A memory system comprising a plurality of memory modules, each memory module having a capability for reading, writing and erasing data, wherein: a time to perform a write operation is longer than a time to perform a read operation; a group of modules of the plurality of memory modules stores user data and parity data for the user data, wherein the group of modules comprises five memory modules, the memory modules being organized logically in a stripe pattern, each of the memory modules having an error correcting code, ECC, with respect to the data in the memory module, and at least one memory module of the five memory modules having parity data for a stripe stored on the other four memory modules; characterized in that the memory system is configured to: cause read commands to be issued only to four memory modules that are known to be capable of reading user data immediately while a fifth memory module is intended to be undergoing an erase or a write operation; cause a fifth read command to be issued to the fifth memory module, wherein the fifth read command preserves user data from being erased or written during a time-out interval between determining that an error exists in previously retrieved user data and a time that a request for the fifth memory module to be used in reconstruction is acted upon; and limit a number of modules of the group of modules that are performing a write or an erase operation at any time such that the user data can be read using at least one of: the user data stored in the modules not performing write or erase operations; and the user data stored in the modules not performing write or erase operations and the parity data for the user data. a time to perform a write operation is longer than a time to perform a read operation; a group of modules of the plurality of memory modules stores user data and parity data for the user data, wherein the group of modules comprises five memory modules, the memory modules being organized logically in a stripe pattern, each of the memory modules having an error correcting code, ECC, with respect to the data in the memory module, and at least one memory module of the five memory modules having parity data for a stripe stored on the other four memory modules; characterized in that the memory system is configured to: cause read commands to be issued only to four memory modules that are known to be capable of reading user data immediately while a fifth memory module is intended to be undergoing an erase or a write operation; cause a fifth read command to be issued to the fifth memory module, wherein the fifth read command preserves user data from being erased or written during a time-out interval between determining that an error exists in previously retrieved user data and a time that a request for the fifth memory module to be used in reconstruction is acted upon; and limit a number of modules of the group of modules that are performing a write or an erase operation at any time such that the user data can be read using at least one of: the user data stored in the modules not performing write or erase operations; and the user data stored in the modules not performing write or erase operations and the parity data for the user data. cause read commands to be issued only to four memory modules that are known to be capable of reading user data immediately while a fifth memory module is intended to be undergoing an erase or a write operation; cause a fifth read command to be issued to the fifth memory module, wherein the fifth read command preserves user data from being erased or written during a time-out interval between determining that an error exists in previously retrieved user data and a time that a request for the fifth memory module to be used in reconstruction is acted upon; and limit a number of modules of the group of modules that are performing a write or an erase operation at any time such that the user data can be read using at least one of: the user data stored in the modules not performing write or erase operations; and the user data stored in the modules not performing write or erase operations and the parity data for the user data. the user data stored in the modules not performing write or erase operations; and the user data stored in the modules not performing write or erase operations and the parity data for the user data.