Section: Application Domains

Application Domains

Distributed algorithms and protocols are found at all levels of computing infrastructure, from many-core processors and systems-on-chip to wide-area networks. We are particularly interested in the verification of algorithms that are developed for supporting novel computing paradigms, including ad-hoc networks that underly mobile and low-power computing or overlay networks, peer-to-peer networks that provide services for telecommunication, or cloud computing services. Computing infrastructure must be highly available and is ideally invisible to the end user, therefore correctness is crucial. One should note that standard problems of distributed computing such as consensus, group membership or leader election have to be reformulated for the dynamic context of these modern systems. We are not ourselves experts in the design of distributed algorithms, but we work together with domain experts on designing formal models of these protocols, and on verifying their properties. These cooperations help us focus on concrete algorithms and ensure that our work is relevant to the distributed algorithm community.

Formal verification techniques can contribute to certifying the correctness of systems. In particular, they help assert under which assumptions an algorithm or system functions as required. For example, the highest levels of the Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation encourage the use of formal methods. While initially the requirements of certified development were mostly restricted to safety-critical systems, the cost of unavailable services due to malfunctioning system components and software provides wider incentives for verification. For example, we have been working on modeling and verifying medical devices that require closed-loop models of both the system and its environment.