Probabilistic Bidding Gives Optimal Distributed Resource Allocation

John H. Reif, Paul G. Spirakis

Abstract: In this paper we consider a fundamental problem of resource allocation in a distributed network. Each user's demands for resources may change dynamically and the processors speeds can vary dynamically. Let v be the maximum number of users competing for a particular resource at any time instant. Let k be the maximum number of resources that a user is willing to get, at any time instant. This problem was previously formulated in [Lynch, 1980]. It has application (1) to two-phase locking in databases (2) to generalized dining philosophers, and (3) to the implementation of a novel extension of the CSP language, called Social-CSP and to many other applications to concurrent programming.