Abstract: A computer-implemented method according to one aspect includes receiving an indication of a track range to be released within a storage volume; identifying a data backup within a backup storage space for the storage volume that corresponds to the track range; and releasing the track range within the storage volume in response to determining that the corresponding data backup has expired within the backup storage space.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method according to one aspect includes receiving an indication of a track range to be released within a storage volume; identifying a data backup within a backup storage space for the storage volume that corresponds to the track range; and releasing the track range within the storage volume in response to determining that the corresponding data backup has expired within the backup storage space.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for performing a recovery copy command to restore a safeguarded copy backup to a production volume. In response to receiving a recovery copy command, a production target data structure is created. A read operation is received for data for a storage location. In response to determining that the data for the storage location is in a cache of a host and a generation number is greater than a recovery generation number, the data is read from the cache. In response to determining at least one of that the data for the storage location is not in the cache and that the generation number is not greater than the recovery generation number, the data is read from one of the production volume and a backup volume based on a value of an indicator for the storage location in the production target data structure.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for updating change information for current copy relationships when establishing a new copy relationship having overlapping data with the current copy relationships. A first copy relationship indicates changed first source data to copy to first target data. An establish request is processed to create a second copy relationship to copy second source data in to second target data. A second copy relationship is generated, in response to the establish request, indicating data in the second source data to copy to the second target data. A determination is made of overlapping data units in the first source data also in the second target data. Indication is made in the first copy relationship to copy the overlapping data units. The first source data indicated in the first copy relationship is copied to the first target data, including data for the overlapping data units.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for performing a recovery copy command using a recovery copy data structure for a backup volume lookup. In response to receiving a recovery copy command, a recovery copy data structure is created with indicators for storage locations and a recovery target data structure is created with indicators for storage locations. A read operation is received for a storage location in a cache. Based on a value of an indicator in the recovery copy data structure for the storage location and a value of an indicator in the recovery target data structure for the storage location, the data is staged from one of the production volume, the recovery volume, and a backup volume to the cache.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a local copy target is also a local primary of an incomplete consistency group of an ongoing asynchronous mirror relationship. Completion of the consistency group is facilitated notwithstanding that the local copy operation was initiated after the consistency group was initiated. In one aspect, asynchronous data mirroring logic, prior to the overwriting of existing data of the target, reads the existing data of the target for purposes of mirroring the read data to a remote secondary target of the consistency group. As a result, existing data of the local copy target which is also a local primary source of the consistency group, may be safely overwritten. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for releasing space allocated to a space efficient target storage in a copy relationship with a source storage. Source and target copy relationships indicate source data in the source storage to copy to target data in the target storage. The source copy relationship indicates source data that need to be copied to the target data before being updated, and the target copy relationship indicates target data tracks updated with data copied from corresponding source data. An operation is initiated that results in terminating the source and target copy relationships. Space allocated to the target data for the source and target copy relationships is released in response to determining that the target storage comprises the space efficient storage. The source and target copy relationships are removed.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for performing a recovery copy command using a recovery copy data structure for a backup volume lookup. In response to receiving a recovery copy command, a recovery copy data structure is created with indicators for storage locations and a recovery target data structure is created with indicators for storage locations. A read operation is received for a storage location in a cache. Based on a value of an indicator in the recovery copy data structure for the storage location and a value of an indicator in the recovery target data structure for the storage location, the data is staged from one of the production volume, the recovery volume, and a backup volume to the cache.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for performing a recovery copy command to restore a safeguarded copy backup to a production volume. In response to receiving a recovery copy command, a production target data structure is created. A read operation is received for data for a storage location. In response to determining that the data for the storage location is in a cache of a host and a generation number is greater than a recovery generation number, the data is read from the cache. In response to determining at least one of that the data for the storage location is not in the cache and that the generation number is not greater than the recovery generation number, the data is read from one of the production volume and a backup volume based on a value of an indicator for the storage location in the production target data structure.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for using a cascade flag to process a copy relationship having a backward cascade copy relationship. Each of a plurality of copy relationships indicates to copy source data to target data and has a cascade flag. The cascade flag for a forward copy relationship of the copy relationships is set to a first value in response to determining that the source data for the forward copy relationship comprises target data for a backward copy relationship and that a background copy operation specified to copy source data to target data of the backward copy relationship has not completed. The cascade flag for the forward copy relationship is set to a second value in response to determining that the backward copy relationship does not have an uncompleted background copy operation.