Method for accessing file system snapshots and file system

A file system controller of an operating system controls the management of a file system, including the creation of file system snapshots or other backup copies of data in the file system to at least one storage device. In addition, the file system controller creates a named data stream attached to an entry for the data copied in the snapshot in a file system directory for the file system. The named data stream holds a reference to the storage location of the snapshot within the storage device. The file system controller provides access to the file system snapshot via the named data stream. In particular, a user may enter a single command to list the contents of the file system directory and the file system controller returns a single response listing both the entry for the data and the named data stream referencing the snapshot of the data.