Journaling ordered changes in a storage volume

An operating system program product for journaling changes, comprising:

• operating system computer program components recorded on a machine-readable media, the operating system computer program components executable on a computer to act as an operating system for the computer;
• the operating system computer program components including one or more file system computer program components, the file system computer program components executable on the computer to create a computer-readable change journal having a plurality of change records each having a unique identification that unambiguously specifies the order in which the records were created, wherein each change record records one or more changes to a file in a computer-readable storage volume;
• create each change record in response to changes to the file in the storage wherein changes to the file occur during sessions, and wherein when an operation occurs more than once in a session, only a first occurrence of the operation is recorded in each change record;
• and
• a) record in each change record data representative of one or more reasons why the file was changed.

A program product for journaling changes, comprising a computer program encoded on a computer-readable media and executable on a computer to:

• a) keep a computer-readable change journal having a plurality of change records each having a unique identification that unambiguously specifies the order in which the records were created, wherein each change record records one or more changes to a file in a computer-readable storage volume;
• b) create each change record in response to changes to the file in the storage volume, wherein changes to the file occur during sessions, and wherein when an operation occurs more than once in a session, only a first occurrence of the operation is recorded in each change record;
• and
• c) record in each change record one or more reasons why the file was changed.

A system for journaling changes, comprising:

• a) a storage medium having a computer-readable change journal having a plurality of change records each having a unique identification that unambiguously specifies the order in which the records were created, wherein each change record records one or more changes to a file in a computer-readable storage volume;
• b) an electronic component producing each change record in response to changes to the file in the storage volume, wherein changes to the file occur during sessions, and wherein when an operation occurs more than once in a session, only a first occurrence of the operation is recorded in each change record;
• and
• c) the electronic component further recording in each change record data representing one or more reasons why the file was changed.

A method for journaling changes, comprising:

• a) keeping a computer-readable change journal having a plurality of change records each having a unique identification that unambiguously specifies the order in which the records were created, wherein each change record records one or more changes to a file in a computer-readable storage volume;
• b) creating each change record in response to changes to the file in the storage volume, wherein changes to the file occur during a session, and wherein one of the change records contains a summary of all changes to the file that occurred during the session;
• and
• c) recording in each change record data representing one or more reasons why the file was changed.

A data structure for facilitating journaling of changes, comprising:

• a computer-readable change journal stored on a computer-readable media, the change journal having a plurality of change records each having a unique identification that unambiguously specifies the order in which the records were created,
• wherein each change record records one or more changes to a file in a computer-readable storage volume,
• wherein changes to the file occur during a session, and wherein one of the change records contains a summary of all changes to the file that occurred during the session, and
• wherein each change record specifies one or more reasons why the file was last changed.

A program product for journaling changes, comprising a computer program encoded on a computer-readable media and executable on a computer to:

• keep a computer-readable change journal having a plurality of change records each having a unique identification that unambiguously specifies the order in which the records were created, wherein each change record records one or more changes to a file in a computer-readable storage volume;
• create each change record in response to changes to the file in the storage volume, wherein changes to the file occur during a session, and wherein one of the change records contains a summary of all changes to the file that occurred during the session;
• and
• record in each change record one or more reasons why the file was changed.