A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an
embodiment set a resource indicator to indicate that a processor is using
a resource in a logically-partitioned electronic device, determine
whether a current partition in the logically-partitioned electronic
device owns the resource, and clear the resource indicator after the
processor is done using the resource. When a partition gives up ownership
of a resource, a resource ownership state is changed to indicate that the
partition does not own a resource, and the partition waits to continue
executing until other processors have cleared their respective resource
indicators. In an embodiment, the resource indicator is in a cache line
that is local to the processor, which allows resources to be dynamically
allocated with improved performance.