Abstract: Machine instructions, referred to herein as a long Convert from Zoned instruction (CDZT) and extended Convert from Zoned instruction (CXZT), are provided that read EBCDIC or ASCII data from memory, convert it to the appropriate decimal floating point format, and write it to a target floating point register or floating point register pair. Further, machine instructions, referred to herein as a long Convert to Zoned instruction (CZDT) and extended Convert to Zoned instruction (CZXT), are provided that convert a decimal floating point (DFP) operand in a source floating point register or floating point register pair to EBCDIC or ASCII data and store it to a target memory location.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes the following operations. A transactional lock elision transaction including a critical section is executed. The critical section is processed. After the processing of the critical section and prior to a commit point in the transactional lock elision transaction, a status of a lock is checked. Responsive to a determination that a status of the lock is free, a result of the transactional lock elision transaction is committed.

Abstract: A TRANSACTION BEGIN instruction and a TRANSACTION END instruction are provided. The TRANSACTION BEGIN instruction causes either a constrained or nonconstrained transaction to be initiated, depending on a field of the instruction. The TRANSACTION END instruction ends the transaction started by the TRANSACTION BEGIN instruction.

Abstract: A conditional instruction end facility is provided that allows completion of an instruction to be delayed. In executing the machine instruction, an operand is obtained, and a determination is made as to whether the operand has a predetermined relationship with respect to a value. Based on determining that the operand does not have the predetermined relationship with respect to the value, the obtaining and the determining are repeated. Based on determining that the operand has the predetermined relationship with respect to the value, execution of the instruction is completed.

Abstract: A delay facility is provided in which program execution may be delayed until a predefined event occurs, such as a comparison of memory locations results in a true condition, a timeout is reached, an interruption is made pending or another condition exists. The delay facility includes one or more compare and delay machine instructions used to delay execution. The one or more compare and delay instructions may include a 32-bit compare and delay (CAD) instruction and a 64-bit compare and delay (CADG) instruction.

Abstract: A TRANSACTION BEGIN instruction and a TRANSACTION END instruction are provided. The TRANSACTION BEGIN instruction causes either a constrained or nonconstrained transaction to be initiated, depending on a field of the instruction. The TRANSACTION END instruction ends the transaction started by the TRANSACTION BEGIN instruction.

Abstract: A delay facility is provided in which program execution may be delayed until a predefined event occurs, such as a comparison of memory locations results in a true condition, a timeout is reached, an interruption is made pending or another condition exists. The delay facility includes one or more compare and delay machine instructions used to delay execution. The one or more compare and delay instructions may include a 32-bit compare and delay (CAD) instruction and a 64-bit compare and delay (CADG) instruction.

Abstract: A delay facility is provided in which program execution may be delayed until a predefined event occurs, such as a comparison of memory locations results in a true condition, a timeout is reached, an interruption is made pending or another condition exists. The delay facility includes one or more compare and delay machine instructions used to delay execution. The one or more compare and delay instructions may include a 32-bit compare and delay (CAD) instruction and a 64-bit compare and delay (CADG) instruction.

Abstract: A Conditional Transaction End (CTEND) instruction is provided that allows a program executing in a nonconstrained transactional execution mode to inspect a storage location that is modified by either another central processing unit or the Input/Output subsystem. Based on the inspected data, transactional execution may be ended or aborted, or the decision to end/abort may be delayed, e.g., until a predefined event occurs. For instance, when the instruction executes, the processor is in a nonconstrained transaction execution mode, and the transaction nesting depth is one at the beginning of the instruction, a second operand of the instruction is inspected, and based on the inspected data, transaction execution may be ended or aborted, or the decision to end/abort may be delayed, e.g., until a predefined event occurs, such as the value of the second operand becomes a prespecified value or a time interval is exceeded.

Abstract: A guarded storage facility sets up a boundary indicating a range of addresses to be guarded or protected. When a program attempts to access an address in a guarded section defined by the boundary, a guarded storage event occurs. Use of this facility facilitates performance of certain tasks within a computing environment, including storage reclamation.

