A method for managing write backs to a storage device, the storage device having a page cache in device memory and the process of propagating data changes in the page cache to the storage device is referred to as a write back, the method comprising: receiving a first request to write an instance of an inode object to the storage device, wherein the request corresponds to a first intermittent data update, wherein the inode object is a virtual representation of a data object included in a virtual file system; in response to receiving the first request, determining a set write time threshold for metadata write backs has been exceeded by comparing a current time to a first recorded time associated with a first previous metadata write back, wherein the first previous metadata write back synchronizes data stored to the storage device with data in the page cache; in response to determining that the set write time threshold has not been exceeded, delaying causing the instance of the inode object corresponding to the first request to be committed to the storage device; in response to determining that the set write time threshold has been exceeded, causing the instance of the inode object corresponding to the first request and any postponed intermittent data updates to be committed to the storage device; subsequent to causing the instance of the inode object corresponding to the first request and any postponed intermittent data updates to be committed to the storage device, receiving a second request to write an instance of an inode object to the storage device, wherein the second request corresponds to an second intermittent data update; in response to receiving the second request, determining the set write time threshold has not been exceeded by comparing a current time to a second recorded time associated with a second previous metadata write back has been not exceeded; in response to determining that the set write time threshold has not been exceeded, delaying causing the instance of the inode object corresponding to the second request to be committed to the storage device; in response to determining that the set write time threshold has been exceeded. causing the instance of the inode object corresponding to the second request and any postponed intermittent data updates to be committed to the storage device. receiving a first request to write an instance of an inode object to the storage device, wherein the request corresponds to a first intermittent data update, wherein the inode object is a virtual representation of a data object included in a virtual file system; in response to receiving the first request, determining a set write time threshold for metadata write backs has been exceeded by comparing a current time to a first recorded time associated with a first previous metadata write back, wherein the first previous metadata write back synchronizes data stored to the storage device with data in the page cache; in response to determining that the set write time threshold has not been exceeded, delaying causing the instance of the inode object corresponding to the first request to be committed to the storage device; in response to determining that the set write time threshold has been exceeded, causing the instance of the inode object corresponding to the first request and any postponed intermittent data updates to be committed to the storage device; subsequent to causing the instance of the inode object corresponding to the first request and any postponed intermittent data updates to be committed to the storage device, receiving a second request to write an instance of an inode object to the storage device, wherein the second request corresponds to an second intermittent data update; in response to receiving the second request, determining the set write time threshold has not been exceeded by comparing a current time to a second recorded time associated with a second previous metadata write back has been not exceeded; in response to determining that the set write time threshold has not been exceeded, delaying causing the instance of the inode object corresponding to the second request to be committed to the storage device; in response to determining that the set write time threshold has been exceeded. causing the instance of the inode object corresponding to the second request and any postponed intermittent data updates to be committed to the storage device.