Autonomic infrastructure enablement for point in time copy consistency

A data storage system, comprising

• a primary storage controller coupled to receive data updates from at least one host device;
• a first storage unit coupled to the primary storage controller for storing primary Peer-to-Peer Remote Copy (PPRC) volumes;
• a secondary storage controller coupled to the primary storage controller;
• a second storage unit coupled to the secondary storage controller for storing FlashCopy source volumes;
• a third storage unit coupled to the secondary storage controller for retaining FlashCopy target volumes;
• and
• an application executing on the primary storage controller, the application comprising instructions for:
• a) transferring data updates from the at least one host device to the primary PPRC volumes;
• b) upon the primary PPRC volumes forming a new consistency group, transferring the primary PPRC volumes to the FlashCopy source volumes;
• c) attempting to prepare a FlashCopy source volume for a FlashCopy operation to corresponding FlashCopy target volumes on which a prior consistency group is retained, the attempt including imposing a write-inhibit indicator on the FlashCopy source volume and generating an Establish-FlashCopy-revertable command;
• d) deciding whether the attempt to prepare the FlashCopy source volume is successful;
• e) reverting the FlashCopy operation if the preparation of the FlashCopy source volume is unsuccessful, whereby the prior consistency group is maintained in the FlashCopy target volumes;
• f) repeating instructions c) through e) for each other FlashCopy source volume;
• and
• g) committing a FlashCopy operation of the new consistency group from the FlashCopy source volumes to the corresponding FlashCopy target volumes if the preparation of all FlashCopy source volumes is successful, whereby the prior consistency group retained in the FlashCopy target volumes is replaced by the new consistency group.

A computer program product of a computer readable storage medium usable with a programmable computer, the computer program product having computer-readable code embodied therein for protecting consistency groups during a data storage backup operation, the computer-readable code comprising instructions for:

• a) transferring data updates from a host device to primary Peer-to-Peer Remote Copy (PPRC) volumes on a primary PPRC unit;
• b) upon the primary PPRC volumes forming a new consistency group, transferring the primary PPRC volumes to FlashCopy source volumes on a secondary PPRC unit;
• c) attempting to prepare a FlashCopy source volume for a FlashCopy operation to corresponding FlashCopy target volumes on which a prior consistency group is retained, the attempt including imposing a write-inhibit indicator on the FlashCopy source volume and generating an Establish-FlashCopy-revertable command;
• d) deciding whether the attempt to prepare the FlashCopy source volume is successful;
• e) reverting the FlashCopy operation if the preparation of the FlashCopy source volume is unsuccessful, whereby the prior consistency group is maintained in the FlashCopy target volumes;
• f) repeating instructions c) through e) for each other FlashCopy source volume;
• and
• g) committing a FlashCopy operation of the new consistency group from the FlashCopy source volumes to the corresponding FlashCopy target volumes if the preparation of all FlashCopy source volumes is successful, whereby the prior consistency group retained in the FlashCopy target volumes is replaced by the new consistency group.