Multi-processor data processing system with control for granting multiple storage locks in parallel and parallel lock priority and second level cache priority queues

• US 5,678,026 A
• Filed: 12/28/1995
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Vartti, Kelvin S., Bauman, Mitchell A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Eddie P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hiep T.
• Application Number:
  US08/579,896
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 395/405, 395/447, 395/448, 395/444, 395/475, 395/476, 395/477, 395/478, 395/479, 395/480, 395/250, 395/872, 395/449, 395/550, 395/200.07, 395/200.08 , 395/200.15, 395/200.16, 395/726, 395/729, 395/551, 395/553, 395/552, 395/555
• US Class Current: 711/152
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/18 based on priority control G06F13/1605 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores

Abstract

A storage lock apparatus for a multiprocessor data processing system. The storage lock apparatus includes control for granting locks to different selectable portions of storage in parallel. In addition, acknowledgment from a remote lock controller is not required for a processor to obtain a lock on an address, even if the address for which the lock was requested is not local relative to the processor. Parallel priority queues are employed for parallel handling of storage lock functions and general storage operations, thereby reducing contention for priority between storage lock operations and general storage operations where there are no addressing conflicts.

Claims

1. A storage lock management apparatus for use in a multiprocessor data processing system that includes a plurality of processors, each of which is for issuing storage lock function codes for locking and releasing locks on selectable portions of shared addressable memory, the system further including two intercoupled storage controllers, each providing access to a portion of the shared addressable memory and intercoupled via a remote interface, wherein predetermined ones of the plurality of processors are directly coupled to a respective one of the storage controllers, the storage lock management apparatus in each of the storage controllers comprising:

a set of lock-registers, wherein each lock-register is associated with a respective one of the plurality of processors and is for indicating which of the selectable portions of shared addressable memory is locked by said respective one of the plurality of processors;

a lock priority circuit coupled to the predetermined ones of the plurality of processors, whereby storage lock function codes are received from the predetermined ones of the plurality of processors;

a lock-register control circuit coupled to said lock priority circuit, coupled to said set of lock-registers, and coupled to the remote interface whereby a lock function code presented on the remote interface bypasses said lock priority circuit and is processed in parallel with a lock function code received from said lock priority circuit, and whereby locks are granted to the predetermined ones of the plurality of processors;

a synchronization circuit coupled to said lock priority circuit, coupled to said lock-register control circuit, and coupled to the remote interface for synchronizing presentation of a storage lock operation, initiated by one of the predetermined ones of the plurality of processors that are directly coupled to the respective one of the storage controllers, to said lock priority circuit with receipt of said storage lock operation by a lock-register control circuit in the intercoupled storage controller.

2. The lock management apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a local-remote priority circuit coupled to the remote interface and coupled to said synchronization circuit for prioritizing a storage lock function code received on the remote interface and a simultaneous storage lock function code presented by said synchronization circuit where an address of said storage lock function code received on the remote interface has a predetermined relationship to an address of said storage lock function code presented by said synchronization circuit.

3. The lock management apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a queue control circuit coupled to said lock-register control circuit and coupled to said set of lock-registers to maintain a queue of lock requests from the predetermined ones of the processors waiting to be granted a lock for the selectable portions of shared addressable memory.

4. A storage lock management apparatus for use in a multiprocessor data processing system that includes a plurality of processors, each of which is for initiating storage lock operations for granting and releasing locks on portions of shared addressable memory, the system further including a plurality of intercoupled storage controllers, each providing access to a portion of addressable memory and intercoupled via a remote interface, wherein predetermined ones of the plurality of processors are directly coupled to a respective one of the storage controllers, the storage lock management apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sets of lock-registers, a respective one of said sets in each of the storage controllers, wherein each said lock-register is associated with a respective one of the plurality of processors and is for indicating which of the portions of shared addressable memory is locked by said respective one of the plurality of processors;

a plurality of lock priority circuits, a respective one of said lock priority circuits in each of the storage controllers, wherein each of said lock priority circuits is coupled to the predetermined ones of the processors that are directly coupled to the respective one of the storage controllers, whereby storage lock operations are received from the predetermined ones of the processors;

a plurality of lock-register control circuits, a respective one of said lock-register control circuits in each of the storage controllers, and coupled to a respective one of said lock priority circuits and coupled to a respective one of said sets of lock-registers, whereby locks on the selectable portions of shared addressable memory are granted to the predetermined ones of the processors;

a plurality of synchronization circuits, a respective one of said synchronization circuits in each of the storage controllers and coupled to a respective one of said lock priority circuits, coupled to a respective one of said lock-register control circuits, and coupled to the remote interface to synchronize presentation of a storage lock operation, initiated by one of the predetermined ones of the processors that are directly coupled to the respective one of the storage controllers, to said respective lock priority circuit with receipt of the storage lock operation by others of said second lock-register control circuits.

