Restricted command set management in a data storage system

A method, comprising:

• operations by a storage controller including:
• controlling storage units to perform Input/Output (I/O) operations requested by a host;
• receiving a command from the host;
• determining if the received command is within a restricted command set;
• in response to said determining if the received command is within the restricted command set, selectively decrypting the received command;
• and
• selectively executing a decrypted command;
• wherein selectively decrypting the received command includes decrypting the received command if the received command is determined to be within the restricted command set and bypassing decrypting the received command if the received command is determined to be outside the restricted command set;
• and
• the method further comprising operations by a host including:
• determining whether a command to be transmitted to a storage controller is within the restricted command set;
• selectively encrypting the command to be transmitted to the storage controller, wherein selective encrypting the command includes encrypting the command if the command is within the restricted command set and bypassing encrypting the command if the command is outside the restricted command set;
• transmitting an encrypted command within the restricted command set to the storage controller;
• and
• transmitting an unencrypted command outside the restricted command set to the storage controller.

A system, comprising:

• host having a processor;
• a storage controller having a processor and at least one storage unit of a plurality of storage units controlled by the storage controller;
• and
• a computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, a portion of the program instructions executable by a processor of the storage controller to cause storage controller processor operations, and a portion of the program instructions executable by a processor of the host to cause host processor operations, the storage controller processor operations comprising:
• controlling said plurality of storage units to perform Input/Output (I/O) operations requested by the host;
• receiving a command from the host;
• determining if the received command is within a restricted command set;
• in response to said determining if the received command is within the restricted command set, selectively decrypting the received command;
• and
• selectively executing a decrypted command;
• wherein selectively decrypting the received command includes decrypting the received command if the received command is determined to be within the restricted command set and bypassing decrypting the received command if the received command is determined to be outside the restricted command set;
• and
• wherein the host has a processor, and wherein the system further comprises a further computer readable storage medium having further program instructions embodied therewith, the further program instructions executable by a processor of the host to cause host processor operations, the host processor operations comprising:
• determining whether a command to be transmitted to a storage controller is within the restricted command set;
• selectively encrypting the command to be transmitted to the storage controller, wherein selective encrypting the command includes encrypting the command if the command is within the restricted command set and bypassing encrypting the command if the command is outside the restricted command set;
• transmitting an encrypted command within the restricted command set to the storage controller;
• and
• transmitting an unencrypted command outside the restricted command set to the storage controller.