text: The recent extensive availability of "big data" platforms calls for a widespread adoption by the formal verification community. Cloud computing platforms represent a great opportunity to run massively parallel jobs, yet classical formal verification tools techniques must undergo a deep technological transformation in order to exploit the new available architectures. This has raised an increasing interest in deploying verification techniques on parallel distributed frameworks. In this paper we introduce a framework to ease the adoption of a distributed approach to verification of Computation Tree Logic (CTL) formulas on very large state spaces. The approach exploits integrates a recently developed, parametric state-space builder. The whole framework adopts M AP R EDUCE as core computational model, and can be tailored to different modelling formalisms. The outcomes of several tests performed on (Petri-nets based) benchmark specifications are presented, thus showing the convenience of the proposed approach.
  @cite_18: In this paper we discuss the problem of performing distributed CTL model checking by splitting the given state space into several "partial state spaces." The partial state space is modelled as a Kripke structure with border states. Each computer involved in the distributed computation owns a partial state space and performs a model-checking algorithm on this incomplete structure. To be able to proceed, the border states are augmented by assumptions about truth values of formulas and the computers exchange assumptions about relevant states to compute more precise information.
  @cite_29: The main limiting factor of the model checker SPIN is currently the amount of available physical memory. This paper explores the possibility of exploiting a distributed-memory execution environment, such as a network of workstations interconnected by a standard LAN, to extend the size of the verification problems that can be successfully handled by SPIN. A distributed version of the algorithm used by SPIN to verify safety properties is presented, and its compatibility with the main memory and complexity reduction mechanisms of SPIN is discussed. Finally, some preliminary experimental results are presented.
  @cite_1: 
  @cite_32: We present a new distributed-memory algorithm for enumerative LTL model-checking that is designed to be run on a cluster of workstations communicating via MPI. The detection of accepting cycles is based on computing maximal accepting predecessors and the subsequent decomposition of the graph into independent predecessor subgraphs induced by maximal accepting predecessors. Several optimizations of the basic algorithm are presented and the influence of the ordering on the algorithm performance is discussed. Experimental implementation of the algorithm shows promising results.
  @cite_0: Model checking became a standard method of analyzing complex systems in many application domains. No doubt, a number of applications is placing great demands on model checking tools. The process of analysis of complex and real-life systems often requires vast computation resources, memory in particular. This phenomenon, referred to as the state space explosion problem, has been tackled by many researchers during the past two decades. A plethora of more or less successful techniques to fight the problem have been introduced, including parallel and distributed-memory processing. DiVinE is a tool for LTL model checking and reach ability analysis of discrete distributed systems. The tool is able to efficiently exploit the aggregate computing power of multiple network-interconnected multi-cored workstations in order to deal with extremely large verification tasks. As such it allows to analyze systems whose size is far beyond the size of systems that can be handled with regular sequential tools. While the main focus of the tool is on high-performance explicit state model checking, an emphasis is also put on ease of deployment and usage. Additionally, the component architecture and publicly available source code of Divine allow for its usage as a platform for research on parallel and distributed-memory model checking techniques.
  @cite_27: In this paper we present sequential as well as distributed algorithms for model checking computational tree logic over finite-state systems specified as Petri nets. The algorithms rely on an explicit representation of the system’s state space but do not require the transition relation to be explicitly available; it is recomputed whenever required. This approach allows us to model check very large systems, with hundreds of millions of states, in a fast and efficient way. For the case studies addressed, the distributed algorithms scale very well, as they show efficiencies in the range of 60 to 95 , depending on the test cases and case studies at hand.
  @cite_13: In this paper, we propose a distributed algorithm for CTL model-checking and a counterexample search whenever the CTL formula is not satisfied. The distributed approach is used in order to cope with the state space explosion problem. A cluster of workstations performs collaborative verification over a partitioned state space. Thus, every process involved in the distributed verification performs the labelling procedure on its own partial state space, and uses the parse tree of the CTL formula to evaluate sub-formulas and delay the synchronisations so as to minimise idle time. A counterexample search consists in a distributed construction of the tree-like corresponding to the failure executions. Some experiments have been carried out to evaluate the efficiency of this approach.
  @cite_17: We propose a practical parallel on-the-fly algorithm for enumerative LTL (linear temporal logic) model checking. The algorithm is designed for a cluster of workstations communicating via MPI (message passing interface). The detection of cycles (faulty runs) effectively employs the so called back-level edges. In particular, a parallel level-synchronized breadth-first search of the graph is performed to discover back-level edges. For each level, the back-level edges are checked in parallel by a nested depth-first search to confirm or refute the presence of a cycle. Several optimizations of the basic algorithm are presented and advantages and drawbacks of their application to distributed LTL model-checking are discussed. Experimental implementation of the algorithm shows promising results.
summary: @cite_29 @cite_1 @cite_17 @cite_32 @cite_0 discuss parallel distributed verification of (LTL) formulas. They aim at increasing the memory available and reducing the overall time required by LTL formulas verification by employing distributed techniques for searching accepting cycles in B "ichi automata. Distributed and parallel model checking of CTL logic was also proposed. @cite_18 introduced a CTL model checking technique which works by splitting the given state space into several partial state spaces''. Each computer involved in the distributed computation owns a partial state space and performs a model checking algorithm on this incomplete structure. To be able to proceed, the border states are augmented by assumptions about truth values of formulas and the computers exchange assumptions about relevant states to compute more precise information. Other approaches were introduced in @cite_27 @cite_13 .