Action framework in software transactional memory

• US 9,411,634 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Zhang, Lingli, Levanoni, Yosseff, Detlefs, David L., Sodhi, Sukhdeep S., Zhu, Weirong
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, CAM Y T
• Application Number:
  US12/819,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,241 Days
• Field of Search: 707/609, 707/813, 707/704, 717/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/467 Transactional memory G06F9/528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/526 Mutual exclusion algorithms

Abstract

A software transactional memory system implements a lightweight key-based action framework. The framework includes a set of unified application programming interfaces (APIs) exposed by an STM library that allow clients to implement actions that can be registered, queried, and updated using specific keys by transactions or transaction nests in STM code. Each action includes a key, state information, and a set of one or more callbacks that can be hooked to the validation, commit, abort, and/or re-execution phases of transaction execution. The actions extend the built-in concurrency controls of the STM system with customized control logics, support transaction nesting semantics, and enable integration with garbage collection systems.

Claims

1. A method performed by a software transactional memory (STM) system in a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving, with an action framework in the STM system, a first action operation with a first key from a transaction in STM code, each action includes a key, state information, and a set of one or more callbacks that can be hooked to at least one of validation, commit, abort, and re-execution phases of transaction execution, said each action provides a customized implementation of the one or more callbacks;

registering, with the action framework, a first action corresponding to the first action operation with the first key, the first key allowing the transaction to subsequently perform at least one of querying and updating the first action and the first action implementing a callback with a customized implementation;

receiving, with the action framework, a second action operation with a second key from the transaction; and

in response to the second key differing from the first key, registering, with the action framework, a second action corresponding to the second action operation in a first action map with the second key and a callback implemented by the second action operation.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing at least one of querying and updating the first action in response to the second action operation with the second key from the transaction.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

invoking the callback in the first action in response to reaching a transaction execution phase corresponding to the transaction.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the transaction execution phase is one of a validation phase, a commit phase, and a rollback phase.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating an action map for the transaction in response to the first action operation from the transaction.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

merging the first action into an action map of a parent transaction of the transaction.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

invoking the callback in the first action in response to a garbage collection.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first action is a memory undo action corresponding to thread local memory accessed by the transaction.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first action is a lock interoperation action corresponding to a traditional lock accessed by the transaction.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first action is an initializer action corresponding to an initialization performed by the transaction that can only be done once and cannot be rolled back.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first action is a lock elision action corresponding to a lock elision by the transaction.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first action is a customized control action corresponding to a concurrency control algorithm of the transaction.

13. A method performed by a software transactional memory (STM) system in a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving, with an action framework in the STM system, a first action operation with a first key from a transaction in STM code, each action includes a key, state information, and a set of one or more callbacks that can be hooked to at least one of validation, commit, abort, and re-execution phases of transaction execution, said each action provides a customized implementation of the one or more callbacks;

updating, with the action framework, a first action with the first key in a first action map corresponding to the transaction;

receiving, with the action framework, a second action operation with a second key from the transaction; and

in response to the second key differing from the first key, registering, with the action framework, a second action corresponding to the second action operation in the first action map with the second key and a callback implemented by the second action operation.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

invoking a callback implemented by the first action in response to reaching a transaction execution phase corresponding to the transaction.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

merging the first action into a second action map of a parent transaction of the first transaction.

16. A computer readable storage medium, which does not include transitory propagating signals, storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer system, perform a method comprising:

receiving, with an action framework in a software transactional memory (STM) system in the computer system, a first action operation with a first key from a first transaction in STM code, each action includes a key, state information, and a set of one or more callbacks that can be hooked to at least one of validation, commit, abort, and re-execution phases of transaction execution, said each action provides a customized implementation of the one or more callbacks;

registering, with the action framework, a first action corresponding to the first action operation with the first key if the first action has not been registered when the first action operation is received, the first action implementing a callback with a customized implementation;

performing, with the action framework, at least one of querying and updating the first action in response to the first action operation if the first action has been registered when the first action operation is received;

receiving, with the action framework, a second action operation with a second key from the transaction; and

in response to the second key differing from the first key, registering, with the action framework, a second action corresponding to the second action operation in a first action map with the second key and a callback implemented by the second action operation.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, the method further comprising:

determining whether the first action has been registered when the first action operation is received using the first key.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

invoking the callback in the first action in response to reaching a transaction execution phase corresponding to the transaction.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

merging the first action into a third action of a second transaction in response to the first transaction committing, the third action being a parent transaction of the first transaction.