Patent ID: 7055010

Claim:
A product for interfacing with a plurality of file-systems and block devices, said product creating and handling multiple snapshot instances in a computer storage system, the product implementing the process of: identifying one or more blocks being used; creating a snapshot record for each of said blocks on a base volume at a first time, wherein creating a snapshot record at the first time further comprises: (1) suspending all of the write operations issued from file systems; (2) identifying the blocks called by file systems; (3) creating a snapshot record for each of the identified blocks; (4) resuming the write operations issued from the file systems to the said blocks on said base volume; (5) counting the number of write operations being taken to the said block; and (6) creating a binding of a copy-on-write block associated with the said block as well as the associated snapshot instances; performing snapshot management functions to said blocks on said base volume; handling snapshot records of said blocks on said base volume at a second time; and allowing writing of data on said blocks to free space on said base volume.