An encoding apparatus includes a processor and a communication interface operably coupled to a distributed storage system (DSS) that includes n storage device nodes. The processor is coupled to the communication interface, and configured to encode the nodes according to an XF erasure code by: dividing a number of symbols of original data into k data packets; selecting k of the storage device nodes to store the k data packets and n−k other storage device nodes to store parity packets; outputting the k data packets to the k selected storage device nodes; obtaining an XF code generator matrix; generating n−k parity packets according to a function of the k data packets and the XF code generator matrix; and outputting the n−k parity packets to each of the n−k other storage device nodes.