A data protection technique combines error correcting code and redundant array of independent disk functionality for a non-volatile memory (NVM) array of a data storage system. The technique includes receiving, by a controller, data for storage in the NVM. In response to receiving the data for storage in the NVM array, the controller forms first component codewords based on encodings with a first level code of respective first portions of the data. In response to receiving the data for storage in the NVM array, the controller forms a second component codeword based on an encoding with a second level code of a second portion of the data and the first component codes. The controller stores a respective portion of each of the first and second component codeswords on packages of the NVM array. The storing achieves maximum equal spreading of each of the component codewords across all of the packages.