A method of dispatching a task in a computer system, the method comprising: receiving a task for execution in a high power state; determining a current power state of a processor, the processor one of a plurality of processors in a multi-processor system, the multi-processor system having a specified power limit; dispatching the task to the processor in response to determining that the current power state of the processor is the high power state; and characterized by: in response to determining that the current power state of the processor is not the high power state: determining if moving the processor into the high power state will cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit, the determining responsive to the specified power limit and to current power states of the plurality of processors in the multi-processor system; moving the processor into the high power state in response to determining that moving the processor into the high power state will not cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit; and dispatching the task to the processor in response to the moving the processor into the high power state; wherein the method further comprises transmitting an interrupt to an other processor in response to determining that moving the processor into the high power state will cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit; and wherein the plurality of processors in the multi-processor system include two or more different power characteristics and not all of the plurality of processors have the capability of executing in the high power state, and the method further comprises verifying that the processor can support the high power state prior to determining if moving the processor into the high power state will cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit. receiving a task for execution in a high power state; determining a current power state of a processor, the processor one of a plurality of processors in a multi-processor system, the multi-processor system having a specified power limit; dispatching the task to the processor in response to determining that the current power state of the processor is the high power state; and characterized by: in response to determining that the current power state of the processor is not the high power state: determining if moving the processor into the high power state will cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit, the determining responsive to the specified power limit and to current power states of the plurality of processors in the multi-processor system; moving the processor into the high power state in response to determining that moving the processor into the high power state will not cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit; and dispatching the task to the processor in response to the moving the processor into the high power state; wherein the method further comprises transmitting an interrupt to an other processor in response to determining that moving the processor into the high power state will cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit; and wherein the plurality of processors in the multi-processor system include two or more different power characteristics and not all of the plurality of processors have the capability of executing in the high power state, and the method further comprises verifying that the processor can support the high power state prior to determining if moving the processor into the high power state will cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit. determining if moving the processor into the high power state will cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit, the determining responsive to the specified power limit and to current power states of the plurality of processors in the multi-processor system; moving the processor into the high power state in response to determining that moving the processor into the high power state will not cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit; and dispatching the task to the processor in response to the moving the processor into the high power state; wherein the method further comprises transmitting an interrupt to an other processor in response to determining that moving the processor into the high power state will cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit; and wherein the plurality of processors in the multi-processor system include two or more different power characteristics and not all of the plurality of processors have the capability of executing in the high power state, and the method further comprises verifying that the processor can support the high power state prior to determining if moving the processor into the high power state will cause the multi-processor system to exceed the specified power limit.