Responding to variable response time behavior in a storage environment

An apparatus comprising a computer processor and a computer memory, the computer memory including computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the apparatus to carry out the steps of:

• by a data storage controller:
• receiving a read request for data on a first device;
• prior to issuing the read request to the first device, determining that servicing of a reconstruct read request for the data by a second device can complete prior to servicing of the read request by the first device;
• prior to issuing the read request to the first device and in response to determining that servicing of the reconstruct read request for the data by the second device can complete prior to servicing of the read request by the first device, initiating the reconstruct read request configured to obtain the data from the second device.

A computer program product including a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of:

• by a data storage controller:
• receiving a read request for data on a first device;
• prior to issuing the read request to the first device, determining that servicing of a reconstruct read request for the data by a second device can complete prior to servicing of the read request by the first device;
• prior to issuing the read request to the first device and in response to determining that servicing of the reconstruct read request for the data by the second device can complete prior to servicing of the read request by the first device, initiating the reconstruct read request configured to obtain the data from the second device.