Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for copying storage. Copy operations are performed on source storage units to copy to target storage units, wherein the copy operations create a consistent copy of the source storage units in the target storage units. While performing a copy operation to copy from one source storage unit to one target storage unit, a write operation is restricted from being performed on the one source storage unit, until the copy operations have been performed on the source storage units.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for copying storage. Copy operations are performed on source storage units to copy to target storage units, wherein the copy operations create a consistent copy of the source storage units in the target storage units. While performing a copy operation to copy from one source storage unit to one target storage unit, a write operation is restricted from being performed on the one source storage unit, until the copy operations have been performed on the source storage units.

Abstract: A system for managing variable sized pages of possibly non contiguous blocks in a Non-Volatile-Storage (NVS) for attaining a consistent NVS that survives malfunction events. Each page includes a self describing block or linked list of self describing blocks. the system includes: Volatile Storage storing auxiliary modules, means for performing an atomic “create a new page” procedure. Means for performing an atomic write “add block” procedure for adding a possibly non contiguous block to a page. The newly added block has a back pointer to a previous block in the page. Means for performing a “delete page” procedure for deleting all blocks in a page. Means for performing a recovery procedure for rolling backward the add block procedure and rolling forward the delete page procedure, in case of malfunction event, thereby attaining consistent NVS.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for managing a relationship between one target volume and one source volume. Information is maintained in memory on an existing relationship between at least one source volume and at least one target volume, comprising: (i) at least one element, wherein each element represents a range of sequential data units in the volume; (ii) at least one relationship entry, wherein each relationship entry represents one relationship; and (iii) at least one element pointer associating one element with one relationship entry, wherein the data units represented by the element are part of the relationship represented by the relationship entry that the pointer associates with the element. A new relationship between at least one target volume and at least one source volume is added.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for managing a relationship between one target volume and one source volume. For each of the source volume and target volume, the memory includes: (i) at least one element, wherein each element represents a range of sequential data units in the volume; (ii) at least one relationship entry, wherein each relationship entry represents one relationship; (iii) at least one element pointer associating one element with one relationship entry, wherein the data units represented by the element are part of the relationship represented by the relationship entry that the pointer associates with the element; and (iv) one relationship pointer for each relationship entry associating the relationship entry with volume metadata, wherein the volume metadata provides information on the relationship represented by the relationship entry.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for applying changes back to an original copy of data to reduce an amount of data transferred. A first indicator is maintained for each block of data in a first storage to indicate whether the block of data has been updated in the first storage since the block of data was last transferred to a second storage. A second indicator is maintained for each block of data in the second storage to indicate whether the block of data has been updated in the second storage since the block of data in the second storage was overwritten by a corresponding block of data in the first storage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for reducing an amount of data transferred. A first indicator is maintained for each source block of data to indicate whether the source block of data has been updated in source storage since the source block of data was last transferred to target storage. A second indicator is maintained for each target block of data in target storage to indicate whether the target block of data has been updated in target storage since the target block of data was overwritten by a corresponding source block of data. When transferring data from the source storage to the target storage, each source block of data for which a first indicator has been set to indicate that the source block of data has been updated is transferred and each source block of data that corresponds to a target block of data for which a second indicator has been set to indicate that the target block of data has been updated is transferred.

Abstract: A system for managing variable sized pages of possibly non contiguous blocks in a Non-Volatile-Storage (NVS) for attaining a consistent NVS that survives malfunction events. Each page includes a self describing block or linked list of self describing blocks. the system includes: Volatile Storage storing auxiliary modules, means for performing an atomic “create a new page” procedure. Means for performing an atomic write “add block” procedure for adding a possibly non contiguous block to a page. The newly added block has a back pointer to a previous block in the page. Means for performing a “delete page” procedure for deleting all blocks in a page. Means for performing a recovery procedure for rolling backward the add block procedure and rolling forward the delete page procedure, in case of malfunction event, thereby attaining consistent NVS.

Abstract: A two-phase process FlashCopy operation is provided that can be used to aid in the formation of consistency groups across multiple storage control units. In the first phase, preparations to create a new consistency group are made “revertible” by write-inhibiting the source volumes through “Establish-FlashCopy-revertible” commands. If the preparation of any volume within the consistency group fails, a “Withdraw-FlashCopy-revert” command may be executed, thereby causing a retention of the prior FlashCopy point-in-time copy. In the second phase, executed if all preparations are successful, a “Withdraw-FlashCopy-commit” command may be executed to remove all write-inhibit indicators, complete the creation of the new FlashCopy point-in-time copy and secure the new consistency group. Write requests to the FlashCopy source volumes may then be received and processed without risking corruption of the new consistency group on the Flashcopy target volumes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for reducing an amount of data transferred. A first indicator is maintained for each source block of data to indicate whether the source block of data has been updated in source storage since the source block of data was last transferred to target storage. A second indicator is maintained for each target block of data in target storage to indicate whether the target block of data has been updated in target storage since the target block of data was overwritten by a corresponding source block of data. When transferring data from the source storage to the target storage, each source block of data for which a first indicator has been set to indicate that the source block of data has been updated is transferred and each source block of data that corresponds to a target block of data for which a second indicator has been set to indicate that the target block of data has been updated is transferred.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for applying changes back to an original copy of data to reduce an amount of data transferred. A first indicator is maintained for each block of data in a first storage to indicate whether the block of data has been updated in the first storage since the block of data was last transferred to a second storage. A second indicator is maintained for each block of data in the second storage to indicate whether the block of data has been updated in the second storage since the block of data in the second storage was overwritten by a corresponding block of data in the first storage.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for managing a relationship between one target volume and one source volume. Information is maintained in memory on an existing relationship between at least one source volume and at least one target volume, comprising: (i) at least one element, wherein each element represents a range of sequential data units in the volume; (ii) at least one relationship entry, wherein each relationship entry represents one relationship; and (iii) at least one element pointer associating one element with one relationship entry, wherein the data units represented by the element are part of the relationship represented by the relationship entry that the pointer associates with the element. A new relationship between at least one target volume and at least one source volume is added.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for managing a relationship between one target volume and one source volume. For each of the source volume and target volume, the memory includes: (i) at least one element, wherein each element represents a range of sequential data units in the volume; (ii) at least one relationship entry, wherein each relationship entry represents one relationship; (iii) at least one element pointer associating one element with one relationship entry, wherein the data units represented by the element are part of the relationship represented by the relationship entry that the pointer associates with the element; and (iv) one relationship pointer for each relationship entry associating the relationship entry with volume metadata, wherein the volume metadata provides information on the relationship represented by the relationship entry.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for copying storage. Copy operations are performed on source storage units to copy to target storage units, wherein the copy operations create a consistent copy of the source storage units in the target storage units. While performing a copy operation to copy from one source storage unit to one target storage unit, a write operation is restricted from being performed on the one source storage unit, until the copy operations have been performed on the source storage units.