Model checking the probabilistic pi-calculus

Norman, G. , Palamidessi, C., Parker, D. and Wu, P. (2007) Model checking the probabilistic pi-calculus. In: Proceedings Fourth International Conference on the Quantitative Evaluation of Systems (QEST 2007), Edinburgh, Scotland, September 17-19, 2007, pp. 169-178. (doi: 10.1109/QEST.2007.31)

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Publisher's URL: http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/QEST.2007.31

Abstract

We present an implementation of model checking for the probabilistic \pi-calculus, a process algebra which supports modelling of concurrency, mobility and discrete probabilistic behaviour. Formal verification techniques for this calculus have clear applications in several domains, including mobile ad-hoc network protocols and random security protocols. Despite this, no implementation of automated verification exists. Building upon the (non-probabilistic) \pi- calculus model checker MMC, we first show an automated procedure for constructing the Markov decision process representing a probabilistic \pi-calculus process. This can then be verified using existing probabilistic model checkers such as PRISM. Secondly, we demonstrate how for a large class of systems a more efficient, compositional approach can be applied, which uses our extension of MMC on each parallel component of the system and then translates the results into a high-level model description for the PRISM tool. The feasibility of our techniques is demonstrated through three case studies from the \pi-calculus literature

Item Type:Conference Proceedings
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Norman, Dr Gethin
Authors: Norman, G., Palamidessi, C., Parker, D., and Wu, P.
Subjects:Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Computing Science

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