Patent ID: 7032125

Claim:
A method for configuring a storage system including a storage controller and a storage disk array with multiple drives, comprising: (a) storing user data in a plurality of segments in a storage disk array with multiple drives, said plurality of segments including a first user data segment and a second user data segment; (b) storing metadata in a plurality of segments in said storage disk array with multiple drives, said metadata being error and detection code information for said user data, said plurality of segments including a first metadata segment and a second metadata segment; and (c) associating said plurality of segments of metadata with said plurality of segments of user data, wherein said first metadata segment is metadata only for said first user data segment, said second metadata segment is metadata only for said second user data segment, said first metadata segment being located in a first drive, said first user data segment being located in a drive adjacent to said first drive, said second metadata segment being located in a second drive, said second user data segment being located in a drive adjacent to said second drive.