Link speed recovery in a data storage system in accordance with the present description includes, in one aspect of the present description, repeating performance of a main loop of sequential link speed recovery commands a predetermined maximum number of times. In one embodiment, main loop performance of link speed recovery commands includes repeating performance of a subloop of sequential link speed recovery commands within each main loop performance a predetermined maximum number of times. As a result of repeating performance of a subloop of sequential link speed recovery commands within each main loop performance, and repeating performance of a main loop of sequential link speed recovery commands in accordance with one embodiment, reliability of link speed recovery to full link speed may be improved. Other aspects and advantages may be realized, depending upon the particular application.