摘要 |
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, apparatus and computer program product for enabling a thread to acquire a lock associated with a shared resource, when a locking mechanism is used therewith, wherein each embodiment reduces waiting time and enhances efficiency in using the shared resource. One embodiment is associated with a plurality of processors, which includes two or more processors that each provides a specified thread to access a shared resource. The shared resource can only be accessed by one thread at a given time, a locking mechanism enables a first one of the specified threads to access the shared resource while each of the other specified threads is retained in a waiting queue, and a second one of the specified threads occupies a position of highest priority in the queue. The method includes the step of identifying a time period between a time when the first specified thread releases access to the shared resource, and a later time when the second specified thread becomes enabled to access the shared resource. Responsive to an additional thread that is not one of the specified threads being provided by a processor to access the shared resource during the identified time period, it is determined whether a first prespecified criterion pertaining to the specified threads retained in the queue has been met. Responsive to the first criterion being met, the method determines whether a second prespecified criterion has been met, wherein the second criterion is that the number of specified threads in the queue has not decreased since a specified prior time. Responsive to the second criterion being met, the method then decides whether to enable the additional thread to access the shared resource before the second specified thread accesses the resource.
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