Abstract: A method for converting a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) to a more robust RAID level is disclosed. Such a method identifies, in a data storage environment, higher risk storage drives having a failure risk above a first threshold. The method determines a number of the higher risk storage drives that are contained within a RAID array of the data storage environment. The method determines whether the number exceeds a second threshold. The method also determines whether a destage rate associated with the RAID array is below a third threshold. In the event the number exceeds the second threshold and the destage rate is below the third threshold, the method converts the RAID array to a more robust RAID level. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for reporting incidents of data loss in a storage environment comprising redundant arrays of independent disks (RAIDs) is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method monitors storage drive failures in a storage environment. For a storage drive failure detected in the storage environment, the method reports the RAID type in which the storage drive failure occurred and whether data loss occurred in the RAID as a result of the storage drive failure. In certain embodiments, the method reports whether the data loss could have been prevented had the RAID type been converted to a more robust RAID type. In other or the same embodiments, the method reports whether the data loss was prevented by the RAID type. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for reducing incidents of data loss in RAIDs of differing RAID levels is disclosed. Such a method identifies, in a data storage environment, first and second sets of RAIDs. The first set contains RAIDs providing more robust data protection (e.g., RAID-6 arrays), and the second set contains RAIDs providing less robust data protection (e.g., RAID-5 arrays). The method identifies, in the data storage environment, higher risk storage drives having a failure risk above a threshold and lower risk storage drives having a failure risk below the threshold. The method swaps higher risk storage drives from RAIDs of the second set with lower risk storage drives from RAIDs of the first set. In certain embodiments, the swapping may be performed such that no RAID of the second set includes more than a selected number of higher risk storage drives. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for reducing incidents of data loss in redundant arrays of independent disks (RAIDs) having the same RAID level is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method identifies, in a data storage environment, a set of RAIDs having a common RAID level. The method also identifies, in the set of RAIDs, higher risk storage drives having a failure risk above a threshold and lower risk storage drives having a failure risk below the threshold. The method swaps, within the RAIDs, higher risk storage drives with lower risk storage drives to more evenly distribute higher risk storage drives across the RAIDs. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for populating a secondary cache with unmodified tracks in a primary cache when redirecting host access from a primary server to a secondary server. Host access to tracks is redirected from the primary server to the secondary server. Prior to the redirecting, updates to tracks in the primary storage were replicated to the secondary server. After the redirecting host access to the secondary server, host access is directed to the secondary server and the secondary storage. A secondary cache at the secondary server is populated with unmodified tracks in a primary cache at the primary server when the host access was redirected to the secondary server to make available to the host access redirected to the secondary server.

Abstract: In response to an occurrence of a failure in a storage controller, an input on a plurality of attributes of the storage controller at a time of occurrence of the failure is provided to a machine learning module. In response to receiving the input, the machine learning module generates a plurality of output values corresponding to a plurality of recovery mechanisms to recover from the failure in the storage controller. A recovery is made from the failure in the storage controller, by applying a recovery mechanism whose output value is greatest among the plurality of output values that are generated by the machine learning module.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for implementing a RAID array, according to one approach, includes: predicting a compression ratio of data to be stored in the RAID array, and using the predicted compression ratio and a physical storage capacity of the RAID array to calculate a maximum virtual storage capacity of the RAID array. The maximum virtual storage capacity is used to establish an effective storage capacity of the RAID array. One or more instructions to store compressed data in the RAID array are also sent. In response to occurrence of a predetermined event, a current compression ratio of the compressed data stored in the RAID array and the physical storage capacity of the RAID array are used to calculate a current virtual storage capacity of the RAID array. Furthermore, the effective storage capacity of the RAID array is scaled based on the current virtual storage capacity.

Abstract: Provided is a method, computer program product, and system for transferring data between block and file storage systems. A remote server may receive, from a host device, a request to restore data to the host device. The remote server may store the data as one or more objects, with each object corresponding to an extent of a logical volume on the host device. A set of strides on the host device that correspond to the one or more objects may be determined using metadata for the one or more objects. Each of the one or more objects may be split into a set of data pieces using the metadata. Each data piece may then be transmitted from the remote server to the host device.

Abstract: Provided are a method, a system, and a computer program product in which a storage controller determines one or more resources that are impacted by an error. A cleanup of tasks associated with the one or more resources that are impacted by the error is performed, to recover from the error, wherein host input/output (I/O) operations continue to be processed, and wherein tasks associated with other resources continue to execute.

Abstract: Provided are a method, a system, and a computer program product in which a storage controller determines one or more resources that are impacted by an error. A cleanup of tasks associated with the one or more resources that are impacted by the error is performed, to recover from the error, wherein host input/output (I/O) operations continue to be processed, and wherein tasks associated with other resources continue to execute.

