Abstract: An input/output (I/O) request is received that indicates a priority for performing the received I/O request by a storage controller. If a base device is not available to handle the received I/O request, whether the received I/O request is eligible for performance throttling is determined. The received I/O request is transmitted to the storage controller indicating whether the received I/O request is eligible for performance throttling. An alias device is allocated to the base device based on the priority for performing the received I/O request. If the throttling information received from the storage controller for the previous I/O request indicates that a request type of the received I/O request is not being throttled, and it is determined that the received I/O request is a new request, then a control block is representing the base device is flagged, indicating that the received I/O request is eligible for performance throttling.

Abstract: An input/output (I/O) request is received that indicates a priority for performing the received I/O request by a storage controller. If a base device is not available to handle the received I/O request, whether the received I/O request is eligible for performance throttling is determined. The received I/O request is transmitted to the storage controller indicating whether the received I/O request is eligible for performance throttling. An alias device is allocated to the base device based on the priority for performing the received I/O request. If the throttling information received from the storage controller for the previous I/O request indicates that a request type of the received I/O request is not being throttled, and it is determined that the received I/O request is a new request, then a control block is representing the base device is flagged, indicating that the received I/O request is eligible for performance throttling.

Abstract: A method for managing storage functions in a data replication environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes continually monitoring for changes to a storage configuration at a secondary site. Upon detecting changes to the storage configuration at the secondary site, the method transmits remote metadata describing the changes to the primary site and stores the remote metadata at the primary site. The method then initiates a storage management function at the primary site which is mirrored to the secondary site. In order to perform the storage management function, the method reads the remote metadata at the primary site to determine the storage configuration at the secondary site. The method then performs the storage management function at the primary site in a way that takes into account the storage configuration at the secondary site. A corresponding apparatus, system, and computer-readable medium are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, carried out by one or more processors, for a modified asynchronous replication session. In an embodiment, the method comprises the steps of acquiring a lock on a volume configuration, where the lock prevents changes to the volume configuration between a first volume and a second volume at a remote site. Internal control block information is updated, where the update includes at least a volume serial number of the first volume matching a volume serial number of the second volume. Responsive to updating internal control block information, the acquired lock is released to allow changes to the volume configuration.

Abstract: For dynamically adjusting write pacing, a calculation module calculates an interval as a maximum threshold for a primary volume divided by a first maximum pacing level for a first importance level. The calculation module further calculates a first pacing level as a number of record sets that have not been mirrored to a secondary volume divided by the interval. The first pacing level is set to the first maximum pacing level if the first pacing level is greater than the first maximum pacing level. The calculation module also selects a first pacing delay associated with the first pacing level from a delay table. A pacing module delays writes for a first channel command word writing to the primary volume by the first pacing delay.

Abstract: When the mirrored point in time copy fails, at that point in time all the data for making the source and target of the point in time copy consistent is available on secondary volumes at disaster recovery site. The data for the source and target of the failed point in time copy are logically and physically equal at that point in time. This logical relationship can be maintained, and protected against ongoing physical updates to the affected tracks on the source secondary volume, by first reading the affected tracks from the source secondary volume, copying the data to the target secondary volume, and then writing the updated track to the source secondary volume.

Abstract: A computer implemented method includes the steps of establishing a plurality of storage control sessions, wherein each storage control session associates at least one primary storage controller and at least one secondary storage controller with a predetermined path through a data transport network that interconnects the primary and secondary storage controllers; identifying storage control sessions that have data available to be transferred from primary storage controllers to secondary storage controllers; accumulating available data for each session and determining transfer time through the network for each data element to estimate prospective bandwidth utilization; and determining, for a predetermined time interval, whether transferring the available data would fully occupy available bandwidth of the data transport network for the predetermined time interval.

Abstract: A method for managing storage functions in a data replication environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes continually monitoring for changes to a storage configuration at a secondary site. Upon detecting changes to the storage configuration at the secondary site, the method transmits remote metadata describing the changes to the primary site and stores the remote metadata at the primary site. The method then initiates a storage management function at the primary site which is mirrored to the secondary site. In order to perform the storage management function, the method reads the remote metadata at the primary site to determine the storage configuration at the secondary site. The method then performs the storage management function at the primary site in a way that takes into account the storage configuration at the secondary site. A corresponding apparatus, system, and computer-readable medium are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for improved point-in-time copying of data within an asynchronous data mirroring environment. A first establish for a first point-in-time copying process is generated, followed by submission of a request to initiate an asynchronous data mirroring process associated with the first point-in-time copying process. In response, a point-in-time establish reservation is generated for a second point-in-time copying process. If it is not possible to successfully perform the second point-in-time copying process, then the point-in-time establish reservation is cancelled and the first point-in-time copy establish is failed. Otherwise, the point-in-time establish reservation is then used to generate an establish for the second point-in-time copying process, which is then initiated.

Abstract: For dynamically adjusting write pacing, a calculation module calculates an interval as a maximum threshold for a primary volume divided by a first maximum pacing level for a first importance level. The calculation module further calculates a first pacing level as a number of record sets that have not been mirrored to a secondary volume divided by the interval. The first pacing level is set to the first maximum pacing level if the first pacing level is greater than the first maximum pacing level. The calculation module also selects a first pacing delay associated with the first pacing level from a delay table. A pacing module delays writes for a first channel command word writing to the primary volume by the first pacing delay.

