1. A distributed data storage device, comprising: a controller unit configured to read a configuration matrix that assigns a plurality of data storage devices to a plurality of data storage clusters; the plurality of data storage clusters configured to store a plurality of data symbols; a calculator configured to compute a plurality of checksums of the data symbols stored in the data storage devices such that at least one checksum is computed for each of the data storage clusters; and a communication fabric configured to distribute the checksums to each of the data storage clusters.