Patent ID: 8214604

Claim:
In a data processing system having: a processing unit on which operations of a local task of a globally distributed job comprising multiple tasks execute; a local memory with a real address (RA) space locally-mapped to a first portion of effective addresses (EAs) within a global address space utilized by the multiple tasks of the globally distributed job; and a host fabric interface (HFI) having one or more registers for use during fence operations, a method performed by logic associated with the HFI comprising: tracking, via the HFI, a first count of task-issued global shared memory (GSM) commands within a first register; tracking a second count of GSM operations being processed by the HFI; detecting a locally-issued fence operation; and responsive to detection of the locally-issued fence operation: automatically stopping the local task from issuing additional GSM commands; monitoring for completion of all previous task-issued GSM commands at the HFI; permitting, by the HFI, the locally-issued fence operation to complete by the local task; and triggering, by the HFI, a resumption by the local task of issuance of additional GSM commands in response to registering the completion of all previous task-issued GSM commands by the HFI.