PROCESSING DATA PROTECTION DIRECTIVES IN METADATA TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO ALLOW ACCESS TO DATA IN CACHE

Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for processing data protection directives in metadata to determine whether to allow access to data in cache. A data protection directive is received, from the host, indicating a data subset, an access request type, and a protective action with respect to the access request type for the data subset. The data protection directive is stored in metadata for the data subset. In response to an access request to a requested data subset, determining a data protection directive in metadata for the requested data subset. Determining whether the access request comprises an access request type in the determined data protection directive. A protective action specified in the determined data protection directive is processed to determine whether to allow the access request access to the requested data subset in response to determining that the access request is of the access request type.