A method, implemented at a computer system that includes a processor, for utilizing a hint for a zone when interacting with a zoned namespace storage device, the method comprising: determining that the zone is to be defined on the zoned namespace storage device, the zone for storing at least a portion of a dataset; and sending one or more messages to the zoned namespace storage device, the one or more messages: instructing the zoned namespace storage device to create the zone; and further characterized in that: providing one or more hints for the zone to the zoned namespace storage device, the one or more hints for the zone including at least one of: a first hint indicating that the zone is part of a group of a plurality of zones, the first hint structured to instruct the zoned namespace storage device to allocate to the zone a first portion of storage resources that is physically adjacent to a second portion of second storage resources reserved for others of the plurality of zones; a second hint indicating that the zone is to be fast-filled, the second hint structured to instruct the zoned namespace storage device to bypass a staging area when writing to the zone; or a third hint indicating that the zone is associated with a background operation, the third hint structured to instruct the zoned namespace storage device to deprioritize at least one operation writing to the zone. determining that the zone is to be defined on the zoned namespace storage device, the zone for storing at least a portion of a dataset; and sending one or more messages to the zoned namespace storage device, the one or more messages: instructing the zoned namespace storage device to create the zone; and further characterized in that: providing one or more hints for the zone to the zoned namespace storage device, the one or more hints for the zone including at least one of: a first hint indicating that the zone is part of a group of a plurality of zones, the first hint structured to instruct the zoned namespace storage device to allocate to the zone a first portion of storage resources that is physically adjacent to a second portion of second storage resources reserved for others of the plurality of zones; a second hint indicating that the zone is to be fast-filled, the second hint structured to instruct the zoned namespace storage device to bypass a staging area when writing to the zone; or a third hint indicating that the zone is associated with a background operation, the third hint structured to instruct the zoned namespace storage device to deprioritize at least one operation writing to the zone. a first hint indicating that the zone is part of a group of a plurality of zones, the first hint structured to instruct the zoned namespace storage device to allocate to the zone a first portion of storage resources that is physically adjacent to a second portion of second storage resources reserved for others of the plurality of zones; a second hint indicating that the zone is to be fast-filled, the second hint structured to instruct the zoned namespace storage device to bypass a staging area when writing to the zone; or a third hint indicating that the zone is associated with a background operation, the third hint structured to instruct the zoned namespace storage device to deprioritize at least one operation writing to the zone.