Mount Kenya University.

Distributed Systems Group Discussion.

Members:

Christine Maina. BIT/2020/90361

Linet Njoki. BIT/2020/89924

Michael Nduta. BIT/2020/91977

Thiga Margaret. BIT/2020/90367

Timothy Mugendi. BIT/2020/90291

Patience Matei BIT/2020/67514

Neema Omondi. BIT/2020/89601

Faith Waithera. BIT/2020/69934

Discuss the features of the following non-token-based algorithms and compare and contrast their
performance metrics against the indicated metrics of mutual exclusion performance threshold.

1. Lampost
2. Ricost-Agrawala
3. Maekawa
4. Suzuki- Kasami

Response time (low loads, high loads & messages)

Performance metrics to enhance discuss

Minimum synchronization delay

Maximum throughput

Minimum response time

Maximum average response time

 Mutual Exclusion Performance Threshold (MEPT):

Several processes can use a shared resource concurrently thanks to the non-token-based
MEPT method. If a process is permitted to enter the crucial part or not is decided using a
performance threshold. Once the performance barrier is reached, a process can immediately go
on to the crucial portion. If not, the procedure must wait until the threshold is reached.

Performance Metrics.

 Minimum synchronization delay: This is not applicable to MEPT since it does not require
synchronization.

 Maximum throughput: MEPT can achieve a high throughput, as it allows multiple

processes to access the critical section simultaneously.

Response Time.

 Minimum response time: The response time of MEPT is determined by the performance
threshold. If the threshold is met, a process can enter the critical section immediately,
resulting in a low response time.

 Maximum average response time: The average response time of MEPT can be high if the
performance threshold is not met, causing processes to wait before entering the critical
section.

Lampost Algorithm.

Lampost is a non-token-based algorithm that uses a shared variable to control access to the
critical section. A process can enter the critical section only if the shared variable is set to its
process ID. If the shared variable is not set to the process ID, the process must wait until it
becomes available.

Performance Metrics:

 Minimum synchronization delay: Lampost has a low synchronization delay since it only
requires access to a shared variable.
  Maximum throughput: Lampost can achieve a moderate throughput since only one
process can enter the critical section at a time.

Response Time.

 Minimum response time: The response time of Lampost is low if a process has the shared
variable set to its process ID, allowing it to enter the critical section immediately.

 Maximum average response time: The average response time of Lampost can be high if
many processes are waiting for the shared variable to become available.

Ricart-Agrawala Algorithm.

Ricart-Agrawala is a non-token-based algorithm that uses message passing to coordinate

access to the critical section. A process sends a request to enter the critical section to all other
processes, and only enters the critical section if it receives permission from all other processes.

Performance Metrics.

 Minimum synchronization delay: Ricart-Agrawala has a high synchronization delay since

it requires all processes to send and receive messages to coordinate access to the critical
section.

 Maximum throughput: Ricart-Agrawala can achieve a moderate throughput since only

one process can enter the critical section at a time.

Response Time.

 Minimum response time: The response time of Ricart-Agrawala can be high since it
requires all processes to agree before a process can enter the critical section.

 Maximum average response time: The average response time of Ricart-Agrawala can be
high if many processes are waiting for permission to enter the critical section.

Maekawa Algorithm.

Maekawa is a non-token-based algorithm that uses a voting scheme to determine which

process can enter the critical section. A process can enter the critical section only if it receives
votes from a majority of the processes in a subset of the total processes.
Performance Metrics.

 Minimum synchronization delay: Maekawa has a moderate synchronization delay since it

requires processes to communicate and vote to determine which process can enter the
critical section.

 Maximum throughput: Maekawa can achieve a high throughput since it allows multiple
processes to access the critical section simultaneously.

Response Time.

 Minimum response time: The response time of Maekawa can be relatively low if a
process receives votes from the required number of processes in the subset and can enter
the critical section immediately.

Suzuki- Kasami Algorithm.

The Suzuki-Kasami algorithm is a non-token-based algorithm that allows multiple

processes to enter the critical section simultaneously. It uses a set of logical clocks to coordinate
access to the critical section. The algorithm works as follows:

i. Each process maintains a logical clock that is incremented each time the process
sends a request to enter the critical section.
ii. When a process wants to enter the critical section, it sends a request message to all
other processes, along with its current logical clock value.
iii. When a process receives a request message, it updates its own logical clock to be
greater than or equal to the maximum of its current clock value and the clock value
received in the request message, and then sends a reply message back to the
requesting process with its updated clock value.
iv. A process can enter the critical section once it has received reply messages from all
other processes and its request has the lowest logical clock value.

Performance Metrics.

 Minimum synchronization delay: The synchronization delay of the Suzuki-Kasami

algorithm is moderate since it requires all processes to send and receive messages to
 coordinate access to the critical section. However, it is lower than the Ricart-Agrawala
algorithm since the messages are sent only once per request.
 Maximum throughput: The Suzuki-Kasami algorithm can achieve a high throughput
since it allows multiple processes to enter the critical section simultaneously, provided
that their logical clocks are sufficiently different.

Response Time.

 Minimum response time: The response time of the Suzuki-Kasami algorithm can be low
if a process has a sufficiently different logical clock value from the other processes,
allowing it to enter the critical section immediately.
 Maximum average response time: The average response time of the Suzuki-Kasami
algorithm can be high if many processes have similar logical clock values and are waiting
to enter the critical section. However, this can be mitigated by adjusting the logical clock
values to ensure greater differentiation among processes.