Providing demotion hints with track access requests to cause a storage controller to manage the tracks using a transient cache list and prolonged cache list

A system for submitting track access requests to a storage system managing tracks in a storage in a cache, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein that when executed performs operations, the operations comprising:
• generating a track access request for a track in the storage system;
• determining whether the track access request is for a designated utility;
• submitting the track access request with a demotion hint to cause the track to be indicated on a transient cache list in response to determining that the track access request is for the designated utility;
• and
• submitting the track access request without a demotion hint in response to determining that the track access request is not for the designated utility to cause the track to be indicated on a prolonged cache list, wherein demotion of tracks is first attempted from the transient cache list before demoting tracks from the prolonged cache list.

A method for submitting track access requests to a storage system managing tracks in a storage in a cache, comprising:

• generating a track access request for a track in the storage system;
• determining whether the track access request is for a designated utility;
• submitting the track access request with a demotion hint to cause the track to be indicated on a transient cache list in response to determining that the track access request is for the designated utility;
• and
• submitting the track access request without a demotion hint in response to determining that the track access request is not for the designated utility to cause the track to be indicated on a prolonged cache list, wherein demotion of tracks is first attempted from the transient cache list before demoting tracks from the prolonged cache list.