Solaris™ Internals: Core Kernel Components

3.8. Dispatcher Locks

The kernel defines lock types that are specific to the kernel dispatcher (threads scheduler), referred to as dispatcher locks. Two lock types are implemented for the dispatcher: simple spin locks and locks that raise the interrupt priority level of the processor. These locks are acquired and released by interfaces specific to the lock types (not the previously discussed mutex interfaces). They are also used in a few other areas of the kernel where the requirements for locking warrant the semantics and behavior defined by these locks. We first discuss why the second type of lock, a lock that blocks interrupts, is necessary and then discuss the implementation.

When an interrupt is generated and sent to a processor, the processor ...