Abstract: An apparatus is operable for writing data to a mirrored storage component, the mirrored storage component being configured to position a data item in a minimum seek time region of a first medium and to position a mirror copy of said data item in a non-minimum seek time region of a second medium. The apparatus includes a data receiving component to receive the data item to be written; a data storing component to store the data item; a first write component to cause writing of the data item to the minimum seek time region of the first medium; and a second write component to cause deferred reading of the data item from the data storing component and deferred writing of the mirror copy to the non-minimum seek time region of the second medium.