A method for storing a first data block, including evaluating the first data block comprising a first plurality of data, if the first plurality of data includes only zeros storing a first block pointer indicating that the first data block includes only zeros in a first indirect block, and if the first plurality of data does not include only zeros storing the first calculating a first data block checksum for the first data block, and storing the first block pointer comprising the first data block location and the first data block checksum in the first indirect block.