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for updating change information for current copy relationships when establishing a new copy relationship having overlapping data with the current copy relationships. A first copy relationship indicates changed first source data to copy to first target data. An establish request is processed to create a second copy relationship to copy second source data in to second target data. A second copy relationship is generated, in response to the establish request, indicating data in the second source data to copy to the second target data. A determination is made of overlapping data units in the first source data also in the second target data. Indication is made in the first copy relationship to copy the overlapping data units. The first source data indicated in the first copy relationship is copied to the first target data, including data for the overlapping data units.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a local copy target is also a local primary of an incomplete consistency group of an ongoing asynchronous mirror relationship. Completion of the consistency group is facilitated notwithstanding that the local copy operation was initiated after the consistency group was initiated. In one aspect, asynchronous data mirroring logic, prior to the overwriting of existing data of the target, reads the existing data of the target for purposes of mirroring the read data to a remote secondary target of the consistency group. As a result, existing data of the local copy target which is also a local primary source of the consistency group, may be safely overwritten. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a local copy target is also a local primary of an incomplete consistency group of an ongoing asynchronous mirror relationship. Completion of the consistency group is facilitated notwithstanding that the local copy operation was initiated after the consistency group was initiated. In one aspect, asynchronous data mirroring logic, prior to the overwriting of existing data of the target, reads the existing data of the target for purposes of mirroring the read data to a remote secondary target of the consistency group. As a result, existing data of the local copy target which is also a local primary source of the consistency group, may be safely overwritten. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, asynchronous local and remote generation of consistent first and second point-in-time snap copy volumes provides for generating in a primary system, a first point-in-time snap copy volume of a primary volume of the primary system, and generating in a secondary system, a second point-in-time snap copy volume utilizing a secondary volume in the secondary system. Synchronizing logic synchronizes the first and second point-in-time snap copy volumes to be consistent with each other as of a particular point-in-time notwithstanding an asynchronous mirror relationship between the primary volume of the primary system and the secondary volume of the secondary system. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a local copy target is also a local primary of an incomplete consistency group of an ongoing asynchronous mirror relationship. Completion of the consistency group is facilitated notwithstanding that the local copy operation was initiated after the consistency group was initiated. In one aspect, asynchronous data mirroring logic, prior to the overwriting of existing data of the target, reads the existing data of the target for purposes of mirroring the read data to a remote secondary target of the consistency group. As a result, existing data of the local copy target which is also a local primary source of the consistency group, may be safely overwritten. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for releasing space allocated to a space efficient target storage in a copy relationship with a source storage. Source and target copy relationships indicate source data in the source storage to copy to target data in the target storage. The source copy relationship indicates source data that need to be copied to the target data before being updated, and the target copy relationship indicates target data tracks updated with data copied from corresponding source data. An operation is initiated that results in terminating the source and target copy relationships. Space allocated to the target data for the source and target copy relationships is released in response to determining that the target storage comprises the space efficient storage. The source and target copy relationships are removed.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for releasing space allocated to a space efficient target storage in a copy relationship with a source storage. Source and target copy relationships indicate source data in the source storage to copy to target data in the target storage. The source copy relationship indicates source data that need to be copied to the target data before being updated, and the target copy relationship indicates target data tracks updated with data copied from corresponding source data. An operation is initiated that results in terminating the source and target copy relationships. Space allocated to the target data for the source and target copy relationships is released in response to determining that the target storage comprises the space efficient storage. The source and target copy relationships are removed.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for using a cascade flag to process a copy relationship having a backward cascade copy relationship. Each of a plurality of copy relationships indicates to copy source data to target data and has a cascade flag. The cascade flag for a forward copy relationship of the copy relationships is set to a first value in response to determining that the source data for the forward copy relationship comprises target data for a backward copy relationship and that a background copy operation specified to copy source data to target data of the backward copy relationship has not completed. The cascade flag for the forward copy relationship is set to a second value in response to determining that the backward copy relationship does not have an uncompleted background copy operation.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, asynchronous local and remote generation of consistent first and second point-in-time snap copy volumes provides for generating in a primary system, a first point-in-time snap copy volume of a primary volume of the primary system, and generating in a secondary system, a second point-in-time snap copy volume utilizing a secondary volume in the secondary system. Synchronizing logic synchronizes the first and second point-in-time snap copy volumes to be consistent with each other as of a particular point-in-time notwithstanding an asynchronous mirror relationship between the primary volume of the primary system and the secondary volume of the secondary system. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for releasing space allocated to a space efficient target storage in a copy relationship with a source storage. Source and target copy relationships indicate source data in the source storage to copy to target data in the target storage. The source copy relationship indicates source data that need to be copied to the target data before being updated, and the target copy relationship indicates target data tracks updated with data copied from corresponding source data. An operation is initiated that results in terminating the source and target copy relationships. Space allocated to the target data for the source and target copy relationships is released in response to determining that the target storage comprises the space efficient storage. The source and target copy relationships are removed.