The IBM® TotalStorage® SAN File System has a FlashCopy function, which creates an instantaneous copy or image of a fileset. The created image is a read-only, space-efficient image of the contents of a SAN File System fileset at the time that it was taken. You can use standard backup applications or utilities on SAN File System clients to back up the contents of FlashCopy images, rather than the actual fileset. Backing up the image avoids any issues with open files that might cause problems when backing up live data.
FlashCopy images are file-based, so the SAN File System clients can see all of the files and directories in the image. The clients can use this image for quick restore of parts of the fileset if required, by simply copying the required files and folders back to the actual fileset. You can also quickly revert the entire fileset from a FlashCopy image.