Efficient Implementation of Multi-process Handshaking on Broadcasting Networks

Multi-process handshaking is a generalization of ordinary handshake communication between two processes. It allows an arbitrary number of processes to be synchronized in a common handshake, for the purpose of carrying out a joint action, consisting of a sequential statement that is executed in the combined state space of the processes participating in the handshake. The statement updates the local variables of the processes in a manner that depends on the values of the local variables of the other processes. The paper is concerned with implementing this communication mechanism on networks with a broadcasting facility. The implementation is described and its correctness is proved. The efficiency is calculated analytically and verified experimentally by simulation studies.