If a transaction ta holds a lock on some data item d in shared and…
2026
If a transaction ta holds a lock on some data item d in shared and intention-exclusive (SIX) mode, then which of the following is true for another transaction tb?
tb can lock d in shared (S) mode
tb can lock d in exclusive (X) mode
tb can lock d in intention-exclusive (IX) mode
tb can lock d in intention-shared (IS) mode
- A.
1
- B.
2
- C.
3
- D.
4
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Correct answer: D
The SIX (Shared + Intention Exclusive) lock mode grants shared access to the data item while indicating an intention to acquire exclusive locks on descendant items in a hierarchy.
According to standard lock compatibility matrices, an existing SIX lock is strictly compatible only with the Intention-Shared (IS) mode held by other transactions on the same item.
Locks in Shared (S), Exclusive (X), or Intention-Exclusive (IX) modes conflict with the SIX lock due to incompatible access intents, leaving IS as the only permissible option for transaction t b.