Method and message handling hardware structure for virtualization and isolation of partitions

A processor comprising:

• at least one strand including:
• a message queue;
• a head pointer register for said message queue;
• and
• a tail pointer register for said message queue;
• and
• a system interface unit comprising:
• an action table having an action table entry including a tail pointer field, a head pointer field, an action field, and a strand field wherein when said action field stores a tied value and said strand field stores a value associated with said at least one strand, a value in tail pointer field equals a value in said tail pointer register and a value in said head pointer field equals a value in said head pointer register.

A computer implemented method comprising:

• receiving, by a system interface unit in a processor, a message having a logical identifier;
• using, by said system interface unit, said logical identifier to select a mapping table entry in a mapping table, said mapping table entry including a target field storing a value;
• using, by said system interface unit, said value in said target field to select an action table entry in an action table, said action table entry in said action table comprising:
• a strand field storing an identifier for a strand;
• an action field storing a value indicating said strand is in a tied mode;
• a tail pointer field storing a value equal to a value in a tail pointer register in said strand;
• and
• writing, by said system interface unit, said message to a location in a queue in said strand addressed using said value in said tail pointer field without requiring execution cycles from a hypervisor associated with said strand.