Abstract: A data storage system for multidimensional parity protection includes a housing for containing a plurality of conventional disk drives for storing data wherein each of the conventional data disk drives is symmetrically linked to at least three parity disk drives for guarding data stored on the data disk drives. Each of the conventional data disk drives thereby have a three dimensional parity relationship with three parity data disk drives such that a three dimensional, mirrored, orthogonal parity array is established. The data storage system further includes a failure detection component coupled to the three dimensional, mirrored, orthogonal parity arrays for detecting and indicating the failure of any disk in the mirrored, orthogonal parity arrays. In addition, a data reconstruction component is coupled to the three dimensional, mirrored orthogonal parity arrays for reconstructing data from any failed disk by combining data from other parity disks in the orthogonal parity arrays.