Patent ID: 8433682

Claim:
A system for analyzing a snapshot of a set of data, the system comprising: a processor; a memory; a copy component configured to create a full copy of the set of data, and to create a copy of a log of changes made to the set of data after the full copy of the set of data was made, wherein the set of data includes multiple data objects; a snapshot component configured to create a first snapshot of the set of data at a first time, wherein the first snapshot includes a first logical copy capturing a first state of the set of data at the first time, and wherein the first snapshot includes pointers to data in the set of data; create a copy of the first snapshot at a second time, wherein the second time is after the first time and wherein the copy includes a copy of the pointers to a copy of data representing at least some of the first snapshot; and an interface and analysis component configured to receive a user request to access, via the first snapshot, at least one of the multiple data objects included in the first logical copy of the set of data; access, based on the received user request, the at least one of the multiple data objects included in the first logical copy of the set of data wherein the access includes modifying the full copy of the set of data based on the first snapshot, the log of changes, or both the first snapshot and the log of changes; and wherein the snapshot component is further configured to create, prior to the access, a snapshot of the copy of the first snapshot and associated transaction logs; wherein the system is further configured to receive an instruction to change at least a portion of the set of data to an other state; and change the set of data to the other state of based at least in part on the second snapshot.