# Disk\_inode\_usage

**URL:** <https://community.netdata.cloud/t/disk-inode-usage/1860>\
**Category:** Alerts\
**Created:** [October 21, 2021, 5:55am UTC](https://community.netdata.cloud/t/disk-inode-usage/1860 "2021-10-21T05:55:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ancairon](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/community.netdata.cloud/ancairon/32/1001_2.png) [@Ancairon](https://community.netdata.cloud/u/Ancairon)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2021, 5:55am UTC](https://community.netdata.cloud/t/disk-inode-usage/1860/1 "2021-10-21T05:55:56Z")

</div>

# disk\_inode\_usage

## OS: Linux, FreeBSD

This alert presents the percentage of used `inodes` storage of a particular disk.

> The number of `inodes` indicates the number of files and folders you have. An `inode` is a data structure,  
> containing metadata about a file. All filenames are internally mapped to respective `inode` numbers, so if you have a lot of files, it means there are a lot of `inodes`[1](https://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/understanding-unixlinux-filesystem-inodes.html)

If the alert is raised, it means that your storage device is running out of `inode` space. Each disk has a particular **limitation on the amount of `inodes` it can store** , determined by its size.

> Many modern filesystems use dynamically allocated `inodes` instead of a static table. These should not be presented on the charts associated with this alert, and should not ever trigger it. If such a filesystem _ **does** _ trigger this alert, and it’s constantly reporting max `inode` usage, it’s probably a bug in the filesystem driver.
> 
> Some such filesystems incorrectly report having max `inode` count when they should not because they have no max limit, and in turn they trigger a false positive alert.

> **References and Sources**
>
> 1. [Understanding UNIX / Linux filesystem Inodes](https://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/understanding-unixlinux-filesystem-inodes.html)
> 2. [Linux Inodes](https://www.javatpoint.com/linux-inodes)

### Troubleshooting Section

> **Clear cache files or delete unnecessary files and folders**
>
> - To reduce the amount of how many `inodes` you store currently, you can clear your cache, trash any unnecessary files and folders in your system.
> 
> > Note: Netdata strongly suggests that you practice a high degree of caution when cleaning up drives, and removing files, make sure that you are certain that you delete only unnecessary files.