Abstract: A method to dynamically switch between catalog sharing protocols includes monitoring, over a period of time, access to a catalog used to index data sets. Using information gathered during this monitoring period, the method divides the period of time into intervals based on which of a plurality of sharing protocols, used to access the catalog, would provide the best performance during the respective interval. The method schedules the sharing protocols to operate during their respective intervals going forward, and switches between the sharing protocols in accordance with the schedule. In certain embodiments, switching between the sharing protocols includes temporarily operating in a hybrid mode in which multiple sharing protocols operate simultaneously. When using this hybrid mode, the switch may occur when one sharing protocol begins to perform better than the other. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for maintaining metadata from a catalog in a repository to return to requests for the metadata. A first instance of a request for metadata from a catalog of metadata on data sets is intercepted from an application and the metadata is retrieved from the catalog and saved in a repository. The retrieved metadata is associated with the request in the repository. The metadata retrieved from the catalog is returned to the application for the first instance of the request. A second instance of the request is intercepted from the application. A determination is made whether to fulfill the second instance of the request from the repository. The metadata for the second instance of the request is retrieved from the repository in response to determining to fulfill the second instance of the request from the repository.

Abstract: A method can include obtaining catalog data of a catalog. The catalog can include one or more records. The method can further include detecting one or more damaged records among the one or more records and isolating the one or more damaged records. The method can further include identifying one or more undamaged records among the one or more records. The method can further include transferring the one or more undamaged records to a backup catalog. The method can further include obtaining a transfer status of a first undamaged record of the one or more undamaged records. The method can further include obtaining an access request corresponding to the first undamaged record. The method can further include determining, based on the transfer status, a response to the access request and generating, based at least in part on the backup catalog, a restored catalog.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for determining when to release a lock from a first task holding the lock to grant to a second task waiting for the lock. A determination is made as to whether a holding of a lock to the resource by a first task satisfies a condition and whether the lock is swappable. The lock is released from the first task and granted to a second task waiting in a queue for the lock in response to determining that the holding of the lock satisfies the condition and that the lock is swappable. The first task is indicated in the queue waiting for the lock in response to granting the lock to the second task.

Abstract: A method can include obtaining catalog data of a catalog. The catalog can include one or more records. The method can further include detecting one or more damaged records among the one or more records and isolating the one or more damaged records. The method can further include identifying one or more undamaged records among the one or more records. The method can further include transferring the one or more undamaged records to a backup catalog. The method can further include obtaining a transfer status of a first undamaged record of the one or more undamaged records. The method can further include obtaining an access request corresponding to the first undamaged record. The method can further include determining, based on the transfer status, a response to the access request and generating, based at least in part on the backup catalog, a restored catalog.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for determining when to release a lock from a first task holding the lock to grant to a second task waiting for the lock. A determination is made as to whether a holding of a lock to the resource by a first task satisfies a condition and whether the lock is swappable. The lock is released from the first task and granted to a second task waiting in a queue for the lock in response to determining that the holding of the lock satisfies the condition and that the lock is swappable. The first task is indicated in the queue waiting for the lock in response to granting the lock to the second task.

