Abstract: An apparatus includes a processing module and a network interface. The processing module is operably coupled to obtain; a data storage transaction request regarding a file; determine identity of a user based on the data storage transaction request; access file level metadata based on the identity of the user to determine a plurality of file slices associated with the file; access file slice metadata to identify at least one of a plurality of storage nodes that stores or is to store, a data slice and coded subsets of at least one of the plurality of file slices; and generate a data storage transaction message to facilitate a data storage transaction regarding the at least one of the plurality of file slices. The network interface is operably coupled to convert the data storage transaction message into a network data storage message and transmit it.

Abstract: Described is an information dispersal system in which original data to be stored is separated into a number of data “slices” in such a manner that the data in each subset is less usable or less recognizable or completely unusable or completely unrecognizable by itself except when combined with some or all of the other data subsets. These data subsets are stored on separate storage devices as a way of increasing privacy and security. A metadata management system stores and indexes user files across all of the storage nodes. The metadata management system stores metadata for dispersed data where: the dispersed data is in several pieces; and the metadata is in a separate dataspace from the dispersed data.

Abstract: A digital data file storage system is disclosed in which original data files to be stored are dispersed using some form of information dispersal algorithm into a number of file “slices” or subsets in such a manner that the data in each file share is less usable or less recognizable or completely unusable or completely unrecognizable by itself except when combined with some or all of the other file shares. These file shares are stored on separate digital data storage devices as a way of increasing privacy and security. As dispersed file shares are being transferred to or stored on a grid of distributed storage locations, various grid resources may become non-operational or may operate below at a less than optimal level. When dispersed file shares are being written to a dispersed storage grid which not available, the grid clients designates the dispersed data shares that could not be written at that time on a Rebuild List.

Abstract: Briefly, the present invention relates to an information dispersal sytem in which original data to be stored is separated into a number of data “slices” in such a manner that the data in each subset is less usable or less recognizable or completely unusable or completely unrecognizable by itself except when combined with some or all of the other data subsets. These data subsets are stored on separate storage devices as a way of increasing privacy and security. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, a metadata management system stores and indexes user files across all of the storage nodes. A number of applications run on the servers supporting these storage nodes and are responsible for controlling the metadata. Metadata is the information about the data, the data slices or data subsets and the way in which these data subsets are dispersed among different storage nodes running over the network.