What question did this study set out to answer?

This work investigates how to prevent simultaneous access to critical sections by independent processes labeled as 'readers' and 'writers'.

October 1, 1971Open Access

Concurrent control with “readers” and “writers”

Key Points

This work investigates how to prevent simultaneous access to critical sections by independent processes labeled as 'readers' and 'writers'.
Proposes two solutions addressing distinct needs: minimizing delay for readers and facilitating early writing.
Analyzes the behavior of reader and writer processes in a concurrent system.
The first solution significantly reduces readers' wait time, enhancing performance when multiple readers access the section.
The second solution guarantees that writers can gain immediate entry to the critical section, improving writing efficiency.

Abstract

The problem of the mutual exclusion of several independent processes from simultaneous access to a “critical section” is discussed for the case where there are two distinct classes of processes known as “readers” and “writers.” The “readers” may share the section with each other, but the “writers” must have exclusive access. Two solutions are presented: one for the case where we wish minimum delay for the readers; the other for the case where we wish writing to take place as early as possible.

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Discussion

Authors

Pierre Courtois

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

F. Heymans

David Lorge Parnas

University of Limerick

Journals

Communications of the ACM

Actions

Institutions

Carnegie Mellon University

References and Citations

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Building similarity graph...

Analyzing shared references across papers

Concurrent control with “readers” and “writers”

Key Points

Abstract

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

Authors

Journals

Actions

Institutions

References and Citations

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

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