Abstract: A method for analyzing data corruption is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes identifying a data set to analyze for data corruption. This data set resides on tracks of a volume. The method further determines, from control information associated with the volume, on which tracks of the volume the data set resides. The method reads content of the data set without opening the data set by performing full-track reads of the tracks. The method further determines an expected format of the content by analyzing the control information. An actual format of the content is compared to the expected format to identify areas of the data set that may be corrupt. 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 allocating a resource to multiple requesters is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes maintaining, for a resource, a regular queue and an express queue. The method receives requests to control the resource and determines, for each request, an anticipated amount of time that the request needs to control the resource. In the event the anticipated amount of time for a request is greater than a selected threshold, the method allocates the request to the regular queue. In the event the anticipated amount of time for a request is less than the selected threshold, the method allocates the request to the express queue. The method provides priority to requests allocated to the express queue over requests allocated to the regular queue. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products are provided for anonymizing a data set having an index component and a data component. In certain embodiments, the apparatuses, methods and computer program products make a copy of the data set, removes personal information from the data component, modifies an index component key value with a random value, modifies a data component key value with the same random value, and maintains a data set structure of the index component and the data component.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for an application to provide for, in one embodiment, using hierarchical storage management to respond to a request to delete a data set by migrating the data set to another storage tier in a storage system before deleting the data set from its current location. As a result, the data set is stored on another tier to provide an opportunity to reverse the decision to delete the data set. In one embodiment, a temporary interval of time is provided to reverse the deletion decision and restore the data set from the migrated data set, before the data set is permanently deleted.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method according to one embodiment includes intercepting one or more updates made to a catalog data set, storing the one or more updates in an update buffer, retrieving the one or more updates from the update buffer, sequentially applying the one or more updates to a backup catalog data set, identifying a request to replace the catalog data set, and replacing the catalog data set with the backup catalog data set, in response to the request.

Abstract: A method for analyzing data corruption is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes identifying a data set to analyze for data corruption. This data set resides on tracks of a volume. The method further determines, from control information associated with the volume, on which tracks of the volume the data set resides. The method reads content of the data set without opening the data set by performing full-track reads of the tracks. The method further determines an expected format of the content by analyzing the control information. An actual format of the content is compared to the expected format to identify areas of the data set that may be corrupt. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products are provided for anonymizing a data set having an index component and a data component. In certain embodiments, the apparatuses, methods and computer program products make a copy of the data set, removes personal information from the data component, modifies an index component key value with a random value, modifies a data component key value with the same random value, and maintains a data set structure of the index component and the data component.

Abstract: A method, system and computer readable medium that predict times where cost of catalog caching is not efficient and deactivating catalog caching for that catalog during the predicted times. More specifically, an optimized catalog caching operation conducts historical analysis on catalog usage via records such as resource measurement facility (RMF) records and catalog statistical data.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for managing data sets of a storage facility is disclosed. The method, system, and computer program product include determining, by analyzing a first data set, that the first data set includes a first record having padded data. To identify the padded data, the method, system, and computer program product include comparing at least a portion of the first record of the first data set with a second record of a second data set. Next, the method, system, and computer program product include removing, from the first record of the first data set, the padded data.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for an application to provide for, in one embodiment, using hierarchical storage management to respond to a request to delete a data set by migrating the data set to another storage tier in a storage system before deleting the data set from its current location. As a result, the data set is stored on another tier to provide an opportunity to reverse the decision to delete the data set. In one embodiment, a temporary interval of time is provided to reverse the deletion decision and restore the data set from the migrated data set, before the data set is permanently deleted.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for recovering a volume table and data sets from a volume. Content from a backup volume table comprising a valid backup of a volume table from backup of the volume is processed to generate a recovery volume table for a recovery volume. The data sets in the volume are processed to determine whether they are valid. The valid data sets are moved to the recovery volume. A data recovery operation is initiated for the data sets determined not to be valid.

Abstract: A method for allocating a resource to multiple requesters is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes maintaining, for a resource, a regular queue and an express queue. The method receives requests to control the resource and determines, for each request, an anticipated amount of time that the request needs to control the resource. In the event the anticipated amount of time for a request is greater than a selected threshold, the method allocates the request to the regular queue. In the event the anticipated amount of time for a request is less than the selected threshold, the method allocates the request to the express queue. The method provides priority to requests allocated to the express queue over requests allocated to the regular queue. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments for retaining diagnostic information for data in a computing storage environment. In one such embodiment, a diagnostic component, apart from a volume table of contents (VTOC), associated with an integrated catalog facility (ICF) catalog and with a base data set from data sets via a catalog association record, is initialized. The diagnostic component is configured to retain base data set-specific diagnostic information retrievable by the computing storage environment to assist in error diagnosis. The base data set-specific diagnostic information is stored pursuant to at least one detected event associated with the base data set.