Dining Philosophers problem is a:a)Producer - consumer problemb)Classi...
Dining Philosopher's problem is a Classical IPC problem. Option (B) is correct.
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Dining Philosophers problem is a:a)Producer - consumer problemb)Classi...
Introduction:
The Dining Philosophers problem is a classical problem in the field of Interprocess Communication (IPC) and concurrency control. It was introduced by Edsger Dijkstra in 1965 to illustrate the challenges of synchronization and resource allocation in concurrent systems.
Classical IPC Problem:
The Dining Philosophers problem is considered a classical IPC problem because it involves multiple processes (philosophers) trying to access a shared resource (the dining table) in a coordinated manner. IPC refers to the mechanisms and techniques used for communication and synchronization between concurrent processes.
Problem Statement:
The problem is framed around a hypothetical scenario where five philosophers are sitting around a circular table, and each philosopher alternates between thinking and eating. There is a bowl of rice placed between each pair of philosophers, but there are only five chopsticks available for the philosophers to use.
Synchronization and Resource Allocation:
The challenge lies in ensuring that the philosophers do not starve (i.e., wait indefinitely for a chopstick) and that they do not encounter deadlock (i.e., all philosophers holding one chopstick and waiting for the other). To achieve this, the philosophers need to synchronize their actions and allocate the shared resource (chopsticks) in a controlled manner.
Solution Approach:
Various solutions have been proposed to solve the Dining Philosophers problem, including the use of semaphores, monitors, and other synchronization primitives. These solutions aim to ensure that each philosopher can pick up the two adjacent chopsticks without causing deadlock or starvation.
Starvation Problem:
Although the Dining Philosophers problem does involve the issue of potential starvation, it is primarily categorized as a classical IPC problem rather than a starvation problem. Starvation refers to a situation where a process is unable to make progress or access a resource indefinitely due to unfair scheduling or resource allocation.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Dining Philosophers problem is a classical IPC problem that highlights the challenges of synchronization and resource allocation in concurrent systems. While starvation is a potential issue in the problem, it is not the primary focus of the problem statement. Various solutions have been proposed to solve this problem and ensure that the philosophers can access the shared resource without encountering deadlock or starvation.
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