Michael J. Whittaker

Michael J. Whittaker is a researcher in computer science, with a 2021 PhD thesis on Compartmentalizing State Machine Replication from the University of California, Berkeley. His work focuses on distributed systems, consensus protocols, and coordination avoidance in database environments.

• Key Research Areas: Distributed Computing, Database Systems, Consensus Protocols, Coordination Avoidance

Whittaker's research emphasizes scalable state machine replication, quorum systems, and fault-tolerant design. His recent publications explore compartmentalization techniques for improving system performance and reconfigurable consensus protocols like Matchmaker Paxos. Collaborative efforts include high-profile conferences such as VLDB, EuroSys, and SoCC.

His 15 most recent articles (2021–2016) span topics from zero-coordination transactions to quorum design in distributed databases. Notable trends include modular protocol design (Bipartisan Paxos), systems scalability (Meerkat), and debugging techniques for distributed environments (Why-Across-Time Provenance).