Method of sequencing lock call requests to an o/s to avoid spinlock

Abstract

An arbitration procedure allowing processes and their associated processors to perform useful work while they have pending service requests for access to shared resources within a multi-processor system environment. The arbitration procedure of the present invention is implemented within a multi-processor system (e.g., a symmetric multi-processor system) wherein multiple processes can simultaneously request 'locks' which control access to shared resources such that access to these shared resources are globally synchronized among the many processes. Rather than assigning arbitration to the operating system, the present invention provides an arbitration procedure that is application-specific. This arbitration process provides a reservation mechanism for contending processes such that any given process only requests a lock call to the operating system when a lock is available for that process, thereby avoiding spinlock by the operating system. During the period between a lock request and a lock grant, a respective process is allowed to perform other useful work that does not need access to the shared resource. Alternatively during this period, the processor executing the respective process can execute another process that performs useful work that does not need the shared resource. Each process requesting a lock grant is informed of the expected delay period, placed on a reservation queue, and assigned a reservation identifier. After releasing the lock, the process uses the reservation queue to locate the next pending process to receive the lock.