A method for assembling a state of data as of a particular point of time , wherein the method is performed in a computing environment that includes a plurality of storage segment servers (140; 610) collectively storing data , wherein each of at least some of the plurality of storage segment servers individually stores a portion ) of the data, and wherein each of the plurality of storage segment servers take snapshots at a time (t1, ..., t10) that is independent of the other of the plurality of storage segment servers, the method comprising: identifying the particular point in time; and for each of the plurality of storage segment servers, performing the following: instantiating an additional instance of the storage segment server; causing the additional instance of the storage segment server to take an initial state that the respective storage segment server had at or prior to a last snapshot of the respective portion of the data stored by the respective storage segment server; and causing the additional instance of the storage segment server to, beginning at the initial state, apply log records (300; 401, ..., 404) that were applied by the respective storage segment server up to the particular point in time to arrive at a particular state of the respective portion of the data stored by the respective storage segment server as of the particular point in time, wherein the log records are provided to the respective storage segment server in response to a request from the respective storage segment server. identifying the particular point in time; and for each of the plurality of storage segment servers, performing the following: instantiating an additional instance of the storage segment server; causing the additional instance of the storage segment server to take an initial state that the respective storage segment server had at or prior to a last snapshot of the respective portion of the data stored by the respective storage segment server; and causing the additional instance of the storage segment server to, beginning at the initial state, apply log records (300; 401, ..., 404) that were applied by the respective storage segment server up to the particular point in time to arrive at a particular state of the respective portion of the data stored by the respective storage segment server as of the particular point in time, wherein the log records are provided to the respective storage segment server in response to a request from the respective storage segment server. instantiating an additional instance of the storage segment server; causing the additional instance of the storage segment server to take an initial state that the respective storage segment server had at or prior to a last snapshot of the respective portion of the data stored by the respective storage segment server; and causing the additional instance of the storage segment server to, beginning at the initial state, apply log records (300; 401, ..., 404) that were applied by the respective storage segment server up to the particular point in time to arrive at a particular state of the respective portion of the data stored by the respective storage segment server as of the particular point in time, wherein the log records are provided to the respective storage segment server in response to a request from the respective storage segment server. <EOS>