Log structured fs (including gc, checkpointing, wear-leveling) has been quite prevalent in the embedded linux world for several years already e.g. jffs2 / yaffs / logfs / ubifs etc.

(Of course these typically target raw NAND flash via MTD / UBI layer, so typically aren't directly suited to the SSD block device abstraction)

> Wasn't some work done on log-structured file systems done by DEC some time ago? I can't find a reference to it.

Didn't Ousterhout (who, amongst other things, worked on a log based file system) work there on sabbatical?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ousterhout

He's mentioned in the article along with another guy.

> The concept was developed by John Ousterhout of TCL fame and Fred Douglis.