Abstract: A data storage system, method and computer program product for managing copy on first write data for snapshot purposes are disclosed. In one embodiment, a determination is made whether new data is a first update of original data in a first section of a data storage device in response to receiving a write instruction to write the new data. The new data is provided to a first location of a cache memory and the original data to a second location of the cache memory. Providing the new data to the first location in the cache memory is not dependent on whether the original data has been copied from the data storage device. Further, the original data can be provided to the second location of the cache memory after new data is provided to first location of the cache memory. Completion of the write instruction is confirmed in response to providing the new data to the first location of the cache memory.