A method, computer program product, and data processing system for
continuously writing new data to a redundant array of independent storage
devices without interrupting the writing of new data to the array to
reconstruct missing data from a failed device or failed media is
disclosed. A fault-tolerance scheme using multiple independent parity
values is used to record data to the array. In the event that one of the
volumes in the array fails, the remaining volumes continue being written
to, but with fewer data or parity values being employed. The failed
volume can then be reconstructed following the completion of writing the
media set currently being written.