The imposition of real-time constraints on a parallel computing environment-
specifically high-performance, cluster-computing systems- introduces a variety
of challenges with respect to the formal verification of the system's timing
properties. In this paper, we briefly motivate the need for such a system, and
we introduce an automaton-based method for performing such formal verification.
We define the concept of a consistent parallel timing system: a hybrid system
consisting of a set of timed automata (specifically, timed Buchi automata as
well as a timed variant of standard finite automata), intended to model the
timing properties of a well-behaved real-time parallel system. Finally, we give
a brief case study to demonstrate the concepts in the paper: a parallel matrix
multiplication kernel which operates within provable upper time bounds. We give
the algorithm used, a corresponding consistent parallel timing system, and
empirical results showing that the system operates under the specified timing
constraints.Comment: In Proceedings FTSCS 2012, arXiv:1212.657