System and method for using a file system to automatically backup a file as a generational file

A method for making a backup copy of a file in a computer system, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request sent to a file system for persistently storing a file;
• determining whether to backup the file, and if so, creating a generational file as the backup copy of the file;
• sending a request to the file system to persistently store the backup copy of the file;
• and
• persistently storing the backup copy of the file.

A method for recovering a backup copy of a file, comprising the steps of:

• executing an application with a recovery user interface to recover a generational file persistently stored as a backup copy of a file;
• sending a request to obtain a list of one or more generational files created as backup copies of the file;
• retrieving the list of the one or more generational files created as backup copies of the file;
• presenting the list of the one or more generational files created as backup copies of the file in a user interface;
• receiving an indication of a generational file selected from the list as the backup copy to be restored;
• and
• retrieving the generational file selected as the backup copy to be restored and restoring the generational file selected by persistently storing the selected generational file in a namespace accessible by an application.

A computer system for making a backup copy of a file, comprising:

• executable software code for requesting a file to be persistently stored;
• an operating system operably coupled to the executable software code for receiving the request for persistently storing the file, the operating system having a file system filter driver for determining whether to create a backup copy of the file;
• a file system operably coupled to the file system filter driver for persistently storing the backup copy of the file;
• and
• a storage aggregator operably coupled to the file system for aggregating memory, including nonvolatile memory, in the computer system used for storing the backup copy of the file.

A method for making a backup copy of a file in a computer system, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request sent to a file system for persistently storing a file;
• determining whether to backup the file, and if so, creating a backup copy of the file;
• sending a request to the file system to persistently store the backup copy of the file;
• and
• persistently storing at least part of the backup copy of the file on one or more computer readable media of the computer system that have been aggregated to include nonvolatile memory in the computer system for storing the backup copy of the file.

A method for recovering a backup copy of a file, comprising the steps of:

• executing an application with a recovery user interface to recover a backup copy of a file persistently stored on one or more computer readable media of a computer system that have been aggregated to include nonvolatile memory in the computer system;
• sending a request to obtain a list of one or more backup copies of the file;
• retrieving the list of the one or more backup copies of the file;
• presenting the list of the one or more backup copies of the file in a user interface;
• receiving an indication of a backup copy selected from the list to be restored;
• and
• retrieving the selected backup copy from the one or more computer readable media of the computer system that have been aggregated to include nonvolatile memory in the computer system and restoring the selected backup copy by persistently storing the selected backup copy in a namespace accessible by an application.