Abstract: Methods and associated apparatus operable in a RAID subsystem having redundant disk array controllers to assure dual, redundant cache consistency while permitting operation of the RAID subsystem in response to host computer I/O requests. The methods and apparatus of the present invention provide for a process of initializing the redundant disk array controllers in response to a power-on reset cycle (or other similar reset cycles). The first controller partially initializes for processing of host requests then awaits the partial initialization of the second controller. After a brief timeout awaiting the second controller, or in response to an erroneous initialization of the second controller, the first controller configures itself to perform host computer I/O requests in a write-through mode (bypassing cache operations) until the second controller eventually initializes. Once both controller are initialized, the redundant caches are synchronized.