first deterministic self-stabilizing distributed K-out-of-L exclusion protocol in message-passing systems for asynchronous oriented tree networks which assumes bounded local memory for each process.Comment: 15 page

Disconnected components detection and rooted shortest-path tree maintenance in networks

International audienceMany articles deal with the problem of maintaining a rooted shortest-path tree. However, after some edge deletions, some nodes can be disconnected from the connected component $V_r$ of some distinguished node $r$. In this case, an additional objective is to ensure the detection of the disconnection by the nodes that no longer belong to $V_r$. We present a detailed analysis of a silent self-stabilizing algorithm. We prove that it solves this more demanding task in anonymous weighted networks with the following additional strong properties: it runs without any knowledge on the network and under the \emph{unfair} daemon, that is without any assumption on the asynchronous model. Moreover, it terminates in less than $2n+D$ rounds for a network of $n$ nodes and hop-diameter $D$