A multiple processing architecture and a method of managing a work queue of that processing architecture. The multiple processing architecture comprises a plurality of distributed computer systems and a coupling facility. These systems are all connected to the coupling facility by a plurality of links The coupling facility holds and manages a work queue for the applications servers; and the processing system further includes queue managing means to separate the work queue into at least a plurality of separate zones, and to associate each of a plurality of subsets of the computer systems with a respective one of said zones whereby, for each of said subsets of computer systems, all of the computer systems in the subset can place work requests on, and retrieve work requests from, the zone associated with said subset.