Passing initiative in a multitasking multiprocessor environment

A computer system for passing initiative in a multitasking multiprocessor environment, the system comprising a plurality of processors including a target processor and a central bit vector, the system configured to perform a method comprising:

• writing a request to process a resource of the environment to an associated resource control block;
• setting a resource flag in the central bit vector, the resource flag indicating that the request for processing has been received for the resource;
• setting a target processor initiative flag in the environment, the target processor initiative flag monitored by the target processor responsible for the resource and indicating a pass of initiative to the target processor
• clearing the target processor initiative flag;
• determining, at the target processor, the resource associated with the resource flag;
• processing the request at the target processor;
• and
• subsequent to clearing the target processor initiative flag, setting the processor initiative flag to ensure that any additional tasks associated with the target processor are not skipped.

A method for passing initiative in a multitasking multiprocessor environment, the method comprising:

• writing a request to process a resource of the environment to an associated resource control block;
• setting a resource flag in a central bit vector, the resource flag indicating that the request for processing has been received for the resource;
• setting a target processor initiative flag in the environment, the target processor initiative flag monitored by a target processor responsible for the resource and indicating a pass of initiative to the target processor;
• clearing the target processor initiative flag;
• determining, at the target processor, the resource associated with the resource flag;
• processing the request at the target processor;
• and
• subsequent to clearing the target processor initiative flag, setting the processor initiative flag to ensure that any additional tasks associated with the target processor are not skipped.