Modern software applications are highly configurable, allowing configuration options to be changed even during program execution. When dynamic configuration updating is implemented incorrectly, program errors can result. These program errors occur primarily when stale data—computed from old configurations—or inconsistent data—computed from different configurations—are used. We introduce Staccato, the first tool designed to detect these errors. Staccato uses a dynamic analysis in the style of taint analysis to find the use of stale configuration data in Java programs. It supports concurrent programs running on commodity JVMs. In some cases, Staccato can provide automatic bug avoidance and semi-automatic repair when errors occur.
We evaluated Staccato on 3 open-source applications that support complex reconfigurability. Staccato found multiple errors in all of them. Staccato requires only modest annotation overhead and has moderate performance overhead.
Conference DayFri 22 JulDisplayed time zone: Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna change
Conference Day
Fri 22 JulDisplayed time zone: Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna change
13:30 - 15:20 | Session 8Research Track at Auditorium Loyola Chair(s): Matthias KeilUniversity of Freiburg, Eric JulAlcatel-Lucent Bell Labs | ||
13:30 25mTalk | Composing Interfering Abstract Protocols Research Track Filipe MilitãoCarnegie Mellon University & Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Jonathan AldrichCarnegie Mellon University, Luís CairesFCT / Universidade Nova de Lisboa Link to publication DOI Pre-print Media Attached | ||
13:55 25mTalk | Fine-grained Language Composition: A Case Study Research Track Edd BarrettKing's College London, Carl Friedrich Bolz-TereickKing's College London , Lukas DiekmannKing's College London, Laurence TrattKing's College London Link to publication DOI Pre-print Media Attached | ||
14:20 25mTalk | One Way to Select Many Research Track Link to publication DOI Media Attached | ||
14:45 25mTalk | Staccato: A Bug Finder for Dynamic Configuration Updates Research Track Link to publication DOI Media Attached | ||
15:10 10m | Adjourn Research Track | ||