Patent ID: 8176017

Claim:
One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-readable instructions therein that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform acts comprising: create, when a first user or entity is accessing a logical volume, a snapshot copy of the logical volume at an instant in time; designate the copy as an offline volume and the logical volume as a live volume; after or at the instant in time, permit the first user or entity to change the live volume; receive changes made to the live volume by the first user or entity; after or at the instant in time, permit an exclusive-access unit requiring exclusive access to have exclusive access to the offline volume to fix one or more data-metadata inconsistencies in the offline volume; determine that the changes made to the live volume are replaceable or receive an indication indicating that the changes made to the live volume are replaceable, the changes determined to be replaceable when capable of being redone or determined not to be important; and after the one or more data-metadata inconsistencies in the offline volume are fixed and the exclusive access to the offline volume by the exclusive-access unit ceases, switch access from the live volume to the offline volume without first making the changes to the offline volume and when the first user or entity or a second user or entity is accessing the live volume.