Issues in Formal Methods (chapter 3)

The previous two chapters of this book discuss the construction of distributed systems and highlight some of the challenges that they pose. The central problem that these chapters leave is, of course, how to enhance reliability in the context of distribution. For those interested in a formal approach, this gives rise to a number of requirements on both the theoretical framework and particular engineering approaches. In this chapter we draw on some of the themes introduced in Chapters 1 and 2 to discuss implications on the use of formal methods for the specification of distributed systems