Abstract: Withdrawal of a point-in-time snap copy relationship or a portion of such a relationship, is managed in a manner which can obviate disruption of consistency groups due to the withdrawal. If the withdrawal request is directed to a subrange of the original snap copy relationship, the snap copy relationship is split by creating one or more point-in-time snap copy relationships over one or more subranges of tracks of the snap copy source. A determination is made as to whether to delay execution of the withdrawal request to temporarily preserve data of the withdrawal range. Disruptions to completion of consistency groups may be avoided by selectively delaying the withdrawal of a snap copy relationship corresponding to the withdrawal subrange. In so far as the host is involved, a host may treat the withdrawal request as immediately granted without delay. Other aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: Consistency groups are asynchronously copied to a remote computational device, from a local computational device, wherein point in time copy operations are performed at the local computational device while the consistency groups are being asynchronously copied to the remote computational device. Indicators are stored at the remote computational device to identify those point in time copy operations that are to be restored as part of a recovery operation performed at the remote computational device in response to a failure of the local computational device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command on data residing in a data storage system that causes movement of a data set from that data storage system to a destination data storage system that is different from that data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command. Each of the plurality of entries may include one or more custom tags, and the new metadata entry may include at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance during backup are disclosed. The method includes maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the data storage systems as a plurality of entries that include or more custom tags, detecting an execution of a backup data operation command on data residing in a data storage system that causes creation of a backup copy of a data set in that data storage system in a destination data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the backup data operation command in response to detecting the execution of the backup data operation command. The new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the backup data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the plurality of data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command in a data storage system that causes movement of a data set from source storage location to a destination storage location in that data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command in response to detecting the execution of the data operation command. Each of the plurality of entries includes one or more custom tags, and the new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems including at least one tiered data storage system in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the plurality of data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command in the tiered data storage system that causes movement of a data set from a source storage tier to a destination storage tier, and in response to detecting the execution of the data operation command, operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command. The new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

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: One general aspect of asynchronous local and remote generation of consistent point-in-time snap copies in consistency groups in accordance with the present description, is directed to receiving a local-remote pair point-in-time snap copy establish command to establish a local point-in-time snap copy in a local data storage system, and a remote point-in-time snap copy in a remote data storage system. In one aspect, establishment of the remote point-in-time snap copy relationship may be delayed as a function of the state of a consistency group formation process upon receipt of the local-remote pair point-in-time snap copy establish command. As a result, consistency of the local-remote pair of point-in-time snap copies may be realized, notwithstanding an asynchronous relationship between the local and remote storage systems. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the plurality of data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command in a data storage system that causes movement of a data set from source storage location to a destination storage location in that data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command in response to detecting the execution of the data operation command. Each of the plurality of entries includes one or more custom tags, and the new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance during backup are disclosed. The method includes maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the data storage systems as a plurality of entries that include or more custom tags, detecting an execution of a backup data operation command on data residing in a data storage system that causes creation of a backup copy of a data set in that data storage system in a destination data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the backup data operation command in response to detecting the execution of the backup data operation command. The new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the backup data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command on data residing in a data storage system that causes movement of a data set from that data storage system to a destination data storage system that is different from that data storage system, and operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command. Each of the plurality of entries may include one or more custom tags, and the new metadata entry may include at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: Systems and methods for metadata tag inheritance are disclosed. The methods include maintaining a plurality of data storage systems including at least one tiered data storage system in communication with an external metadata management system, operating the metadata management system to store metadata corresponding to data residing on the plurality of data storage systems as a plurality of entries, detecting an execution of a data operation command in the tiered data storage system that causes movement of a data set from a source storage tier to a destination storage tier, and in response to detecting the execution of the data operation command, operating the metadata management system to create a new metadata entry corresponding to the execution of the data operation command. The new metadata entry includes at least one custom tag created before the execution of the data operation command.

Abstract: A method for caching reads in a data replication environment is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method includes receiving a read request at a primary site of a data replication environment. The method executes the read request at the primary site. In the event data associated with the read request is not already cached at the primary site, the method stores the data in cache at the primary site. The method also notifies a secondary site of the read request at the primary site. This notification may be sent synchronously or asynchronously as time and resources allow. In the event the data is not already cached at the secondary site, the method stores the data in cache at the secondary site. A corresponding system and computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for improved point-in-time copying of data within an asynchronous data mirroring environment comprising: receiving a request to initiate an asynchronous data mirroring operation associated with a first point-in-time copying process; processing a first set of establish data to generate a point-in-time establish reservation, the first set of establish data associated with the first point-in-time copying process establish; using the point-in-time establish reservation to generate a second set of establish data if the second point-in-time copying process can be performed; using the second set of establish data to initiate a second point-in-time copying process; and, tracking establish operations in progress between the first point-in-time copying process and the second point-in-time copying process.

Abstract: Withdrawal of a point-in-time snap copy relationship or a portion of such a relationship, is managed in a manner which can obviate disruption of consistency groups due to the withdrawal. If the withdrawal request is directed to a subrange of the original snap copy relationship, the snap copy relationship is split by creating one or more point-in-time snap copy relationships over one or more subranges of tracks of the snap copy source. A determination is made as to whether to delay execution of the withdrawal request to temporarily preserve data of the withdrawal range. Disruptions to completion of consistency groups may be avoided by selectively delaying the withdrawal of a snap copy relationship corresponding to the withdrawal subrange. In so far as the host is involved, a host may treat the withdrawal request as immediately granted without delay. Other 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: Withdrawal of a point-in-time snap copy relationship or a portion of such a relationship, is managed in a manner which can obviate disruption of consistency groups due to the withdrawal. If the withdrawal request is directed to a subrange of the original snap copy relationship, the snap copy relationship is split by creating one or more point-in-time snap copy relationships over one or more subranges of tracks of the snap copy source. A determination is made as to whether to delay execution of the withdrawal request to temporarily preserve data of the withdrawal range. Disruptions to completion of consistency groups may be avoided by selectively delaying the withdrawal of a snap copy relationship corresponding to the withdrawal subrange. In so far as the host is involved, a host may treat the withdrawal request as immediately granted without delay. Other aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: Consistency groups are asynchronously copied to a remote computational device, from a local computational device, wherein point in time copy operations are performed at the local computational device while the consistency groups are being asynchronously copied to the remote computational device. Indicators are stored at the remote computational device to identify those point in time copy operations that are to be restored as part of a recovery operation performed at the remote computational device in response to a failure of the local computational device.

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: Consistency groups are asynchronously copied to a remote computational device, from a local computational device, wherein point in time copy operations are performed at the local computational device while the consistency groups are being asynchronously copied to the remote computational device. Indicators are stored at the remote computational device to identify those point in time copy operations that are to be restored as part of a recovery operation performed at the remote computational device in response to a failure of the local computational device.