Distributed Locking as a Data Type

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new approach for building distributed locking mechanisms using algebraic replicated data types (ARDTs), enabling flexible, composable, and environment-agnostic coordination protocols.

Contribution

It presents a novel strategy for distributed locking based on ARDTs, applicable across diverse network environments, and demonstrates two locking protocols as case studies.

Findings

Two locking protocols implemented as ARDTs.

Minimal assumptions required for network environment.

Integration into the LoRe programming language ongoing.

Abstract

Mixed-consistency programming models assist programmers in designing applications that provide high availability while still ensuring application-specific safety invariants. However, existing models often make specific system assumptions, such as building on a particular database system or having baked-in coordination strategies. This makes it difficult to apply these strategies in diverse settings, ranging from client/server to ad-hoc peer-to-peer networks. This work proposes a new strategy for building programmable coordination mechanisms based on the algebraic replicated data types (ARDTs) approach. ARDTs allow for simple and composable implementations of various protocols, while making minimal assumptions about the network environment. As a case study, two different locking protocols are presented, both implemented as ARDTs. In addition, we elaborate on our ongoing efforts to integrate the approach into the LoRe mixed-consistency programming language.