A data storage system is provided with a storage domain having an active
zone subportion of storage space, and a command queue controller
configured for short-stroking an actuator directed to the active zone. A
method is provided for virtualizing a storage space to store user data in
a first domain and redundant data in a second domain, partitioning each
of the domains into active and inactive subportion storage zones, and
executing a retrieve access command from one of the first and second
domains depending on which domain's active zone contains an LBA
associated with the retrieve access command.