Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method to determine 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: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for selecting a plurality of processing systems to sort a data set. A determination is made of processing systems to perform a sort of records in a data set. The data set is divided into data subsets, each data subset comprising a portion of the records of the data set. Each of the determined processing systems of is notified of a data subset to sort. In response to receiving notification from the determined processing systems that the records in the data subsets have been sorted, the sorted data subsets are merged into a sorted data set comprising the records of the data set sorted.

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: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for selecting a plurality of processing systems to sort a data set. A determination is made of processing systems to perform a sort of records in a data set. The data set is divided into data subsets, each data subset comprising a portion of the records of the data set. Each of the determined processing systems of is notified of a data subset to sort. In response to receiving notification from the determined processing systems that the records in the data subsets have been sorted, the sorted data subsets are merged into a sorted data set comprising the records of the data set sorted.

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 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: Methods, systems and computer program products for providing persistent augmented reality objects are provided. Aspects include storing user credentials by an augmented reality device. Aspects also include detecting an object identification tag disposed on a physical object. Aspects also include retrieving virtual content associated with the physical object from an online registry based on the user credentials and the object identification tag. Aspects also include displaying the virtual content in association with the physical object by the augmented reality device.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a request to store a record in a base data set and determining whether the base data set can accommodate the record. In the event the base data set cannot accommodate the record, the method automatically creates an overflow data set to accommodate the record, stores the record in the overflow data set, and updates an index of the base data set to include a key associated with the record. The key points to the overflow data set as containing the record. In certain embodiments, the base data set and overflow data set are both keyed VSAM data sets. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for managing volumes in a scratch pool of a virtual tape system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method provides a scratch pool containing volumes for use in a virtual tape system. The method further enables a user to predefine an external pool of volumes residing outside of the scratch pool. This external pool may be hidden to a host system accessing the virtual tape system. The method monitors current and/or past usage of the volumes in the scratch pool and, based on the usage, predicts a future need for volumes in the scratch pool. The method automatically moves volumes between the external pool and the scratch pool in accordance with the future need. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for managing volumes in a scratch pool of a virtual tape system is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method provides a scratch pool containing volumes for use in a virtual tape system. The method further enables a user to predefine an external pool of volumes residing outside of the scratch pool. This external pool may be hidden to a host system accessing the virtual tape system. The method monitors current and/or past usage of the volumes in the scratch pool and, based on the usage, predicts a future need for volumes in the scratch pool. The method automatically moves volumes between the external pool and the scratch pool in accordance with the future need. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a request to store a record in a base data set and determining whether the base data set can accommodate the record. In the event the base data set cannot accommodate the record, the method automatically creates an overflow data set to accommodate the record, stores the record in the overflow data set, and updates an index of the base data set to include a key associated with the record. The key points to the overflow data set as containing the record. In certain embodiments, the base data set and overflow data set are both keyed VSAM data sets. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for data unit classification in accordance with one embodiment of the present description, in which in response to a data processing command, a storage controller classifies data units of a storage unit as either allocated to a data set or as unallocated to any data set. If allocated to a data set, the storage controller can further classify data set-allocated data units as either containing client data or metadata or as empty. In accordance with one aspect of the present description, the storage controller may bypass data processing of the data units which have not been allocated to any data set or otherwise do not contain client data or metadata. Other aspects of data unit classification in accordance with the present description are described.

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.

Abstract: Embodiments for managing data in a virtual tape storage environment, by a processor device, are provided. A management system on a host is used to define volume expiration attributes for virtual tape volumes and the volume expiration attributes are forwarded to a virtual tape server. Return-to-scratch processing is performed on the virtual tape volumes directly on the virtual tape server by using the volume expiration attributes to compile candidate volumes without querying the host, where the candidate volumes are expired and converted to scratch by the virtual tape server.

Abstract: Embodiments for managing data in a virtual tape storage environment, by a processor device, are provided. A management system on a host is used to define volume expiration attributes for virtual tape volumes and the volume expiration attributes are forwarded to a virtual tape server. Return-to-scratch processing is performed on the virtual tape volumes directly on the virtual tape server by using the volume expiration attributes to compile candidate volumes without querying the host, where the candidate volumes are expired and converted to scratch by the virtual tape server.

Abstract: A method for executing a job is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes initiating a job using an initial level of computing resources (e.g., memory resources, CPU resources, and storage resources, etc.). The method suspends the job when available computing resources fall below a first threshold. When suspending the job, the method saves information to enable the job to be resumed at the point where it was suspended. The method then monitors the available computing resources to determine when the available computing resources rise above a second threshold. The second threshold may, in certain embodiments, be the same as the first threshold. The method resumes the job using a reduced level of computing resources when the available computing resources rise above the second threshold. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments for managing data in a virtual tape storage environment, by a processor device, are provided. A management system on a host is used to define volume expiration attributes for virtual tape volumes and the volume expiration attributes are forwarded to a virtual tape server. Return-to-scratch processing is performed on the virtual tape volumes directly on the virtual tape server by using the volume expiration attributes to compile candidate volumes without querying the host, where the candidate volumes are expired and converted to scratch by the virtual tape server.

Abstract: Embodiments for managing data in a virtual tape storage environment, by a processor device, are provided. A management system on a host is used to define volume expiration attributes for virtual tape volumes and the volume expiration attributes are forwarded to a virtual tape server. Return-to-scratch processing is performed on the virtual tape volumes directly on the virtual tape server by using the volume expiration attributes to compile candidate volumes without querying the host, where the candidate volumes are expired and converted to scratch by the virtual tape server.

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.