Abstract: A method for executing a software routine identified in a task object is provided. The method includes accessing a list of software routine identifiers associated with software routines that are executable on a computer server. The method further includes generating a task object generation command having at least a first software routine identifier, parameter data, and link task information and generating a second task object in response to the task object generation command. The second task object includes the first software routine identifier, the parameter data, and the link task information.

Abstract: An approach to generating logical configuration commands for logical objects in a system. A method may involve receiving a command requesting the logical configuration commands to configure the specified logical object (subject logical object) and the logical objects that support the logical object (the support logical objects). The method may also involve determining what logical objects in the system support the subject logical object. This may require determining the support logical objects that directly support the subject logical object, and then recursively examining each support logical objects to find the logical objects on which they depend. For each logical object (whether the subject logical object or one of the support logical objects), the method may involve determining the logical configuration commands to appropriately create and modify the logical object. The logical configuration commands may then be presented to the user.

Abstract: Exemplary method, system, and computer program embodiments for, in a data storage environment configured for synchronous replication between a primary and secondary pair of storage entities, each having tiered storage devices, extent migration are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, a migration instruction is sent, by the primary storage entity, to the secondary storage entity, the migration instruction including a relative priority based on a primary ordered heat map of the tiered storage devices of the primary storage entity. The relative priority is used against a secondary ordered heat map of the tiered storage devices of the secondary storage entity to perform the extent migration, regardless of whether the primary and secondary storage entities are identical.

Abstract: Exemplary method, system, and computer program embodiments for, in a data storage environment configured for synchronous replication between a primary and secondary pair of storage entities, each having tiered storage devices, extent migration are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, a migration instruction is sent, by the primary storage entity, to the secondary storage entity, the migration instruction including a time delta approximately equal to a time of an intended migration at the primary storage entity adjusted for a transmission time such that the primary and secondary storage entities conduct the extent migration at approximately a same time.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present description, a data preservation function is provided for preserving a set of data on a source storage device at a point in time, and includes identifying as a function of prior update usage, such as input/output usage, of the data to be preserved, a portion of the data which is more likely to be the subject of updates during at least a portion of the data preservation operation as compared to the remaining portion of the data to be preserved, and copies the identified portion of the data to be preserved to a target storage device. In another aspect, the size of the portion of data to be identified is variable. In one embodiment, the size of the portion of data to be identified is a function of a parameter of the command, such that a user can specify the command parameter which affects the size of the portion of data which is prewritten to the target storage device.

Abstract: Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for determining whether to extend a drain time to copy data blocks from a first storage to a second storage. A data structure is generated indicating data blocks in the first storage to copy to the second storage. A drain operation is initiated to copy the data blocks indicated in the first storage to the second storage for a drain time period. Write requests to the data blocks indicated in the data structure are queued during the drain time period, wherein the queued write requests are not completed while queued. Metric information based on the writes that occur to data blocks in the first storage are gathered during the drain time period; and in response to expiration of the drain time period, a determination is made from the gathered metric information of whether to continue the drain operation or terminate the drain operation.

Abstract: A method for dynamic consistency group formation, in one embodiment, includes creating a snapshot of first data stored on a source storage system with respect to data content and data structure, copying the snapshot to a target storage system, detecting one or more write operations affecting data on the source storage system while copying the first data, detecting one or more collisions affecting the first data on the source storage system, wherein a collision occurs whenever the write operations affect the first data prior to the first data being written, setting a consistency group interval which represents an interval duration between successive snapshot create-and-copy events, and altering the consistency group interval to minimize collisions affecting data on at least one of the storage systems. Other methods, systems, and computer program products for dynamic consistency group formation are also described.

Abstract: A method for migrating extents between extent pools in a tiered storage architecture maintains a data access profile for an extent over a period of time. Using the data access profile, the method generates an extent profile graph that predicts data access rates for the extent into the future. The slope of the extent profile graph is calculated and used to determine whether the extent will reach a migration threshold within a specified “look-ahead” time. If so, the method calculates a migration window that allows the extent to be migrated prior to reaching the migration threshold. In certain embodiments, the method determines the overall performance impact on the source extent pool and destination extent pool during the migration window. If the overall performance impact is below a designated impact threshold, the method migrates the extent during the migration window. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for iterative data secret-sharing transformation and reconversion. In one aspect, data secret-sharing transformation and reconversion is provided in which each bit of an input stream of bits of data is split, on a bit by bit basis, into a pair of secret-sharing bits, and the secret-sharing bits of each pair of secret-sharing bits are separated into separate streams of secret-sharing bits. In this manner, one secret-sharing bit of each pair of secret-sharing bits may be placed in one stream of secret-sharing bits and the other secret-sharing bit of each pair may be placed in another stream of secret-sharing bits different from the one stream of secret-sharing bits. Confidentiality of the original input stream may be protected in the event one but not both streams of secret-sharing bits is obtained by unauthorized personnel.

