An exemplary embodiment herein is a method including comparing a cache hit rate ratio of a unified cache to a first pre-determined threshold, incrementing an alert counter in response to the cache hit rate ratio being lower than the first pre-determined threshold, comparing the alert counter to a pre-determined limit, preventing a first receipt of a type of data by the unified cache in response to the alert counter being equal to the pre-determined limit, causing a second receipt of metadata by the unified cache, comparing the cache hit rate ratio to a second pre-determined threshold, and allowing the first receipt of the type of data by the unified cache in response to the cache hit rate ratio being greater than the second pre-determined threshold.