The ERA Theorem for Safe Memory Reclamation

TL;DR

This paper introduces the ERA theorem, demonstrating that no safe memory reclamation scheme can simultaneously achieve ease of integration, robustness, and applicability, thus defining fundamental limitations in concurrent data structure design.

Contribution

The paper rigorously defines SMR and the three key properties, and proves the ERA theorem establishing the inherent trade-offs among them.

Findings

Any SMR scheme can only achieve two of the three properties.

The ERA theorem formalizes fundamental limitations in SMR design.

Guides future development of SMR schemes by clarifying achievable property combinations.

Abstract

Safe memory reclamation (SMR) schemes for concurrent data structures offer trade-offs between three desirable properties: ease of integration, robustness, and applicability. In this paper we rigorously define SMR and these three properties, and we present the ERA theorem, asserting that any SMR scheme can only provide at most two of the three properties.