Predictive Data Race Detection for GPUs

Abstract

The high degree of parallelism and relatively complicated synchronization mechanisms in GPUs make writing correct kernels difficult. Data races pose one such concurrency correctness challenge, and therefore, effective methods of detecting as many data races as possible are required.Predictive partial order relations for CPU programs aim to expose data races that can be hidden during a dynamic execution. Existing predictive partial orders cannot be naïvely applied to analyze GPU kernels because of the differences in programming models. This work proposes GWCP, a predictive partial order for data race detection of GPU kernels. GWCP extends a sound and precise relation called weakcausally-precedes (WCP) proposed in the context of multithreaded shared memory CPU programs to GPU kernels. GWCP takes into account the GPU thread hierarchy and different synchronization semantics such as barrier synchronization and scoped atomics and locks.We implement a tool called PreDataR that tracks the GWCP relation using binary instrumentation. PreDataR includes three optimizations and a novel vector clock compression scheme that are readily applicable to other partial order based analyses. Our evaluation with several microbenchmarks and benchmarks shows that PreDataR has better data race coverage compared to prior techniques at practical run-time overheads.