Abstract: A system for storing sortwork data in a storage subsystem to maximize parallelism during subsequent merging operations. One implementation of the invention employs a computing system with a sort/merge application module and a storage subsystem such as a RAID arrangement. Each DASD unit preferably includes multiple disks in a vertically-stacked array, and each disk is configured with at least one track. Each disk corresponds to one disk of each of the other DASD units. A group of identically-sized locations from identically-positioned tracks of corresponding disks from each DASD unit forms. And, the aggregate of all identically-positioned tracks from all disks in all DASD units makes up a logical array cylinder. To perform sorting and merging operations in accordance with the invention, the sort/merge application module first internally sorts a data packet to generate a string.