PRISM (University of Calgary) · 1997 · 31 citations · 0 references
Because multiprocessors implement sophisticated memory structures in order to enhance performance, processes can have inconsistent views of memory which may result in unexpected program outcomes. A memory consistency model is a set of guarantees that describes constraints on the outcome of sequences of interleaved and simultaneous operations in a multiprocessor. In this paper, we present a unifying framework to describe, understand, and compare memory consistency models. The framework is used to redefine and compare several widely used memory consistency models.