Sequencing tasks in multiprocess systems to avoid deadlocks

The "deadlock" problem is a logical problem which may occur in a system in which resources are shared among users. Deadlock is a situation in which two or more jobs cannot be completed because of conflicting resource requirements. In this paper we assume that advance information about future resource requirements of jobs is available. In particular, we assume that jobs are represented as a sequence of "job steps" during which the resource usage remains constant. An algorithm which uses this information to determine whether a request can be granted without causing a deadlock is presented.