inodelevel

Inodelevel is not a formal standard term with a single universal definition, but it is used in discussions about Unix-like file systems to describe the level of indirection required to reach a file’s data blocks from its inode. An inode stores metadata and pointers to data blocks; some pointers are direct, pointing straight to data blocks (level 0). When a file grows beyond the capacity of direct pointers, the inode contains pointers to an indirect block, which itself contains pointers to data blocks (level 1, single indirect). If those blocks fill up, the filesystem uses a doubly indirect block (level 2) that contains pointers to indirect blocks, and so on with triply indirect (level 3). The inodelevel of a file can be described as the highest level of indirection used to address any of its data blocks.

Performance implications: higher inodelevel typically entails more metadata reads and additional memory accesses per block, affecting latency and throughput, especially for large files. Filesystems vary in how many levels they implement and how many pointers they embed in a single inode; ext4, for example, uses a fixed number of direct pointers plus single, double, and triple indirect pointers.

Usage and examples: Inodelevel is often used in analyses of file layout, backups, or forensic investigations to estimate overheads or access patterns. It is not a formal property with an official, universal definition across all filesystems.

See also: Inode, Indirect block, Direct block, Ext2/Ext3/Ext4.