A shared resource registry is created and maintained by the system to control allocation and deallocation of shared system resources. The shared resource registry will contain information regarding the allocation and control of shared system resources. By accessing shared system resources through the shared resource registry, control of the shared resources is vested in the system instead of individual objects or processes. When the system needs access to a shared resource, it can notify the shared resource registry regarding the desired resource and schedule the termination of the thread or process which has acquired the desired resource. The shared resource registry can then release the desired resource and make it available for another process.

A method and apparatus for configuring a plurality of computers, each of which requires interaction with at least one resource to advance a configuration state of the computer. A request for access to a resource may be received from at least one of the computers, and a resource needed may be determined. An availability of the resource needed may be determined, and the computer instructed to interact with the resource if the resource is available. If the resource is not available, the computer may be caused to not interact with the resource.

A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment set a resource indicator to indicate that a processor is using a resource in a logically-partitioned electronic device, determine whether a current partition in the logically-partitioned electronic device owns the resource, and clear the resource indicator after the processor is done using the resource. When a partition gives up ownership of a resource, a resource ownership state is changed to indicate that the partition does not own a resource, and the partition waits to continue executing until other processors have cleared their respective resource indicators. In an embodiment, the resource indicator is in a cache line that is local to the processor, which allows resources to be dynamically allocated with improved performance.

A physical clock is expanded to enhance its precision. Existing instructions are capable of using the enhanced physical clock. Execution of an instruction begins, which places a value of the expanded physical clock in a physical clock field of a clock representation. The physical clock field is, however, unable to accommodate the value provided by the expanded physical clock. Thus, that value encroaches upon another predefined field of the clock representation. Completion of the instruction is therefore delayed such that the value provided by the expanded physical clock can be accommodated in the clock representation and a correct value for the another predefined field can be provided.

When it is determined that a resource corresponding to the identifier is accessible, the resource may then be accessed. When the resource is not accessible, then it may be determined whether an expected date/time range indicating when identifier may exist can be retrieved. When a date/time range cannot be retrieved, then it may be determined whether an expected date/time range may be generated from the identifier. If so, then a date/time range for the identifier may be generated. When the date/time range cannot be generated, then at least a start time may be provided to determine existence of a resource corresponding to the identifier. When a date/time range is retrieved, generated, or provided then a delay interval to check for existence of a resource corresponding to the identifier may be determined. It may then be determined whether to determine whether there a resource corresponding to the identifier may exist. If so, then it may be determined whether the current date/time is within the date/time range of identifier to make the determination as to whether the resource corresponding to the identifier exists. When the current date/time is within the date/time range and it is determined that a resource corresponding to the identifier is accessible, the resource may then be accessed.