Abstract: Provided is a method for maintaining mirror and storage system copies of volumes at multiple remote sites. A first server maintains a mirror copy relationship between a first storage system at a first site and a second storage system at a second site. The first server performs a first point-in-time copy operation from the first storage system to a first storage system copy, wherein the data for the first storage system copy is consistent as of the determined point-in-time. The first server transmits a command to a second server to create a point-in-time copy of the second storage system. The second server processes mirror data transferred from the first server as part of the mirror copy relationship to determine when to create a second point-in-time copy. The second server performs the second point-in-time copy operation.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product and system for maintaining mirror and storage system copies of volumes at multiple remote sites. A first server maintains a mirror copy relationship between a first storage system at a first site and a second storage system at a second site. The first server performs a first point-in-time copy operation from the first storage system to a first storage system copy, wherein the data for the first storage system copy is consistent as of the determined point-in-time. The first server transmits a command to a second server to create a point-in-time copy of the second storage system. The second server processes mirror data transferred from the first server as part of the mirror copy relationship to determine when to create a second point-in-time copy. The second server performs the second point-in-time copy operation.

Abstract: An approach to synchronization of logical copy relationships on a local site with those on a remote site that is a mirror. A withdraw command is received on the local site for logical copy relationships between local source tracks and local target tracks. The withdraw command is executed and sent to a remote site buffer, from which it will be transferred to the remote site. Change indicators are set for the at least one local track in the affected logical copy relationships. If the withdraw command is lost from the remote site buffer, the remote site buffer will be rebuilt using the change indicators. By setting change indicators for local tracks in a withdrawn logical copy relationship (even if the data in local tracks hasn't changed), the remote counterparts to these tracks on the remote site will be rewritten, resulting in withdrawal of the logical copy relationship there even if the withdrawal command was never sent to the remote site.

Abstract: A primary storage controller is configured to communicate with a secondary storage controller via a system data mover. In response to receiving a command to perform a point in time copy of a source volume of the primary storage controller to a target volume of the primary storage controller, a determination is made as to whether the target volume of the primary storage controller is a source for an asynchronous data replication operation, initiated by the system data mover, between the primary storage controller and the secondary storage controller. In response to determining that the target volume of the primary storage controller is the source for the asynchronous data replication operation, initiated by the system data mover, the point in time copy of the source volume of the primary storage controller to the target volume of the primary storage controller is performed.

Abstract: A primary storage controller is configured to communicate with a secondary storage controller via a system data mover. In response to receiving a command to perform a point in time copy of a source volume of the primary storage controller to a target volume of the primary storage controller, a determination is made as to whether the target volume of the primary storage controller is a source for an asynchronous data replication operation, initiated by the system data mover, between the primary storage controller and the secondary storage controller. In response to determining that the target volume of the primary storage controller is the source for the asynchronous data replication operation, initiated by the system data mover, the point in time copy of the source volume of the primary storage controller to the target volume of the primary storage controller is performed.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for consolidating session information for a cluster of sessions in a coupled session environment. Information for each of a plurality of sessions comprising a cluster is stored in a memory of a processor session. Each session associates at least one primary system and at least one secondary system, wherein within each session, updates are copied from the at least one primary system to the at least one secondary system. The session information in the memory for the plurality of sessions is processed to generate consolidated session information for the cluster based on the session information for the sessions in the cluster. The consolidated session information for the cluster is written to a master data set maintaining information for sessions.

Abstract: A method for managing storage functions in a data replication environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes continually monitoring for changes to a storage configuration at a secondary site. Upon detecting changes to the storage configuration at the secondary site, the method transmits remote metadata describing the changes to the primary site and stores the remote metadata at the primary site. The method then initiates a storage management function at the primary site which is mirrored to the secondary site. In order to perform the storage management function, the method reads the remote metadata at the primary site to determine the storage configuration at the secondary site. The method then performs the storage management function at the primary site in a way that takes into account the storage configuration at the secondary site.

Abstract: A method for managing storage functions in a data replication environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes continually monitoring for changes to a storage configuration at a secondary site. Upon detecting changes to the storage configuration at the secondary site, the method transmits remote metadata describing the changes to the primary site and stores the remote metadata at the primary site. The method then initiates a storage management function at the primary site which is mirrored to the secondary site. In order to perform the storage management function, the method reads the remote metadata at the primary site to determine the storage configuration at the secondary site. The method then performs the storage management function at the primary site in a way that takes into account the storage configuration at the secondary site. A corresponding apparatus, system, and computer-readable medium are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: A first command is sent from a primary host system to a primary storage controller device, specifying that a first primary volume is to be flash-copied to a second primary volume. Flash-copying provides for completion of copying the first primary volume to the second primary volume to be signaled prior to data on the first primary volume being physically copied to the second primary volume. A first state of the first primary volume and the second primary volume is verified by the primary storage controller device to determine whether the first state permits flash-copying of the first primary volume to the second primary volume. A first query is sent from the primary storage controller device to a secondary host system, requesting whether a first secondary volume can be flash-copied to a second secondary volume. The first and second secondary volumes asynchronously mirror the first and second primary volumes, respectively.

Abstract: Methods, computing environments, and computer program products are provided for replicating data. Point-in-time copy parameters are generated at a primary host site. A side file entry having the point-in-time copy parameters and a track information field (TIF) associated with the point-in-time copy parameters is generated. The side file entry is transferred to a secondary host site. A point-in-time copy process is performed at the secondary host site based on the point-in-time copy parameters and the TIF.