Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for processing a write of records to maintain atomicity for writing a defined group of records to multiple tracks. A write is received comprising defined groups of records to write to a plurality of tracks in the primary storage system. Sub-writes are generated to write the records in the defined groups in the write. At least one of the sub-writes includes records to write for at least one of the defined groups that spans multiple tracks in response to determining that at least one of the defined groups includes records that will be written to multiple tracks. The sub-writes are transmitted to the primary storage system to mirror to the secondary storage system to cause the secondary storage system to return complete in response to completing writing to all the tracks written to by the sub-write.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for mirroring writes of records to maintain atomicity for writing a defined group of records to multiple tracks. Sub-writes are received from a host system to write records in defined groups in a write, wherein at least one of the sub-writes includes records to write for at least one of the defined groups that spans multiple tracks. For each of the sub-writes including records for at least one of the defined groups that spans multiple tracks, the tracks in the sub-write with to the secondary storage system to cause the secondary storage system to apply the tracks upon receiving all the tracks for the sub-write. Complete is returned for the sub-write to the host system upon receiving confirmation from the secondary storage system that all the tracks for the sub-write have been applied to the secondary storage system.

Abstract: A determination is made that a point-in-time copy of a consistency group of a production volume has to be stored in a backup storage that is configured to store a plurality of point-in-time copies generated at a plurality of time instants. An extent of a thin provisioned volume of a highest storage tier of a tiered storage is allocated to store the point-in-time copy of the consistency group. A process is initiated for storing the point-in-time copy of the consistency group to the extent of the highest storage tier of the tiered storage.

Abstract: A plurality of tracks that are to be copied to a backup volume are aggregated in a container data structure. The plurality of tracks are stored physically contiguously in a single Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) stride. Mapping metadata is updated in the backup volume to indicate how logical tracks of the backup volume correspond to physical tracks stored in the RAID stride.

Abstract: Metadata logic switches selection of a metadata track from multiple available metadata tracks in a volatile cache to fill the selected metadata track in a metadata track selection interval with metadata entries as source tracks of a source volume are copied to a backup volume of a copy relationship. Destage logic destages to storage a deselected metadata track containing metadata entries generated in a prior metadata track selection interval, while the metadata logic continues to generate and fill additional metadata entries in the selected metadata track in a concurrent metadata track selection interval. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes monitoring data usage on a per-extent basis for data stored to a first location in a first tier of a multi-tier file system and data stored to a second location in a second tier of the multi-tier file system. The method also includes swapping data usage statistics for the data stored to the first location with data usage statistics for data stored to the second location in response to a determination that data usage of the data stored to the second location is not accounted for in the data usage statistics for the data stored in the first location after a first portion of the data stored to the first location is swapped with a second portion of the data stored to the second location. Moreover, data blocks which are swapped within a same extent do not have data usage statistics thereof swapped.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for performing a failover between a first storage system and a second storage system. Data is synchronized between the first storage system and the second storage system. A failover is performed from the first storage system to the second storage system in response to a failover event at the first storage system while synchronizing the data. A determination is made that a first storage unit of the first storage system is inoperable and that that a second storage unit of the first storage system is operable in response to the failover event. In response to determining that the second storage unit is operable, a resynchronization is initiated to copy updates to a second storage unit of the second storage system mirroring the second storage unit of the first storage system to the second storage unit of the first storage system.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for using file element accesses to select file elements in a file system to defragment. A determination is made of accesses to file elements in the file system. The determined accesses to the file elements are used to select the file elements to defragment and the selected file elements are defragmented.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for performing a failover between a first storage system and a second storage system. Data is synchronized between the first storage system and the second storage system. A failover is performed from the first storage system to the second storage system in response to a failover event at the first storage system while synchronizing the data. A determination is made that a first storage unit of the first storage system is inoperable and that that a second storage unit of the first storage system is operable in response to the failover event. In response to determining that the second storage unit is operable, a resynchronization is initiated to copy updates to a second storage unit of the second storage system mirroring the second storage unit of the first storage system to the second storage unit of the first storage system.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for processing a write of records to maintain atomicity for writing a defined group of records to multiple tracks. A write is received comprising defined groups of records to write to a plurality of tracks in the primary storage system. Sub-writes are generated to write the records in the defined groups in the write. At least one of the sub-writes includes records to write for at least one of the defined groups that spans multiple tracks in response to determining that at least one of the defined groups includes records that will be written to multiple tracks. The sub-writes are transmitted to the primary storage system to mirror to the secondary storage system to cause the secondary storage system to return complete in response to completing writing to all the tracks written to by the sub-write.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for mirroring writes of records to maintain atomicity for writing a defined group of records to multiple tracks. Sub-writes are received from a host system to write records in defined groups in a write, wherein at least one of the sub-writes includes records to write for at least one of the defined groups that spans multiple tracks. For each of the sub-writes including records for at least one of the defined groups that spans multiple tracks, the tracks in the sub-write with to the secondary storage system to cause the secondary storage system to apply the tracks upon receiving all the tracks for the sub-write. . Complete is returned for the sub-write to the host system upon receiving confirmation from the secondary storage system that all the tracks for the sub-write have been applied to the secondary storage system.

