Abstract: An improved affinity process scheduling method for a multiprocessor computer system, wherein a process previously executed on a processor within the computer system is affined to the processor on which it previously executed, and will be scheduled for execution by the affined processor during subsequent requests for execution of the affined process. The improved affinity process scheduling method monitors the length of time the affined process resides on the system run queue awaiting execution by its affined processor; and schedules the affined process for execution with another available processor when the length of time the affined process has been waiting for execution exceeds a predetermined "steal-age" threshold.

Abstract: A method for assigning processes to processors within a multi-processor computer system employing a sleep/wakeup facility whereby a first process requiring information from a second process is placed into a "sleep" state by said computer system until said second process is able to provide said required information, said first process thereupon being awakened by said computer system so that said first process may continue processing with the required information. The method comprising the steps of identifying a pair of processes which frequently exchange wakeup requests, and assigning the processes within the pair of processes to the same processor within the multi-processor computer system for execution.