Optimizing access to production data

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising program instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, perform a method comprising:

• in response to determining that a reclamation operation is to be performed on an existing virtual data file maintained by a virtual machine,
• fetching an allocation of the existing virtual data file, wherein
• the existing virtual data file is stored in an allocated storage space that is allocated within a virtual disk of a virtual storage unit in a storage system,
• the storage system comprises one or more storage devices, in which are stored
• production data comprising one or more production data files, and
• the virtual storage unit,
• the one or more production data files and the virtual storage unit are stored separately from one another in the storage system, and
• the allocation represents one or more units of storage space of the existing virtual data file in the allocated storage space,
• performing the reclamation operation on the one or more units of storage space, using the allocation,
• deleting the existing virtual data file from the virtual disk, and
• performing an allocation operation, wherein
• the allocating operation comprises
• determining a storage location of a new storage space in the virtual storage unit, such that the new storage space comprises at least one unit of storage space of the one or more units of storage space, and
• allocating the new storage space in the virtual storage unit to store at least one new virtual data file.

A computing system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors, comprising program instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method comprising
• in response to determining that a reclamation operation is to be performed on an existing virtual data file maintained by a virtual machine,
• fetching an allocation of the existing virtual data file, wherein
• the existing virtual data file is stored in an allocated storage space that is allocated within a virtual disk of a virtual storage unit in a storage system,
• the storage system comprises one or more storage devices, in which are stored
• production data comprising one or more production data files, and
• the virtual storage unit,
• the one or more production data files and the virtual storage unit are stored separately from one another in the storage system, and
• the allocation represents one or more units of storage space of the existing virtual data file in the allocated storage space,
• performing the reclamation operation on the one or more units of storage space, using the allocation,
• deleting the existing virtual data file from the virtual disk, and
• performing an allocation operation, wherein
• the allocating operation comprises
• determining a storage location of a new storage space in the virtual storage unit, such that the new storage space comprises at least one unit of storage space of the one or more units of storage space, and
• allocating the new storage space in the virtual storage unit to store at least one new virtual data file.