Abstract: A method for retaining data pages in a cache is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method stores multiple data pages in a cache. The method calculates, for each data page, a cost associated with promoting the data page from persistent storage media to the cache. The cost takes into account any data transformations (decryption, decompression, etc.) that are needed to promote the data page from the persistent storage media to the cache. In certain embodiments, the cost is represented as a score that is assigned to each data page. The method retains each data page in the cache for an amount of time that is related to its cost, such that data pages with a higher cost are retained in the cache longer than data pages with a lower cost. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Described are techniques for utilization of a disaster recovery site including a method comprising receiving a mirrored data stream at a disaster recovery site from a production site. The mirrored data stream includes a workload instruction stored in a designated location of the mirrored data stream. The workload instruction indicates an operation to perform on a set of data that is replicated between the production site and the disaster recovery site and a time indicator indicating a correct version of the set of data. The method further comprises generating a consistency point by retrieving replicated data from the disaster recovery site corresponding to the correct version of the set of data in the production site. The method further comprises performing the operation on the consistency point, generating an output, and transmitting the output to the production site.

Abstract: Described are techniques for utilization of a disaster recovery site including a method comprising receiving a mirrored data stream at a disaster recovery site from a production site. The mirrored data stream includes a workload instruction stored in a reserved record set type. The workload instruction indicates an operation to perform on a set of data that is replicated between the production site and the disaster recovery site and a time indicator indicating a correct version of the set of data. The method further comprises generating a consistency point by retrieving replicated data from the disaster recovery site corresponding to the correct version of the set of data in the production site. The method further comprises performing the operation on the consistency point, generating an output, and transmitting the output to the production site.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products that can pre-emptively swap operations of a data production site to a disaster recovery (DR) site. A method includes providing, by a processor, one or more weighting factors to a set of metrics for an event occurring at a data production site based on information related to the event, analyzing the set of metrics based on the one or more weighting factors, and generating a recommendation related to swapping operations from the data production site to a DR site based on the analysis. Systems and computer program products for performing the above method are also provided.

Abstract: A method for preventing data overlays in a data storage system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method detects a write operation directed to a storage area of a data storage system. The write operation includes one or more of a format write operation and a full-track write operation. Upon detecting the write operation, the method determines a data set that is associated with the storage area. The method analyzes metadata associated with the data set to determine whether the storage area contains valid data. In the event the storage area contains valid data, the method performs a data protection operation that prevents execution of the write operation and/or logs details of the write operation. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods that can batch process data on a remote system or disaster recovery (DR) site are disclosed herein. One method includes determining, by a processor, a first performance level for a production site based on a set of first resources for the production site and determining a second performance level for a DR site based on a set of second resources for the DR site. The method further includes allocating a portion of a workload scheduled for processing on the production site to the DR site for processing on the DR site in response to determining that a set of predetermined parameters related to the first performance level, the second performance level, or both the first performance level and the second performance level is satisfied. Apparatus, systems, and computer program products that can include, perform, and/or implement the methods are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A computer program product, system, and method for switching over from using a first primary storage to using a second primary storage when the first primary storage is in a mirror relationship. Migration operations are initiated to migrate data in the first primary storage to a second primary storage while the data in the first primary storage indicated in first change recording information is mirrored to a secondary storage and switch from using the first primary storage to the second primary storage. Resynchronization operations are initiated to indicate changes to data in the second primary storage in a second change recording information, copy writes from the second primary storage indicated in the first and the second change recording information to the secondary storage, and mirror writes to the second primary storage to the secondary storage in response to the copying the writes.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for using a forward log storage and backward log storage to recover a storage to a forward or backward point-in-time. In response to receiving writes to source data after establishing point-in-time copies, point-in-time data of the source data is copied to a backward log storage storing point-in-time data for multiple of the point-in-time copies. The point-in-time data in the backward log storage is applied to a recovery source data to roll-back the source data to a backward point-in-time of one of the point-in-time copies. Before applying the point-in-time data from the backward log storage, point-in-time data in the recovery source data, is copied to a forward log storage. The point-in-time data in the forward log storage is applied to the recovery source data to roll forward the recovery source data to a forward point-in-time subsequent to the backward point-in-time.

