The present invention relates to a method of updating SMD in an array of storage devices. In an embodiment, the method employs an array controller to change the start tag values of a copy set X, write an updated SMD of the copy set X, change the end tag values of copy set X, change the value of X, and repeat the change and write steps above to generate multiple SMD copies on each storage device. In another embodiment, the method updates the SMD in an array of SATA storage devices. In another embodiment, the invention is a data storage system, including at least one host, a plurality of storage nodes coupled to the host(s), where each storage node includes an array controller coupled to an array of storage devices and each storage device includes one or more copies of the SMD, and a system for managing SMD on each storage device. Another feature of the invention is the copying of SMD in all of the storage devices of a data storage system to increase the probability that a map for the data can be recovered.