A system for improving a performance of a write process in an exemplary
RAID system reduces a number of IOs required for a short write in a RAID
algorithm by using a replicated-parity drive. Parity is stored on the
parity portion of the disk drives. A replicated-parity drive comprises
all the parity information. Parity information for each parity drive is
co-located or mirrored on the replicated-parity portion of the disk
drives for fast access during a read portion of the read-modify-write
process. Consequently, the system accesses parity data with one seek, as
opposed to P seeks in a conventional disk array system utilizing P parity
drives.