SoD-TEAM: Robust System Design Under Weak Component Assumptions

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) Division Computer and Network Systems (CNS) Science of Design (SoD) Program Proposal Number: 0613967 P/I: Hai Zhou PI's Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering Institution: Northwestern University Award: $200,000 for 24 months Title: "SoD TEAM: Robust System Design Under Weak Component Assumptions" This project focuses on developing a new "science of design" for large, robust systems. Typically, large-scale robust systems are distributed and reactive with heterogeneous components that may be designed by different contributors; some may be legacy systems and some may be un-trusted third-party programs. Recent rapid development and deployment of Internet and networked devices, such as cell phones and sensor networks, has resulted in application systems development that is vastly different from traditional software engineering: commercial of-the-shelf components, legacy components, and un-trusted components are generally unavoidable as components in such a system. Diminished designer-control over components poses a challenge: the weaker the component assumptions, the more difficult it is to build a provably-correct system or even a system that meets requirements. This project's "science of design" provides precise specifications for imperfect components, gives functional limits of feasible systems under different assumptions, and provides a methodology to design a robust system under weak component assumptions. The PIs anticipate that their rigorous theory of design and specification (based on adapting and extending Temporal Logic of Action -- TLA -- a program logic that expresses both programs and their properties with a single language) will deepen understanding of the relationships and trade-offs between system assurance and component-assumptions, particularly for concurrent systems. Such a design methodology (i.e., their language for specifying components and a set of tools for checking system properties) facilitate the design of larger and more secure systems. Program Manager: Anita J. La Salle Date: June 21, 2006