Abstract: A storage controller receives a request that corresponds to an access of a track. A determination is made as to whether the track corresponds to data stored in a solid state disk. Record staging to a cache from the solid state disk is performed, in response to determining that the track corresponds to data stored in the solid state disk, wherein each track is comprised of a plurality of records.

Abstract: A storage controller receives a request that corresponds to an access of a track. A determination is made as to whether the track corresponds to data stored in a solid state disk. Record staging to a cache from the solid state disk is performed, in response to determining that the track corresponds to data stored in the solid state disk, wherein each track is comprised of a plurality of records.

Abstract: Storage tracks from at least one host are destaged from the write cache rank when it is determined that the at least one host is idle with respect to a first set of ranks, and storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from each rank when it is determined that the at least one host is not idle with respect to a second set of ranks such that storage tracks in the first set of ranks may be destaged while storage tracks in the second set of ranks are not being destaged.

Abstract: Storage tracks from at least one server are destaged from the write cache rank when it is determined that the at least one server is idle with respect to a first set of ranks, and storage tracks are refrained from being destaged from each rank when it is determined that the at least one server is not idle with respect to a second set of ranks such that storage tracks in the first set of ranks may be destaged while storage tracks in the second set of ranks are not being destaged.

Abstract: For data processing in a computing storage environment by a processor device, the computing storage environment incorporating at least high-speed and lower-speed caches, and managed tiered levels of storage, a Solid State Device (SSD) tier is variably shared between the lower-speed cache and the managed tiered levels of storage such that the managed tiered levels of storage are operational on large data segments, and the lower-speed cache is allocated with the large data segments, yet operates with data segments of a smaller size than the large data segments and within the large data segments.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a storage device for performing a write operation. The mechanism configures a write buffer memory with a plurality of write buffer portions. Each write buffer portion is dedicated to a predetermined block size category within a plurality of block size categories. For each write operation from an initiator, the mechanism determines a block size category of the write operation. The mechanism performs each write operation by writing to a write buffer portion within the plurality of write buffer portions corresponding to the block size category of the write operation.

Abstract: A method for performing a write to a volume x in a cascaded architecture is described. In one embodiment, such a method includes determining whether the volume x has a child volume, wherein each of the volume x and the child volume have a target bit map (TBM) associated therewith. The method then determines whether the TBMs of both the volume x and the child volume are set. If the TBMs are set, the method finds a higher source (HS) volume from which to copy the desired data to the child volume. Finding the HS volume includes comparing ages of mapping relationships upstream from the volume x in order to determine a source of the data. Once the HS volume is found, the method copies the data from the HS volume to the child volume and performs the write to the volume x. A method for performing a read is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A system for data management in a computing storage environment includes a processor device, operable in the computing storage environment, that divides a plurality of counters tracking write and discard storage operations through Non Volatile Storage (NVS) space into first, accurate, and second, fuzzy, groups where the first, accurate, group is one of incremented and decremented per each write and discard storage operation, while the second, fuzzy, group is one of incremented and decremented on a more infrequent basis as compared to the first, accurate group.

Abstract: For efficient cache management of multi-target peer-to-peer remote copy (PPRC) modified sectors bitmap in a computing storage environment a multiplicity of PPRC modified sectors bitmaps are dynamically managed by placing the multiplicity of PPRC modified sectors bitmaps into slots of bind segments.

Abstract: For optimizing peer-to-peer remote copy (PPRC) transfers for partial write operations in a computing storage environment by a processor device by maintaining a PPRC modified sectors bitmap in bind segments upon demoting a track out of a cache for transferring a partial track after the demoting the track, wherein a hash table is used for locating the PPRC modified sectors bitmap.

Abstract: For efficient free-space management of multi-target peer-to-peer remote copy (PPRC) modified sectors bitmap in bind segments, maintaining a list of bind segments having a free slots for each storage volume. Each one of the bind segments includes a bitmap of the free slots. Those of the bind segments having more than an predetermined number of the free slots are freed.

