1. A system for managing semantic locks and semantic lock requests for a resource, the system comprising: a resource; a resource lock information indicating existing locks on said resource; a first lock compatibility table stored in a memory including information on a plurality of lock types, said information relating to the compatibility among the plurality of lock types; a software module configured to: receive a first lock request; access said first lock compatibility table and said resource lock information to determine whether said first lock request is compatible with existing locks on said resource; and transmit a response indicating that said first lock request could be granted if said first lock request is compatible with the existing locks on said resource; and a second lock compatibility table that applies to only a portion of all possible said first lock requests indicated by said first lock compatibility table.