A Distributed Deadlock Detection and Resolution Algorithm for the OR Model

Deadlock detection in distributed systems is considered difficult since no single site knows the exact information on the whole system state. This paper proposes a time-efficient algorithm for distributed deadlock detection and resolution. The initiator of the algorithm propagates a deadlock detection message and builds a reduced wait-for graph from the information carried by the replies. The time required for deadlock detection is reduced to half of that of the other algorithms. Moreover, any deadlock reachable from the initiator is detected whereas most previous algorithms only find out whether the initiator is involved in deadlock. This feature accelerates the detection of deadlock. Resolution of the detected deadlock is also simplified and precisely specified, while the current algorithms either present no resolution scheme or simply abort the initiator of the algorithm upon detecting deadlock.