A method, implemented at a computer system that includes a processor, for using an extra-resilient cache to maintain data availability and resiliency during node degradation or node failure, the method comprising: determining that a resilient data storage array is configured for m-way resiliency across a first plurality of storage nodes (208, 301a-d, 303a-f), the m-way resiliency causing the resilient data storage array to direct each write top-level operation received by the resilient data storage array to at least m storage nodes within the first plurality of storage nodes where m > 1, for committing data to a corresponding capacity region allocated on each storage node to which each write operation is directed, wherein each write top-level operation received by the resilient data storage array is transformed into a plurality of bottom-level writes that are each directed to a corresponding capacity region of the at least m storage nodes, so that the data of a top-level write is redundantly directed to the first plurality of storage nodes; based on determining that the resilient data storage array is configured for m-way resiliency, allocating an extra-resilient cache across a second plurality of storage nodes (208, 301a-d, 303a, 303c, 303e, 303f), including allocating a corresponding cache region on each of the second plurality of storage nodes for use by the extra-resilient cache, the second plurality of storage nodes at least partially overlapping with the first plurality of storage nodes and comprising s storage nodes where s > m; and based on determining that a particular top-level write operation has not been acknowledged by at least n of the first plurality of storage nodes where n ≤ m, redirecting the particular top-level write operation to the extra-resilient cache. determining that a resilient data storage array is configured for m-way resiliency across a first plurality of storage nodes (208, 301a-d, 303a-f), the m-way resiliency causing the resilient data storage array to direct each write top-level operation received by the resilient data storage array to at least m storage nodes within the first plurality of storage nodes where m > 1, for committing data to a corresponding capacity region allocated on each storage node to which each write operation is directed, wherein each write top-level operation received by the resilient data storage array is transformed into a plurality of bottom-level writes that are each directed to a corresponding capacity region of the at least m storage nodes, so that the data of a top-level write is redundantly directed to the first plurality of storage nodes; based on determining that the resilient data storage array is configured for m-way resiliency, allocating an extra-resilient cache across a second plurality of storage nodes (208, 301a-d, 303a, 303c, 303e, 303f), including allocating a corresponding cache region on each of the second plurality of storage nodes for use by the extra-resilient cache, the second plurality of storage nodes at least partially overlapping with the first plurality of storage nodes and comprising s storage nodes where s > m; and based on determining that a particular top-level write operation has not been acknowledged by at least n of the first plurality of storage nodes where n ≤ m, redirecting the particular top-level write operation to the extra-resilient cache.