Taming Chaos: Deterministic Simulation Testing for Distributed Systems - Unmesh Joshi

This talk addresses the challenges of testing distributed systems, focusing on concurrency bugs, network partitions, and clock skew, which can lead to unreliable tests and difficult-to-reproduce failures. The speaker introduces deterministic simulation testing, a method used by systems like TigerBeetle to identify hidden bugs effectively. Attendees learn about TickLoom, a lightweight Java framework designed for deterministic simulation testing, featuring a single-threaded tick-loop and pluggable fault injection, allowing developers to simulate faults and replay scenarios. Additionally, the session covers the integration of TickLoom with the Jepsen framework for consistency checking, equipping participants with essential knowledge and tools for addressing critical issues in distributed systems testing.