Testing Memory Models

A memory model defines the behavior of a shared memory machine when two or more threads read/write the same operand at the same time. There are only a handful of choices in defining a memory model. There are two (not clearly distinct) types of test to determine if a machine fails to conform to its memory model. Simple tests identify the normal behavior of the machine. Complex tests try to overwhelm the machine in an effort to reveal bugs in the machine's design and/or construction. Presented here is a framework for generating complex tests.