5. The lock management apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a prioritization circuit in each of the storage controllers, and coupled to the remote interface and coupled to a respective one of said synchronization circuits to prioritize a storage lock operation presented on the remote interface and a simultaneous storage lock operation presented by said respective one of said synchronization circuits where an address of said storage lock operation presented on the remote interface has a predetermined relationship to an address of said storage lock operation presented by said respective one of said synchronization circuits.

6. The lock management apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a queue control circuit in each of the storage controllers, and coupled to a respective one of said lock-register control circuits and coupled to a respective one of said sets of lock-registers to maintain a queue of the predetermined ones of the plurality of processors waiting to be granted a lock for a single address.

7. A storage lock management apparatus for use in a multiprocessor data processing system that includes a first plurality of processors coupled to a first storage controller, a second plurality of processors coupled to a second storage controller, wherein the first storage controller is coupled to the second storage controller via a remote interface, and first and second memory subsystems respectively coupled to the first and second storage controllers, wherein the first and second memory subsystems comprise the addressable memory space of the system, and the first and second memory subsystems are each accessible by the both the first and second plurality of processors, the storage lock management apparatus comprising:

a first set of lock-registers, wherein each lock-register in said first set is associated with a first respective one of the first plurality of processors and the second plurality of processors and indicates which address within the addressable memory space of the system is locked by said first respective one of the processors;

a second set of lock-registers, wherein each lock-register in said second set is associated with a second respective one of the first plurality of processors and the second plurality of processors and indicates which address within the addressable memory space of the system is locked by said second respective one of the processors;

a first lock priority circuit coupled to each of the first plurality of processors for receiving storage lock operations from the first plurality of processors;

a second lock priority circuit coupled to each of the second plurality of processors for receiving storage lock operations from the second plurality of processors;

a first lock-register control circuit coupled to said first lock priority circuit and coupled to said first set of lock-registers for granting said storage lock operations from the first plurality of processors;

a second lock-register control logic circuit coupled to said second lock priority circuit and coupled to said second set of lock-registers for granting said storage lock operations from the second plurality of processors;

a first synchronization circuit coupled to said first lock priority circuit, coupled to said first lock-register control circuit, and coupled to the remote interface for synchronizing presentation of a storage lock operation, initiated by one of the first plurality of processors, to said first lock priority circuit with receipt of the storage lock operation provided by said second lock-register control circuit, whereby said first lock-register control circuit processes in parallel said storage lock operation initiated by said one of the first plurality of processors and said storage lock operation provided by said second lock-register control circuit; and

a second synchronization circuit coupled to said second lock priority circuit, coupled to said second lock-register control circuit, and coupled to the remote interface for synchronizing presentation of a storage lock operation, initiated by one of the second plurality of processors, to said second lock priority circuit with receipt of the storage lock operation provided by said first lock-register control circuit, whereby said second lock-register control circuit processes in parallel said storage lock operation initiated by said one of the second plurality of processors and said storage lock operation provided by said first lock-register control circuit.

8. The lock management apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a first prioritization circuit coupled to the remote interface and coupled to said first synchronization circuit for prioritizing a lock operation presented on the remote interface and a simultaneous lock operation presented by said first synchronization circuit where an address of said lock operation presented on the remote interface has a predetermined relationship to an address of said lock operation presented by said first synchronization circuit;

a second prioritization circuit coupled to the remote interface and coupled to said second synchronization circuit for prioritizing, consistent with said first prioritization circuit, a lock operation presented on the remote interface and a simultaneous lock operation presented by said second synchronization circuit where an address of said lock operation presented on the remote interface has a predetermined relationship to an address of said lock operation presented by said second synchronization circuit.

9. The lock management apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a first queue control circuit coupled to said first lock-register control circuit and coupled to said first set of lock-registers for maintaining a queue of processors waiting to be granted a lock for a single address;

a second queue control circuit coupled to said second lock-register control circuit and coupled to said second set of lock-registers for maintaining a queue of processors waiting to be granted a lock for a single address.

10. A parallel priority queue apparatus for use in managing storage locks in a multiprocessor data processing system that includes a plurality of processors, each for of issuing storage lock function codes for locking and releasing locks on selectable portions of shared addressable memory and memory access function codes for reading and writing to the addressable memory, the system further including two intercoupled storage controllers, each providing access to a portion of addressable memory, having a second-level cache, and intercoupled via a remote interface, wherein predetermined ones of the plurality of processors are directly coupled to a respective one of the storage controllers, the parallel priority queue apparatus in each of the storage controllers comprising:

a second-level cache priority circuit coupled to the predetermined ones the processors and coupled to the second level cache, for of receiving memory access function codes from the predetermined ones of the processors;

a lock priority circuit coupled to the predetermined ones of the processors and coupled to said second level cache priority circuit, for of receiving storage lock function codes directly from the predetermined ones of the processors and lock release function codes from said second-level cache priority circuit;

a lock control circuit coupled to said lock priority circuit and coupled to the predetermined ones of the processors, for of receiving and processing storage lock function codes and granting and releasing locks on the selectable portions of addressable memory.

