Mutexes

A mutex (mutually exclusive), also referred to as a latch, is a latching mechanism that the database server uses to synchronize access by multiple threads to shared resources. Mutexes are similar to semaphores, which some operating systems use to regulate access to shared data by multiple processes. However, mutexes permit a greater degree of parallelism than semaphores.

A mutex is a variable that is associated with a shared resource such as a buffer. A thread must acquire the mutex for a resource before it can access the resource. Other threads are excluded from accessing the resource until the owner releases it. A thread acquires a mutex, once a mutex becomes available, by setting it to an in-use state. The synchronization that mutexes provide ensures that only one thread at a time writes to an area of shared memory.

For information on monitoring mutexes, refer to Monitoring Latches.