Abstract: For asynchronous cleanup after a peer-to-peer remote copy (PPRC) terminate relationship operation in a computing storage environment by a processor device, asynchronously cleaning up a plurality of PPRC modified sectors bitmaps using a PPRC terminate-relationship cleanup operation by throttling a number of tasks performing the PPRC terminate-relationship cleanup operation while releasing a plurality of bind segments until completion of the PPRC terminate-relationship cleanup operation.

Abstract: For data processing in a computing storage environment by a processor device, the computing storage environment incorporating at least high-speed and lower-speed caches, and tiered levels of storage, and at a time in which at least one data segment is to be migrated from one level to another level of the tiered levels of storage, a data migration mechanism is initiated by copying data resident in the lower-speed cache corresponding to the at least one data segment to be migrated to a target on the another level, reading remaining data, not previously copied from the lower-speed cache, from a source on the one level, and writing the remaining data to the target, and changing a logical address of the at least one data segment to point to the target.

Abstract: For data processing in a computing storage environment by a processor device, the environment incorporating at least high-speed and lower-speed caches, and managed tiered levels of storage, groups of data segments are migrated between the tiered levels of storage such that clumped uniformly hot ones of the groups of data segments are migrated to use a Solid State Drive (SSD) portion of the tiered levels of storage; uniformly hot groups of data segments are determined using a first, largest granulated, heat map for a selected one of the group of the data segments; a second heat map, which is smaller than the first and having the largest granularity of the first heat map, is used to determine the clumped hot groups; and sparsely hot groups are determined when neither the first heat map nor the second heat map are hotter than the first and second predetermined thresholds, respectively.

Abstract: For a plurality of input/output (I/O) operations waiting to assemble complete data tracks from data segments, a process, separate from a process responsible for the data assembly into the complete data tracks is initiated, and the at least one complete data track is removed off of a free list by a first I/O waiter.

Abstract: A data preservation function is provided which, in one embodiment, includes indicating by a map, usage of a particular map extent range by a relationship between a source extent range of storage locations on a source storage device containing data to be preserved in the source extent range, and a target extent range mapped to the map particular extent range. In another aspect, in response to receipt of a data preservation command, a data preservation operation is performed including determining whether a map indicates availability of a map extent range mapped to the identified target extent range. Upon determining that a particular map indicates availability of a map extent range mapped to the identified target extent range, a relationship between the identified source extent range and the identified target extent range is established. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: For movement of partial data segments within a computing storage environment having lower and higher levels of cache by a processor, a whole data segment containing one of the partial data segments is promoted to both the lower and higher levels of cache. Requested data of the whole data segment is split and positioned at a Most Recently Used (MRU) portion of a demotion queue of the higher level of cache.

Abstract: A data preservation function is provided which, in one embodiment, includes mapping in a plurality of maps for a target storage device, map extent ranges of each map, to corresponding target extent ranges of storage locations on the target storage device. Usage of a particular map extent range by a relationship between a source extent range of storage locations on a source storage device containing data to be preserved in the source extent range, and the target extent range mapped to the map particular extent range, may be indicated by the map. In another aspect, in response to receipt of a data preservation command, a data preservation operation is performed including determining whether a map indicates availability of a map extent range mapped to the identified target extent range.

Abstract: A plurality of tracks is examined for meeting criteria for a discard scan. In lieu of waiting for a completion of a track access operation, at least one of the plurality of tracks is marked for demotion. An additional discard scan may be subsequently performed for tracks not previously demoted. The discard and additional discard scans may proceed in two phases.

Abstract: A storage controller receives a request that corresponds to an access of a track. A determination is made as to whether the track corresponds to data stored in a solid state disk. Record staging to a cache from the solid state disk is performed, in response to determining that the track corresponds to data stored in the solid state disk, wherein each track is comprised of a plurality of records.