Opportunistic combining of data chunks is disclosed. Data chunks stored in storage devices of different zones of a zone storage system can be convolved to conserve memory. The zone storage system can be a geographically diverse storage system. A convolved chunk can be stored at a zone that does not contribute a local data chunk to the data represented in the convolved chunk. A zone storage component can be androgynous, rather than being explicitly configured to act as a front/back end storage device. This androgyny can enable the zone storage system to store a complete chunk at a zone based on real time use. In an aspect, an androgynous zone storage component can take on, or transition between, a de facto front-end storage device character or de facto back-end storage device character in response to deployment of the androgynous zone storage component in the storage system.