Chapter 18: Problem 4

Compare binary locks to exclusive/shared locks. Why is the latter type of locks preferable?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Exclusive/shared locks are generally more preferable than binary locks due to their ability to allow multiple simultaneous readers, thereby optimizing resource utilization and increasing system concurrency, especially in read-heavy systems. Simultaneously, they ensure data integrity by allowing just one writer at a time, thereby preventing data conflicts.

Step by step solution

Define Binary Locks

Binary locks are simple locking mechanisms that have two states: locked and unlocked. They allow only one thread to access the shared resource at a time. When a process or thread wants to access a shared resource, it checks the lock: if it's unlocked, it locks it and proceeds, but if it's already locked, it has to wait.

Define Exclusive/Shared Locks

Exclusive/shared locks, also known as readers-writer locks, are more flexible and sophisticated than binary locks. They allow multiple threads to read the shared resource at the same time, but exclusive access for writing. Under this locking mechanism, if a thread wants to read the shared resource, it acquires a shared lock; multiple threads can hold a shared lock at the same time. However, if a thread wants to write to the resource, it must acquire an exclusive lock. This prevents other threads from accessing the resource while it's being written to, ensuring data consistency and integrity.

Compare Binary Locks and Exclusive/Shared Locks

While binary locks are simpler and prevent simultaneous access, they can lead to underutilization of resources, as only one thread can access the resource at a time, regardless of the operation being performed. In contrast, exclusive/shared locks allow multiple threads to read the shared resource concurrently, improving resource utilization and system efficiency, while still ensuring that only one thread can write to the resource at a time, preserving data consistency and integrity.

State Why Exclusive/Shared Locks Are Preferable

Exclusive/shared locks are generally more preferable than binary locks due the level of flexibility they offer. They allow for a higher degree of concurrency by enabling multiple readers to access a resource simultaneously, thus utilizing the system resources more effectively. In addition, they ensure data integrity by allowing only one writer at a time. This is particularly beneficial in systems where read operations are more frequent than write operations.

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Compare binary locks to exclusive/shared locks. Why is the latter type of locks preferable?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Define Binary Locks

Define Exclusive/Shared Locks

Compare Binary Locks and Exclusive/Shared Locks

State Why Exclusive/Shared Locks Are Preferable

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