Abstract: A processing system operates by: detecting an access anomaly associated with an access request from a requestor for a set of encoded data slices, the access anomaly having an unfavorable access pattern, wherein the set of encoded data slices is dispersed storage error encoded and stored in at least one storage unit of the storage network; denying the access request in response to detecting the access anomaly; generating, based on the unfavorable access pattern, an anomaly detection indicator identifying the requestor; and sending the anomaly detection indicator to other devices of the storage network.

Abstract: A method for execution by one or more computing devices of a massive data ingestion system includes receiving data for storage in the massive data ingestion system. The method further includes storing a data segment of the data in a cache memory of the massive data ingestion system. The method further includes retrieving, based on one or more retrieval parameters, the data segment from the cache memory. The method further includes error encoding, in accordance with error encoding parameters, the data segment to produce a set of encoded data slices, wherein the error encoding parameters include a pillar width number and a decode threshold number, and wherein the decode threshold number is a minimum number of encoded data slices needed to reconstruct the data segment. The method further includes storing the set of encoded data slices in a set of storage units of the massive data ingestion system.

Abstract: A processing system of a storage network operates by: generating a request for a plurality of system registry files; receiving the plurality of system registry files via a network; generating a verification indicator based on an integrity check of the plurality of system registry files versus system registry integrity data corresponding to the plurality of system registry files; and storing the system registry files in memory when the verification indicator indicates that verification was successful.

Abstract: A method for processing data access requests in a storage network. The method includes receiving, by one or more processing modules, a data access request for a data object. A plurality of encoded data slices corresponding to the data object are stored in a distributed manner among a plurality of storage units associated with a plurality of storage sites of the storage network. The method continues with the one or more processing modules selecting respective numbers of storage units at each of the plurality of storage sites to support the data access request. A first computing device that is associated with a first storage site of the plurality of storage sites is also selected to further process the data access request. The method continues with the one or more processing modules transmitting the data access request to the first computing device to be further processed.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining, by a computing device of a storage network, provenance information for data associated with a set of storage units of the storage network, where the data is error encoded into a set of encoded data slices, in accordance with error encoding parameters, for storage in the set of storage units. The method further includes determining, by the computing device, probable error locations associated with the set of storage units based on the provenance information. The method further includes scanning, by the computing device, the probable error locations to determine whether an error exists for the set of encoded data slices.

Abstract: A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices begins by encoding data using a dispersed storage error encoding function to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices arranged into a plurality of chunksets of encoded data slices. The method continues by selecting a set of storage units for storing the plurality of chunksets and assigning a distributed computing task to each storage unit of the set of storage units. The method then continues by generating a unique key set for each storage unit of the storage units, encrypting each chunkset of encoded data slices with a corresponding one of the unique key sets to produce a plurality of encrypted chunksets and sending an encrypted chunkset of the plurality of encrypted chunksets and an indication of a corresponding distributed computing task to each storage unit of the set of storage units for storage of the encrypted chunksets and execution of the distributed computing task.

Abstract: A head unit system for controlling motion of an object includes a secondary object sensor, shear thickening fluid (STF), and a chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF. The chamber further includes a front channel and a back channel. The head unit system further includes a piston housed at least partially radially within the piston compartment and separating the back channel and the front channel. The piston includes a first piston bypass and a second piston bypasses to control flow of the STF between opposite sides of the piston. The chamber further includes a set of fluid manipulation emitters to control the flow of the STF to cause selection of one of a variety of shear rates for the STF within the chamber.

Abstract: A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a storage network, the method comprises receiving a data object for processing, determining whether the data object is to be transferred to one or more remote storage location, determining whether one or more legal restrictions are associated with the data object. Based on a determination that one or more legal restrictions are associated with the data object, the method continues by determining whether the one or more legal restrictions allow transfer of the data object to a storage unit of the one or more remote storage locations. The method continues by segmenting the data object into a plurality of data segments, dispersed error encoding a data segment of the plurality of data segments in accordance with dispersed error encoding parameters to produce a set of encoded data slice and transmitting a write requests for an encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices to the storage location for processing.

Abstract: A method includes error encoding data to produce a plurality of data slices. Metadata is determined for a data slice of the plurality of data slices. The metadata is stored in a metadata storage tree. The data slice is stored in a slice storage location indicated by the metadata. Based on determining to access the data slice, the metadata for the data slice is accessed in the metadata storage tree to determine the slice storage location for the data slice, and the data slice is accessed in the slice storage location based on determining the slice storage location for the data slice via accessing the metadata storage tree.

Abstract: A storage network operates by: receiving a encoded data slice for storage by the storage network, wherein the encoded data slice is associated with a vault; generating a encryption key corresponding to the encoded data slice based on a vault identifier associated with the vault; utilizing the encryption key to generate a encrypted data slice and that corresponds to, and is based on, the encoded data slice; storing the encrypted data slice in a storage unit of the storage network; receiving a request to retrieve the encoded data slice; retrieving the encrypted data slice corresponding to the encoded data slice from the storage unit of the storage network; generating a decryption key corresponding to the encoded data slice based on the vault identifier, wherein the decryption key is different from the encryption key; and regenerating the encoded data slice using the decryption key.

