Providing a snapshot of a subset of a file system

A method for restoring a snapshot, wherein a plurality of snapshots are available, comprising:

• receiving a request to restore a desired snapshot;
• determining, for each inode in the desired snapshot, whether a corresponding inode in a file system is available;
• wherein if the corresponding inode in the file system is available, restoring the inode in the desired snapshot to the corresponding inode in the file system;
• and
• wherein if the corresponding inode in the file system is not available, restoring the inode in the desired snapshot to an unallocated inode in the file system.

A computer readable medium including computer instructions for generating snapshots, the computer instructions comprising instructions for:

• generating a first snapshot for a first plurality of source files in a file system, wherein the first snapshot includes an inode corresponding to each of the first plurality of source files;
• storing, in each inode corresponding to each of the first plurality of source files, an identifier associated with the first plurality of source files;
• and
• storing, in each inode corresponding to each of the first plurality of source files, an identifier associated with the time of the first snapshot.

A computer readable medium including computer instructions for restoring a snapshot, wherein a plurality of snapshots are available, the computer instructions comprising instructions for:

• receiving a request to restore a desired snapshot;
• determining, for each inode in the desired snapshot, whether a corresponding inode in a file system is available;
• wherein if the corresponding inode in the file system is available, restoring the inode in the desired snapshot to the corresponding inode in the file system;
• and
• wherein if the corresponding inode in the file system is not available, restoring the inode in the desired snapshot to an unallocated inode in the file system.

A system for generating snapshots, comprising:

• means for generating a first snapshot for a first plurality of source files in a file system, wherein the first snapshot includes an inode corresponding to each of the first plurality of source files;
• means for storing, in each inode corresponding to each of the first plurality of source files, an identifier associated with the first plurality of source files;
• and
• means for storing, in each inode corresponding to each of the first plurality of source files, an identifier associated with the time of the first snapshot.

A system for restoring a snapshot, wherein a plurality of snapshots are available, comprising:

• means for receiving a request to restore a desired snapshot;
• means for determining, for each inode in the desired snapshot, whether a corresponding inode in a file system is available;
• means for restoring the inode in the desired snapshot to the corresponding inode in the file system;
• and
• means for restoring the inode in the desired snapshot to an unallocated inode in the file system.

A system for generating snapshots, comprising:

• a first snapshot for a first plurality of source files in a file system, wherein the first snapshot includes an inode corresponding to each of the first plurality of source files;
• an identifier associated with the first plurality of source files, the identifier stored within each inode corresponding to each of the first plurality of source files;
• and
• an identifier associated with the time of the first snapshot, the identifier stored within each inode corresponding to each of the first plurality of source files.