A system can log data access activity to a memory array with a metadata module while the memory array is logically divided into multiple namespaces. A workload can be determined for each namespace by the metadata module and a metadata strategy can be created with the metadata module in view of the respective namespace workloads. A first metadata and second metadata may be generated for respective first and second user-generated data for storage into a first namespace of the multiple namespaces. The first metadata can be compressed with a compression level prescribed by the metadata strategy in response to a detected or predicted workload to the first namespace before the first metadata, second metadata, first user-generated data, and second user-generated data are each stored in the first namespace.