US Patent 9547560 Amortized snapshots

A system and method for generating and storing at least one snapshot update. The system and method comprising determining a first set of blocks including blocks that have changed since a time of a previous snapshot, determining a second set of blocks based at least in part on a predetermined amount, generating at least one snapshot update of a volume based at least in part on a combination of the first set of blocks and the second set of blocks, and storing the at least one snapshot update.