Abstract: A method for retaining data pages in a cache is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method stores multiple data pages in a cache. The method calculates, for each data page, a cost associated with promoting the data page from persistent storage media to the cache. The cost takes into account any data transformations (decryption, decompression, etc.) that are needed to promote the data page from the persistent storage media to the cache. In certain embodiments, the cost is represented as a score that is assigned to each data page. The method retains each data page in the cache for an amount of time that is related to its cost, such that data pages with a higher cost are retained in the cache longer than data pages with a lower cost. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for analyzing data corruption is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes identifying a data set containing corrupted data. The method identifies a specific location within the data set containing the corrupted data and analyzes the specific location to determine if the corrupted data is contained therein. The method repeatedly performs the following until the corrupted data is no longer found within the specific location: revert to a previous version of the specific location by removing an incremental update to the specific location, and analyze the previous version of the specific location to determine if it contains the corrupted data. When a previous version of the specific location is found that no longer contains the corrupted data, the method determines a timestamp associated with the previous version and provides the timestamp to a user. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for analyzing data corruption is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes identifying a data set containing corrupted data. The method searches the data set for the corrupted data to verify that the corrupted data is contained within the data set. The method repeatedly performs the following until the corrupted data is no longer found within the data set: revert to a previous version of the data set by removing an incremental update to the data set, and search the previous version for the corrupted data. When a previous version of the data set is found that no longer contains the corrupted data, the method determines a timestamp associated with the previous version and provides the timestamp to a user. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques for diagnostic analysis in computational systems. The techniques including a method comprising receiving error documentation related to a system having a plurality of hardware components and a plurality of software components, where the error documentation is received from a user device associated with a user profile having permissions. The method further comprises generating a diagnostic plan including a diagnostic tool based on the error documentation. The method further comprises implementing the diagnostic tool on at least one component selected from a group consisting of: the plurality of hardware components, and the plurality of software components. The method further comprises receiving censored diagnostic output in response to implementing the diagnostic tool, where the censored diagnostic output is censored according to the defined permissions of the user profile.

Abstract: A method for performing a data dump includes detecting an error in a segmented application having an address space and a buffer. In response to detecting the error, the method quiesces the address space and copies content of the address space to another location while the address space is quiesced. The method reactivates the address space after the content of the address space is completely copied. The method suspends write access to the buffer and copies content of the buffer to another location while write access to the buffer is suspended. While write access to the buffer is suspended, the method redirects writes intended for the buffer to a temporary storage area, and directs reads intended for the buffer to one of the buffer and the temporary storage area, depending on where valid data is stored. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods that can parallel search a partitioned data set extended (PSDE) indexes are provided. One method includes managing a set of quick indexes in a memory device in which the set of quick indexes include references to storage locations for a subset of members of a PDSE stored in a set of long-term storage devices. The method further includes receiving a request to determine a storage location of a member of the PDSE and, in response to the request, searching the set of quick indexes to determine the storage location. Systems and computer program products for performing the above method are also provided.

Abstract: A method of and system for managing a data set of a storage facility is disclosed. The data set may be a sequential-access data set. The method and system may include structuring the sequential-access data set to have a first group-of-records configured for adding a second group-of-records to the sequential-access data set. The method and system add a second group-of-records to the sequential-access data set. The method and system merge the second group-of-records with the first group-of-records in response to a triggering event. The method and system establish, in response to merging the second group-of-records with the first group-of-records, a marker configured to indicate the first and second group-of-records, as merged, is sorted.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for selecting pages implementing leaf nodes and internal nodes of a data set index for reuse in memory. Pages in the memory are allocated to internal nodes and leaf nodes of a tree data structure representing all or a portion of a data set index for the data set. At least at least one duration parameter indicates an amount of time after which an unused page implement one of the internal nodes or leaf nodes is eligible for reuse. Selection is made of at least one selected page allocated to at least one of the leaf nodes and the internal nodes that has not been used for one of the at least one duration parameter for reuse.

Abstract: A method for more effectively utilizing computing resources in a data replication environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method detects, at a primary system, activity occurring on the primary system. This activity is recorded in systems logs located at the primary system. The method automatically mirrors the system logs from the primary system to a secondary system that is in a mirroring relationship with the primary system. The system logs are analyzed at the secondary system. In the event abnormal activity is detected in the system logs at the secondary system, the method automatically sends, from the secondary system to the primary system, one or more commands that are designed to address the abnormal activity. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for detecting abnormal activity on a computing system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes observing, over a period of time, activity occurring on a computing system. The method establishes, for the computing system based on the observations, a normal range associated with the activity. The method further monitors the computing system for the activity and documents activity on the computing system that falls outside the normal range. In certain embodiments, when activity is detected on the computing system that falls outside the normal range, the method gathers or compiles additional information about the activity, notifies a user, and/or generates a report that describes the abnormal activity and events surrounding the abnormal activity. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for more effectively utilizing computing resources in a data replication environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method detects, at a primary system, activity occurring on the primary system. This activity is recorded in systems logs located at the primary system. The method automatically mirrors the system logs from the primary system to a secondary system that is in a mirroring relationship with the primary system. The system logs are analyzed at the secondary system. In the event abnormal activity is detected in the system logs at the secondary system, the method identifies, on the secondary system, a data set that is associated with the abnormal activity. A snapshot is taken of this data set and saved on the secondary system for later analysis. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for migrating jobs from a source server from which data is migrated to a target server to which the data is migrated. Mirrored data is copied from a source storage to a target storage. A determination is made of at least one eligible job of the jobs executing in the source server having execution characteristics indicating that the job is eligible for migration to the target server. The determined at least one eligible job is migrated to the target server to execute on the target server and perform operations with respect to the mirrored data in the target storage. The migrated eligible job is disabled at the source server.