1. In an environment including at least one server storing a raw data set, a method for storing and archiving point-in-time sets of the raw data set, the method comprising: providing a virtualization layer on a computing resources pool; operating a virtualized storage application on the virtualization layer, the virtualization layer shielding the virtualized storage application from actual hardware in the computing resources pool, wherein the virtualized storage application generates storage efficient versions of a raw data set, wherein the storage efficient versions include point-in-time versions of the raw data set that are smaller in size than the raw data set; and storing the virtualized storage application and the storage efficient versions of the raw data set to an archive data mechanism, wherein the virtualized storage application and the storage efficient versions of the raw data are restorable to hardware that supports the virtualized storage application.