Patent ID: 8112528
Filing Date: 2012-02-07
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for providing access to a shared resource in a computing environment, comprising: maintaining a resource timestamp in association with a shared resource; receiving a request to access the shared resource; detecting if the shared resource is reserved before obtaining access to the shared resource, by: reading the resource timestamp associated with the shared resource; comparing the resource timestamp to a current time; and in response to the resource timestamp representing a future time relative to the current time, indicating that the shared resource is reserved; delaying access to the shared resource by a process submitting the request in response to the resource timestamp representing a future time relative to the current time, wherein if the resource timestamp does not represent a future time relative to the current time, then the resource timestamp represents a last time the shared resource was accessed; and in response to the shared resource not being reserved as indicated by the comparison of the resource timestamp to the current time, obtaining exclusive access to the shared resource by: reserving the shared resource by incrementing the resource timestamp by a reservation period to represent a time in the future relative to a current time; accessing the shared resource for updating the shared resource; and resetting the resource timestamp to a current time in response to completing accessing the shared resource.