Abstract: A method for avoiding data loss in a storage system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes monitoring a degradation level associated with a battery. The battery provides backup power to a storage system in the event of a primary power outage. The storage system includes volatile storage media storing modified data to destage to more persistent storage media, such as an array of storage drives. In the event the degradation level crosses a designated threshold, the method automatically takes steps to alter a time period needed to completely copy the modified data off of the volatile storage media. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: In response to an occurrence of a failure in a storage controller, an input on a plurality of attributes of the storage controller at a time of occurrence of the failure is provided to a machine learning module. In response to receiving the input, the machine learning module generates a plurality of output values corresponding to a plurality of recovery mechanisms to recover from the failure in the storage controller. A recovery is made from the failure in the storage controller, by applying a recovery mechanism whose output value is greatest among the plurality of output values that are generated by the machine learning module.

Abstract: A machine learning module receives inputs comprising attributes of a storage controller, where the attributes affect failures that occur in the storage controller. In response to a failure occurring in the storage controller, a plurality of output values corresponding to a plurality of recovery mechanisms to recover from the failure in the storage controller are generated via forward propagation through a plurality of layers of the machine learning module. A margin of error is calculated based on comparing the generated output values to expected output values corresponding to the plurality of recovery mechanisms, where the expected output values are generated from an indication of a correct recovery mechanism for the failure. An adjustment is made of weights of links that interconnect nodes of the plurality of layers via back propagation to reduce the margin of error, to improve a determination of a recovery mechanism for the failure.

Abstract: A peer to peer remote copy operation is performed between a primary storage controller and a secondary storage controller, to establish a peer to peer remote copy relationship between a primary storage volume and a secondary storage volume. Subsequent to indicating completion of the peer to peer remote copy operation to a host, a determination is made as to whether the primary storage volume and the secondary storage volume have identical data, by performing operations of staging data of the primary storage volume from auxiliary storage of the primary storage controller to local storage of the primary storage controller, and transmitting the data of the primary storage volume that is staged, to the secondary storage controller for comparison with data of the secondary storage volume stored in an auxiliary storage of the secondary storage controller.

Abstract: A method for preventing data loss in a RAID includes monitoring storage drives making up a RAID. The method individually tests a storage drive of the RAID by subjecting the storage drive to a stress workload test. This stress workload test may be designed to place additional stress on the storage drive while refraining from adding stress to other storage drives in the RAID. In the event the storage drive fails the stress workload test (e.g., the storage drive cannot adequately handle the additional workload or generates errors in response to the additional workload), the method replaces the storage drive with a spare storage drive and rebuilds the RAID. In certain embodiments, the method tests the storage drive with greater frequency as the age of the storage drive increases. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for using a delay timer to delay code load operations to process queued write requests. A code load is performed to a selected storage device in a storage array comprised of a plurality of the storage devices. Writes are queued to the storage array in a non-volatile storage while performing the code load. A determination is made as to whether the queued writes to the storage array exceed a threshold. A delay timer is started in response to determining that the queued writes to the storage array exceed the threshold. An additional code load is initiated to an additional selected storage device in the storage array in response to determining that the delay timer has expired. The additional code load is initiated to the additional selected storage device in response to determining that the queued writes are less than the threshold.

Abstract: A determination is made in a multi-processor system that a cache storage is storing a first type of elements and a second type of elements, wherein on an average each of the first type of elements takes a longer time to destage to secondary storage in comparison to each of the second type of elements. A determination is made of how many tasks to run for scanning the cache storage and destaging the first type of elements and the second type of elements from the cache storage, based on how many of first type of elements and how many of the second type of elements are stored in the cache storage, and how many processors are available in the multi-processor system.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for detecting potentially malicious code in a host system accessing data from a storage. A trap storage unit is configured for data in the storage and the trap storage unit is indicated as a trap. Storage units are configured for data in the storage that are not indicated as a trap. A request is received to access the trap storage unit from a process executing in a host system. Notification is returned to the host system that the process requesting to access the trap storage unit is a potentially malicious process.

Abstract: A method for protecting data in a storage system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes detecting, by a first hardware management console, first battery-on status associated with a first uninterruptible power supply. The method further detects, by a second hardware management console, second battery-on status associated with a second uninterruptible power supply. The method communicates, from the first hardware management console to the second hardware management console, the first battery-on status. The method then triggers, by the second hardware management console, a dump of modified data from memory to more persistent storage upon detecting both the first battery-on status and the second battery-on status. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for protecting data in a storage system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes detecting, by a first rack power controller, first battery-on status associated with a first uninterruptible power supply. The method further detects, by a second rack power controller, second battery-on status associated with a second uninterruptible power supply. The method communicates, from the first rack power controller to the second rack power controller, the first battery-on status. The method then triggers, by the second rack power controller, a dump of modified data from memory to more persistent storage upon detecting both the first battery-on status and the second battery-on status. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.