Abstract: A method for managing file system memory includes starving an initial metadata memory area of a storage pool created for a file system transaction including cache data and log data. The method also includes determining on a transactional basis a ratio of metadata memory use to cache data use and an available unused portion of cache data memory replaceable in predetermined slab increments in the cache data. The method additionally includes shrinking transactionally the cache data per the slab increments based on the ratio via cleaning the cache data slabs and attaching the cache data slabs to the metadata memory area for temporary metadata use. The method further includes replacing the cache data slabs from the metadata memory area to the cache data based on a completion of the file system transaction. The slabs vary 5% to 10% or any arbitrary percentage of metadata space to cache data space.