Publication Details

Title: Petri Net Based Software Validation: Prospects and Limitations
Author: M. Heiner
Group: ICSI Technical Reports
Date: March 1992
PDF: ftp://ftp.icsi.berkeley.edu/pub/techreports/1992/tr-92-022.pdf

Overview:
Petri net based software validation to check the synchronization structure against some data or control flow anomalies (like unboundednesss or non-liveness) has been a well-known and widely used approach for about ten years. To decrease the complexity problem and because the simpler the model, the more efficient the analysis, the validation is usually tried with the help of place transition Petri nets. However, the modelling with this Petri net class involves two important abstractions of actual software properties -- the time consumption of any action and the data dependencies among conflict decisions. Basically, this paper discusses some problems resulting from these abstractions in the models analyzed which are very often neglected and have therefore not been well understood up to now. Furthermore, discussing the pros and cons of the Petri net approach is done by offering a rough overview of the given background of dependable distributed software engineering. Suggestions for a related workstation supporting different net-based methods are outlined.

Bibliographic Information:
ICSI Technical Report TR-92-022

Bibliographic Reference:
M. Heiner. Petri Net Based Software Validation: Prospects and Limitations. ICSI Technical Report TR-92-022, March 1992