Abstract: A guarded storage facility sets up a boundary indicating a range of addresses to be guarded or protected. When a program attempts to access an address in a guarded section defined by the boundary, a guarded storage event occurs. Use of this facility facilitates performance of certain tasks within a computing environment, including storage reclamation.

Abstract: A guarded storage facility sets up a boundary indicating a range of addresses to be guarded or protected. When a program attempts to access an address in a guarded section defined by the boundary, a guarded storage event occurs. Use of this facility facilitates performance of certain tasks within a computing environment, including storage reclamation.

Abstract: A Conditional Transaction End (CTEND) instruction is provided that allows a program executing in a nonconstrained transactional execution mode to inspect a storage location that is modified by either another central processing unit or the Input/Output subsystem. Based on the inspected data, transactional execution may be ended or aborted, or the decision to end/abort may be delayed, e.g., until a predefined event occurs. For instance, when the instruction executes, the processor is in a nonconstrained transaction execution mode, and the transaction nesting depth is one at the beginning of the instruction, a second operand of the instruction is inspected, and based on the inspected data, transaction execution may be ended or aborted, or the decision to end/abort may be delayed, e.g., until a predefined event occurs, such as the value of the second operand becomes a prespecified value or a time interval is exceeded.

Abstract: A TRANSACTION ABORT instruction is used to abort a transaction that is executing in a computing environment. The TRANSACTION ABORT instruction includes at least one field used to specify a user-defined abort code that indicates the specific reason for aborting the transaction. Based on executing the TRANSACTION ABORT instruction, a condition code is provided that indicates whether re-execution of the transaction is recommended.

Abstract: A TRANSACTION ABORT instruction is used to abort a transaction that is executing in a computing environment. The TRANSACTION ABORT instruction includes at least one field used to specify a user-defined abort code that indicates the specific reason for aborting the transaction. Based on executing the TRANSACTION ABORT instruction, a condition code is provided that indicates whether re-execution of the transaction is recommended.

Abstract: A conditional instruction end facility is provided that allows completion of an instruction to be delayed. In executing the machine instruction, an operand is obtained, and a determination is made as to whether the operand has a predetermined relationship with respect to a value. Based on determining that the operand does not have the predetermined relationship with respect to the value, the obtaining and the determining are repeated. Based on determining that the operand has the predetermined relationship with respect to the value, execution of the instruction is completed.

Abstract: A conditional instruction end facility is provided that allows completion of an instruction to be delayed. In executing the machine instruction, an operand is obtained, and a determination is made as to whether the operand has a predetermined relationship with respect to a value. Based on determining that the operand does not have the predetermined relationship with respect to the value, the obtaining and the determining are repeated. Based on determining that the operand has the predetermined relationship with respect to the value, execution of the instruction is completed.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product to dynamically determine the applicability of a hardware accelerator to a request for a function, the request including a set of blocks of input data, are described. Aspects include storing a decision of whether to use the hardware accelerator or a software module to execute the function based on a previously processed request and determining whether the request matches the previously processed request. Aspects also include processing the set of blocks of input data using the hardware accelerator or the software module according to the decision based on the request matching the previously processed request.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product to dynamically determine the applicability of a hardware accelerator to a request for a function, the request including a set of blocks of input data, are described. Aspects include storing a decision of whether to use the hardware accelerator or a software module to execute the function based on a previously processed request and determining whether the request matches the previously processed request. Aspects also include processing the set of blocks of input data using the hardware accelerator or the software module according to the decision based on the request matching the previously processed request.

Abstract: A multiple processor core computer system interface assigns instructions to partially functional processor cores based on processing resources available in each partially functional core. Each processor core is labeled as fully functional, partially functional, or non-functional, and an indicator is provided for each partially functional processor core that shows what processing resources are available for a respective core. The indicators can be stored in memory after final test. The interface can monitor cores for changes in available resources and update respective indicators, such as by superseding an existing indicator with or creating a new indicator in read-write memory.