11. The parallel priority queue apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a remote output priority circuit coupled to said lock priority circuit and coupled to the second level cache, for of receiving storage lock function crates from said lock priority circuit and memory access function codes from the second level cache, whereby storage lock function codes from the predetermined ones of the processors are capable of bypassing the second level cache enroute to the other storage controller.

12. A storage lock management apparatus for use in a multiprocessor data processing system that includes a plurality of processors, each of which is for issuing storage lock function codes for locking and releasing locks on selectable portions of shared addressable memory and memory access function codes for reading and writing to the addressable memory, the system further including two intercoupled storage controllers, each having a second level cache and providing access to a predetermined portion of addressable memory and intercoupled via a remote interface, wherein predetermined ones of the plurality of processors are directly coupled to a respective one of the storage controllers, the storage lock management apparatus in each of the storage controllers comprising:

a second-level cache priority circuit coupled to the predetermined ones the processors and coupled to the second level cache, for receiving memory access function codes from the predetermined ones of the processors;

a lock priority circuit coupled to the predetermined ones of the processors and coupled to said second level cache priority circuit, for receiving storage lock function codes directly from the predetermined ones of the processors;

a lock control circuit coupled to said lock priority circuit and coupled to the predetermined ones of the processors, for receiving and processing storage lock function codes and granting and releasing locks on the selectable portions of addressable memory;

a set of lock-registers, wherein each lock-register is associated with a respective one of the plurality of processors and is for indicating which address is locked by the respective one of the processors;

a lock-register control circuit coupled to said lock priority circuit and coupled to said set of lock-registers;

a synchronization circuit coupled to said lock priority circuit, coupled to said lock-register control circuit, and coupled to the remote interface for synchronizing presentation of a storage lock operation, initiated by one of the predetermined ones of the processors that are directly coupled to the respective one of the storage controllers, to said lock priority circuit with receipt of the storage lock operation by a lock-register control circuit in the other storage controller.

13. The lock management apparatus of claim 12, wherein said lock priority circuit comprises:

a lock request priority circuit coupled to the predetermined ones of the processors and for of receiving from the predetermined ones of the processors storage lock function codes for locking specified portions of addressable memory and selecting one of the storage lock function codes according to a predetermined priority;

a lock release priority circuit coupled to said second-level cache priority circuit and for of receiving from said second-level cache priority circuit storage lock function codes for releasing a lock on specified portions of addressable memory and selecting one of the storage lock function codes according to a predetermined priority; and

and a request-release priority circuit coupled to said lock request priority circuit and coupled to said lock release priority circuit, for of selecting between a storage lock function code from said lock request priority circuit and a storage lock function code from said lock release priority circuit.

14. A storage lock management apparatus for use in a multiprocessor data processing system that includes a plurality of processors, each of which is for issuing storage lock function codes for granting and releasing locks on selectable portions of shared addressable memory, the system further including two intercoupled storage controllers, each providing access to a portion of the shared addressable memory and intercoupled via a remote interface, wherein predetermined ones of the plurality of processors are directly coupled to a respective one of the storage controllers, the storage lock management apparatus in each of the storage controllers comprising:

a set of lock-register means associated with the plurality of processors for indicating which of the selectable portions of shared addressable memory is locked by said associated plurality of processors;

lock priority means coupled to the predetermined ones of the plurality of processors, for receiving storage lock function codes from the predetermined ones of the plurality of processors;

lock-register control means coupled to said lock priority means, coupled to said lock-register means, and coupled to the remote interface, for receiving a lock function code directly from the remote interface and for processing said lock function code in parallel with a lock function code received from said lock priority means, and for granting and releasing locks on selectable portions of shared addressable memory to the predetermined ones of the plurality of processors;

synchronization means coupled to said lock priority means, coupled to said lock-register control means, and coupled to the remote interface for synchronizing presentation to said lock priority means of a storage lock operation initiated by one of the predetermined ones of the plurality of processors that are directly coupled to the respective one of the storage controllers with receipt of said storage lock operation by a lock-register control means in the intercoupled storage controller.

15. The lock management apparatus of claim 14, and further including:

local-remote priority means coupled to the remote interface and coupled to said synchronization means for prioritizing a storage lock function code received on the remote interface and a simultaneous storage lock function code presented by said synchronization means where an address of said storage lock function code received on the remote interface has a predetermined relationship to an address of said storage lock function code presented by said synchronization means.

16. The lock management apparatus of claim 15, and further including:

queue means coupled to said lock-register control means and coupled to said lock-register means for storing lock requests from the predetermined ones of the processors having a lock operation pending to one of the selectable portions of shared addressable memory.