Abstract: An apparatus and method provide a locking scheme that accommodates different size file locks. A first file lock command, referred to as an M bit file lock command, assumes a lock with a length of M bits. A second lock command, referred to as an N bit file lock command, assumes a lock with a length of N bits, which is less than M bits. A translation mechanism services both M-bit and N-bit file lock commands, and accesses locks that are M bits in length in response to both M-bit and N-bit file lock commands. The address range between 2N and 2M−1 are assigned to one or more corresponding control addresses in the address range of 0 to 2N−1. Locking of any control address using an N bit file lock command results in the address range between 2N and 2M−1 being automatically locked in addition to the addresses specified in the N bit file lock command. This allows translating an N bit file lock command to an M bit lock.