Managing continuous priority workload availability and general workload availability between sites at unlimited distances for products and services

A computer program product for providing reliable availability of a general workload and continuous availability of a priority workload over long distances, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon:

• first program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to assign a first priority instance associated with the priority workload to a first computing site and to assign a first general instance associated with the general workload to the first computing site, wherein the priority workload is distinct from the general workload and wherein the first priority and general instances are designated as active instances;
• second program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to assign a second priority instance associated with the priority workload to a second computing site, wherein the second priority instance is designated as a standby instance;
• third program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to assign a third priority instance of the priority workload to a third computing site and to restart a second general instance of the general workload from a hardware copy of a storage volume of the first computing site maintained in a storage volume of the third computing site when the first computing site becomes unavailable;
• fourth program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to designate the second priority instance as the active instance and the third priority instance as the standby instance upon detecting that the first computing site is unavailable;
• and
• fifth program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to synchronize, during a period of time required by the restart of the second general instance, a portion of data associated with the second priority instance with a corresponding portion of data associated with the third priority instance based on the portion of data associated with the third priority instance being obsolete due to updates performed at the second computing site,
• wherein the synchronizing reduces an exposure time of the priority workload operating at a single site without continuous backup during the period of time required by the restart of the second general instance from the hardware copy of the storage volume of the first computing site.

A method for providing reliable availability of a general workload and continuous availability of a priority workload over long distances, comprising:

• executing a first priority instance associated with the priority workload at least in part with a first processor and a first general instance associated with the general workload at least in part with the first processor, wherein the first priority and general instances are designated as active instances and wherein the priority workload is distinct from the general workload;
• executing a second priority instance associated with the priority workload at least in part with a second processor, wherein the second priority instance is designated as a standby instance;
• determining the first processor is unavailable;
• executing a third priority instance associated with the priority workload at least in part with a third processor;
• restarting a second general instance of the general workload from a hardware copy of a storage volume associated with the first processor maintained in a storage volume associated with the third processor;
• designating the second priority instance as the active instance and the third priority instance as the standby instance;
• and
• synchronizing, during a period of time required by the restart of the second general instance, a portion of data associated with the second priority instance with a corresponding portion of data associated with the third priority instance based on the portion of data associated with the third priority instance being obsolete due to updates performed by the second processor,
• wherein the synchronizing reduces an exposure time of the priority workload operating at a single processor without continuous backup during the period of time required by the restart of the second general instance from the hardware copy of the storage volume associated with the first processor.