Abstract: A method for use in a distributed storage network including a distributed storage network (DSN) memory, which in turn includes multiple storage units, includes determining storage parameters associated with error-encoded data slices generated from data to be stored in the DSN memory. The storage parameters include information indicating a read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices required to recover the data. The method further includes distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices among the plurality of storage units so that the number of the error-encoded data slices stored in any particular storage unit is chosen so that in the event of a failure of any individual storage unit, at least a read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices are still accessible from the remaining storage units.

Abstract: A method includes encoding a data segment into a set of encoded data slices using erasure coding; storing, in storage units of a storage network, the set of encoded data slices, in accordance with a shared key-based encryption system (SKBES) having keys shared with the storage units; retrieving, at a periodic rate and in accordance with the SKBES, the set of encoded data slices from the storage units of the storage unit to verify whether individual slices of the set of encoded data slices have been corrupted. When one of the set of encoded data slices stored in one of the storage units has been corrupted, rebuilding the one of the set of encoded data slices by: retrieving the decode threshold number of other slices of the set of encoded data slices, in accordance with the SKBES; reconstructing the one of the set of encoded data slices based on the erasure encoding, to generate a reconstructed data slice; and storing, in accordance with the SKBES, the reconstructed data slice in the one of the storage units.

Abstract: A head unit device for controlling motion of an object includes shear thickening fluid (STF), an alternative STF (ASTF), and a chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF and the ASTF. The chamber further includes a piston compartment and an alternative reservoir. The head unit device further includes a reservoir injector configured within the chamber, and a piston housed at least partially radially within the piston compartment. The chamber further includes a set of fluid flow sensors and a set of fluid manipulation emitters to control the reservoir injector to adjust flow of the ASTF from the alternative reservoir to the piston compartment to cause selection of one of a variety of shear rates for a mixture of the STF and the STF within the piston compartment.

Abstract: A processing system of a storage network operates by: receiving a write request to store a data object; selecting a selected memory type of a plurality of memory types to store the data object, based on object parameters associated with the data object; selecting a selected memory to store the data object, the selected memory having the selected memory type of the plurality of memory types; and facilitating storage of the data object in the selected memory having the selected memory type of the plurality of memory types, wherein the data object is dispersed error encoded and stored as a plurality of encoded data slices.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for rebuilding and storing data in a storage network that includes a plurality of storage units. In an embodiment, a processing module(s) of storage network identifies a storage error associated with a data object stored in a first storage unit of a set of storage units. In response, the processing module obtains storage network configuration information associated with the data object, and rebuilds the data object to produce a rebuilt data object. The processing module further identifies, based on the storage network configuration information, a candidate storage unit(s) for storage of the rebuilt data object and determines an available storage capacity level of the candidate storage unit. In response to determining that the available storage capacity level of the candidate storage unit is sufficient to store the rebuilt data object, the processing module facilitates storage of the rebuilt data object in the candidate storage unit.

Abstract: A method begins by a computing device of a storage network receiving a data access request of a transaction regarding a data segment, where at least one data segment is dispersed storage error encoded into a set of encoded data slices that are stored in a set of storage units of the storage network. The method continues by executing the data access request. The method continues by generating a set of audit record data files regarding the execution of the data access request, where an audit record data file includes a source identifier, a target identifier, a unique identifier associated with the data segment, a timestamp, and a type code that indicates a type of storage network activity associated with the transaction. The method continues by storing the set of audit record data files in the storage network.

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module selecting one of a plurality of dispersed storage (DS) processing modules for facilitating access to a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory. The method continues with the processing module sending a DSN memory access request to the one of the plurality of DS processing modules. The method continues with the processing module selecting another one of the plurality of DS processing modules when no response is received within a given time frame or when the response to the access request does not include an access indication. The method continues with the processing module sending the DSN memory access request to the another one of the plurality of DS processing modules.

Abstract: A head unit system for controlling motion of an object includes a set of secondary object sensors and head unit devices that include shear thickening fluid (STF) and a chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF. The chamber further includes a front channel and a back channel. The head unit system further includes a piston housed at least partially radially within the piston compartment and separating the back channel and the front channel. The piston includes a first piston bypass and a second piston bypasses to control flow of the STF between opposite sides of the piston. The chamber further includes a set of fluid flow sensors and a set of fluid manipulation emitters to control the flow of the STF to cause selection of one of a variety of shear rates for the STF within the chamber.

Abstract: A head unit system for controlling motion of an object includes a secondary object sensor and a head unit device that includes a shear thickening fluid (STF) and a chamber configured to contain a portion of the STF. The chamber further includes an alternative reservoir and a piston compartment. The head unit system further includes a piston housed at least partially radially within the piston compartment. The piston includes a piston bypass to control flow of the STF between opposite sides of the piston. The chamber further includes a set of fluid flow sensors and a set of fluid manipulation emitters to control the flow of the STF to cause selection of one of a variety of shear rates for the STF within the chamber.

Abstract: A method includes encoding data in accordance with a width parameter to produce a first set of data slices. Storage of the first set of data slices is maintained in a set of storage units of a storage pool. An expanded set of storage units of the storage pool is determined based on an additional subset of storage units added to the storage pool. Storage of the first set of data slices is maintained in the set of storage units after addition of the additional subset of storage units added to the storage pool. An updated width parameter is determined by increasing the width parameter based on the expanded set of storage units. The data is encoded in accordance with the updated width parameter to produce a second set of data slices. Storage of the second set of data slices is maintained in the expanded set of storage units.