Parameterized verification of transactional memories

Abstract

We describe an automatic verification method to check whether transactional memories ensure strict serializability a key property assumed of the transactional interface. Our main contribution is a technique for effectively verifying parameterized systems. The technique merges ideas from parameterized hardware and protocol verification--verification by invisible invariants and symmetry reduction--with ideas from software verification--template-based invariant generation and satisfiability checking for quantified formulæ (modulo theories). The combination enables us to precisely model and analyze unbounded systems while taming state explosion.