Abstract: Exemplary method, system, and computer program embodiments for profiling input/output (I/O) for solid state drive (SSD) devices in a computing storage environment by a processor device are provided. In one embodiment, a read/write ratio for each of a plurality of data segments classified in a hot category as hot data segments is determined. Each of the plurality of hot data segments is ordered by the read/write ratio in a descending order. Each of a plurality of available SSD devices is ordered by a remaining life expectancy in an ascending order. Those of the plurality of hot data segments are matched with those of the plurality of hot data segments with those of the plurality of available SSD devices such that a hot data segment having a higher read/write ratio is provided to an SSD device having a smaller remaining life expectancy than another hot data segment having a lower read/write ratio.

Abstract: A method for concurrently converting a standard volume to a thin-provisioned volume includes initially establishing metadata for a thin-provisioned volume. The method then updates the metadata for the thin-provisioned volume to point to extents residing in a standard volume. The method then suspends I/O to metadata for the standard volume. Upon suspending the I/O, the method migrates control of the extents in the standard volume from a standard-volume control algorithm to a thin-provisioned-volume control algorithm. The method then resumes the I/O to the metadata for the thin-provisioned volume. Using this technique, standard volumes may be rapidly converted to thin-provisioned volumes while minimally disrupting I/O to the volumes. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: A method for managing extents in a data storage system includes monitoring usage statistics for an extent residing on one or more powered-up storage devices. In the event the extent has not been accessed for specified period of time (as determined from the usage statistics), the method automatically compresses the extent and migrates the extent to an intermediate repository. Once the amount of data in the intermediate repository reaches a specified level, the method migrates the extent from the intermediate repository to one or more normally powered-down storage devices. If I/O is received for the extent while it resides in the normally powered-down storage devices or the intermediate repository, the method automatically migrates the extent from the normally powered-down storage devices or the intermediate repository to the normally powered-up storage devices. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: Exemplary method, system, and computer program embodiments for data migration between first and second storage mediums of an available plurality of storage mediums in a computing storage environment are provided. In one embodiment, pursuant to migrating the data from the first to the second storage medium, the data is allocated to the second storage medium while retaining an allocation of the data in the first storage medium. If the data is migrated from the second storage medium back to the first storage medium, the data is pointed to the allocation of the data in the first storage medium to alleviate data movement from the second storage medium to the first storage medium. If the allocation of the data in the first storage medium is determined to be needed for other data, the allocation of the data in the first storage medium is freed.

Abstract: A method for more effectively distributing the I/O workload in a data replication system is disclosed herein. In selected embodiments, such a method may include generating an I/O request and identifying a storage resource group associated with the I/O request. In the event the I/O request is associated with a first storage resource group, the I/O request may be directed to a first storage device and a copy of the I/O request may be mirrored from the first storage device to a second storage device. Alternatively, in the event the I/O request is associated with a second storage resource group, the I/O request may be directed to a second storage device and a copy of the I/O request may be mirrored from the second storage device to the first storage device. A corresponding system, apparatus, and computer program product are also disclosed and claimed herein.

Abstract: A method for storing data includes establishing a space efficient storage system including a virtual repository, a staging repository and a remote repository. The virtual repository includes a first pointer to the staging repository, and the staging repository includes a second pointer to the remote repository. The method further includes receiving data at the virtual repository, storing the received data in the staging repository based on the first pointer, and transferring the stored data to the remote repository based on the second pointer.

Abstract: A method for executing a software routine identified in a task object is provided. The method includes accessing a list of software routine identifiers associated with software routines that are executable on a computer server, and generating a task object generation command having at least a first software routine identifier, parameter data, and event information. The event information has an event identifier and a first flag value. The method further includes generating a first task object in response to the task object generation command, which includes the first software routine identifier, the parameter data, and the event information.

Abstract: A method for executing a software routine identified in a task object is provided. The method includes accessing a list of software routine identifiers associated with software routines that are executable on a computer server. The method further includes generating a task object generation command having at least a first software routine identifier, parameter data, and link task information and generating a second task object in response to the task object generation command. The second task object includes the first software routine identifier, the parameter data, and the link task information.

Abstract: A method for storing data includes establishing a space efficient storage system including a virtual repository, a staging repository and a remote repository. The virtual repository includes a first pointer to the staging repository, and the staging repository includes a second pointer to the remote repository. The method further includes receiving data at the virtual repository, storing the received data in the staging repository based on the first pointer, and determining a data access frequency based on the storage in the staging repository. In addition, the method includes comparing the determined data access frequency to a threshold frequency and transferring the stored data to the remote repository based on the second pointer and comparison and storing the stored data at the staging repository based on the comparison.

Abstract: A method for storing data includes establishing a space efficient storage system including a virtual repository, a staging repository and a remote repository. The virtual repository includes a first pointer to the staging repository, and the staging repository includes a second pointer to the remote repository. The method further includes receiving data at the virtual repository, storing the received data in the staging repository based on the first pointer, and transferring the stored data to the remote repository based on the second pointer.

Abstract: A technique for providing assistance to a user of a system includes receiving a current command entered into a command line interface of the system and determining a current state of a system. Command help for the current command is then generated based on the current state of the system.