Questions and Answers About Ten Formal Methods

An abstract model of an industrial distributed data base application has been studied using process based, state based, and queueing theory based methods. The methods supported by graphical notations and/or integrated development environments were found to be easiest to work with. The methods supported by model checkers were the most successful in obtaining relevant information about the application. Applying a number of different methods to study one particular model encourages a problem to be viewed from different angles. This gives complementary information about the model. We report on a variety of problems of the model found through various routes. Our main conclusion is that asking experts to apply different methods and tools at a sufficiently abstract level can be done effectively revealing a broad range of information about the considered application.

[1]  Jean-Raymond Abrial,et al.  The B-book - assigning programs to meanings , 1996 .

[2]  James Lyle Peterson,et al.  Petri net theory and the modeling of systems , 1981 .

[3]  Michael Leuschel,et al.  Program Specialisation and Abstract Interpretation Reconciled , 1998, IJCSLP.

[4]  Colin O'Halloran,et al.  Experiences with PiZA, an Animator for Z , 1997, ZUM.

[5]  Xiao-ping Jia.  ZTC: A Type Checker for Z Notation User's Guide , 1995 .

[6]  Danny De Schreye,et al.  Controlling generalization and polyvariance in partial deduction of normal logic programs , 1998, TOPL.

[7]  Pierre Wolper,et al.  Relative liveness and behavior abstraction (extended abstract) , 1997, PODC '97.

[8]  Robin Milner,et al.  A Calculus of Mobile Processes, II , 1992, Inf. Comput..

[9]  Mark Saaltink.  The Z/EVES System , 1997, ZUM.

[10]  Michael Z. Spivey,et al.  The Z notation , 1989 .

[11]  Dave Neilson.  The B-Technologies : A system for computer aided programming , 1999 .

[12]  Wolfgang Reisig.  Petri Nets: An Introduction , 1985, EATCS Monographs on Theoretical Computer Science.

[13]  Steve King,et al.  CICS Project Report: Experiences and Results from the use of Z in IBM , 1991, VDM Europe.

[14]  Alan J. Hu,et al.  Protocol verification as a hardware design aid , 1992, Proceedings 1992 IEEE International Conference on Computer Design: VLSI in Computers & Processors.

[15]  Ulrich Ultes-Nitsche,et al.  The SH-Verification Tool — Abstraction-Based Verification of Co-operating Systems , 1998, Formal Aspects of Computing.

[16]  Arnold O. Allen,et al.  Probability, statistics and queueing theory - with computer science applications (2. ed.) , 1981, Int. CMG Conference.

[17]  Ulrich Nitsche,et al.  Application of formal verification and behaviour abstraction to the service interaction problem in intelligent networks , 1998, FM-Trends 1998.

[18]  Michael J. Butler.  csp2B: A Practical Approach to Combining CSP and B , 1999, World Congress on Formal Methods.

[19]  Gerard J. Holzmann,et al.  Design and validation of computer protocols , 1991 .

[20]  Gerard J. Holzmann,et al.  The Model Checker SPIN , 1997, IEEE Trans. Software Eng..

[21]  Michael Leuschel,et al.  The ecce Partial Deduction System , 1997 .

[22]  Peter Henderson.  From Formal Models to Validated Components in an Evolving System , 1998 .

[23]  Didier Boudigue,et al.  Performance Evaluation of Distributed Object Architectures , 1998, Computer Performance Evaluation.

[24]  SemanticsPieter H. Hartel.  LATOS { A Lightweight Animation Tool for Operational , 1997 .

[25]  Robin Milner,et al.  The Polyadic π-Calculus: a Tutorial , 1993 .

[26]  Zainalabedin Navabi,et al.  VHDL: Analysis and Modeling of Digital Systems , 1992 .

[27]  D. A. Turner,et al.  Miranda: A Non-Strict Functional language with Polymorphic Types , 1985, FPCA.