A method for generating a query for version information on a file stored a database file system that is managed by a database server. When a client on a remote client machine sends a file operation request, the database management system, receives the file operation request and creates a database query for the requested file operation and an additional query for a set of version identifiers that identify the previous versions of the requested file of the requested file operation. The database management system executes the queries and generates a set of version identifiers, where each identifier from the set of version identifiers represents a specific version of the requested file at a particular point in time in the past.