Abstract: A storage controller configures a plurality of storage tiers. A sub-unit of a storage unit is maintained in a selected storage tier of the plurality of storage tiers, for at least a predetermined duration of time subsequent to an input/output (I/O) request for the sub-unit.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for replicating tracks from a first storage to a second and third storages. A determination is made of a track in the first storage to transfer to the second storage as part of a point-in-time copy relationship and of a stride of tracks including the target track. The stride of tracks including the target track is staged from the first storage to a cache according to the point-in-time copy relationship. The staged stride is destaged from the cache to the second storage. The stride in the cache is transferred to the third storage as part of a mirror copy relationship. The stride of tracks in the cache is demoted in response to destaging the stride of the tracks in the cache to the second storage and transferring the stride of tracks in the cache to the third storage.

Abstract: A storage controller configures a plurality of storage tiers. A sub-unit of a storage unit is maintained in a selected storage tier of the plurality of storage tiers, for at least a predetermined duration of time subsequent to an input/output (I/O) request for the sub-unit.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for replicating tracks from a first storage to a second and third storages. A determination is made of a track in the first storage to transfer to the second storage as part of a point-in-time copy relationship and of a stride of tracks including the target track. The stride of tracks including the target track is staged from the first storage to a cache according to the point-in-time copy relationship. The staged stride is destaged from the cache to the second storage. The stride in the cache is transferred to the third storage as part of a mirror copy relationship. The stride of tracks in the cache is demoted in response to destaging the stride of the tracks in the cache to the second storage and transferring the stride of tracks in the cache to the third storage.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes monitoring data usage on a per-extent basis for data stored to a first location in a first tier of a multi-tier file system and data stored to a second location in a second tier of the multi-tier file system. The method also includes swapping data usage statistics for the data stored to the first location with data usage statistics for data stored to the second location in response to a determination that data usage of the data stored to the second location is not accounted for in the data usage statistics for the data stored in the first location after a first portion of the data stored to the first location is swapped with a second portion of the data stored to the second location. Moreover, data blocks which are swapped within a same extent do not have data usage statistics thereof swapped.

Abstract: For performing efficient management of tracks in an asynchronous Peer-to-Peer Redundant Copy (PPRC) operation in a computing storage environment, a correct status of a sequential bit is determined by examining a primary cache, where if data being transferred pursuant to the PPRC operation in a primary track remains in the primary cache, the sequential bit setting found therein is used.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for managing data includes receiving migration information that describes movement of data stored to a direct access storage device (DASD) during a data migration operation that causes at least one portion of the data to be moved from a first location in a first tier of a multi-tier file system to a second location in a second tier of the multi-tier file system, determining whether to swap data usage statistics for the second location with data usage statistics for the first location, and swapping the data usage statistics for the second location with the data usage statistics for the first location when the determination is to swap the data usage statistics. Other systems, methods, and computer program products for managing data in a multi-tier file system are described according to more embodiments.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The embodied program instructions are readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to create, by the processor, a second logical block on a multi-tier file system, the second logical block referencing data that is associated with a first logical block. The program instructions also cause the processor to determine, by the processor, a measure of access requests that will be directed to the data via the second logical block versus the first logical block. Moreover, the program instructions cause the processor to transfer, by the processor, a proportion of a heatmap value for the data between the first logical block and the second logical block based on the measure of accesses that will be directed to the data via the second logical block versus the first logical block.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for managing data includes receiving a request to write data to a file block on a multi-tier file system. A first logical block is associated with the file block. The method also includes determining whether the request is a first write request for the file block after creation of a snapshot of the file block. Moreover, the method includes determining an access request count for the first logical block prior to creation of the snapshot by retrieving the access request count for the first logical block from a snapshot data table accessible to an automatic tiering module. Other methods for managing data are presented in accordance with other embodiments.