Abstract: A computing device includes an interface configured to interface and communicate with a dispersed storage network (DSN), a memory that stores operational instructions, and a processing module operably coupled to the interface and memory such that the processing module, when operable within the computing device based on the operational instructions, is configured to perform various operations. When a is to DSN undergo a change from a first system configuration of a Decentralized, or Distributed, Agreement Protocol (DAP) to a second system configuration of the DAP (e.g., such as based on addition, and/or removal of storage unit(s) (SU(s)) within the DSN or reallocation of data within the DSN, etc.), a computing device identifies a DAP transition mapping between the first system configuration of the DAP to the second system configuration of the DAP. Then, the computing device directs SU(s) to operate based on the DAP transition mapping during the transition.

Abstract: A method for a dispersed storage network (DSN) begins by receiving a read data object request from for a data object stored as a plurality of sets of encoded data slices in a set of storage units. The method continues by selecting a read threshold number of encoded data slices for retrieval. The method continues by issuing read slice requests to at least some of the storage units of the storage set to recover the selected read threshold number of encoded data slices. The method continues by receiving read slice responses from at least some of the storage units and selecting a decode threshold number of encoded data slices. The method continues by decoding the selected decode threshold number of encoded data slices to reproduce the data and generating audit information based on the selected slices for retrieval, the received slice, and the selected slices for decoding.

Abstract: A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method begins by receiving a store data object request from the user device. The method continues by initiating storage of N instances of the received data object in the storage set. The method continues by issuing a status response to the user device when detecting that M instances have been successfully stored and sending an instance i of the data to the user device when receiving a read instance i of the data object request from the user device.

Abstract: A method for use in a dispersed storage network (DSN) operates to output at least a write threshold number of write slice requests to a set of storage units of the DSN and receive write slice responses from the set of storage units. When the write threshold number of favorable write slice responses is received, the method includes generating a corresponding number of commit requests and outputting the number of commit requests to associated storage units corresponding to the write threshold number of favorable write slice responses received.

Abstract: A computing device includes an interface configured to interface and communicate with a dispersed storage network (DSN), a memory that stores operational instructions, and a processing module operably coupled to the interface and to the memory such that the processing module, when operable within the computing device based on the operational instructions, is configured to perform various operations. When additional unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of encoded data slices (EDSs) supported by EDSs may be needed, the computing device dispersed error encodes each data segment in accordance to generate additional pluralities of EDSs and distributedly stores the additional pluralities of EDSs associated respectively with the data object across the plurality of SUs within the DSN to support the additional unique pillar combinations of the at least read threshold number of EDSs.

Abstract: A computing device includes an interface configured to interface and communicate with a dispersed storage network (DSN), a memory that stores operational instructions, and a processing module operably coupled to the interface and to the memory, wherein the processing module, when operable within the computing device based on the operational instructions, is configured to perform various operations including to receive, via the interface, content retrieval messages for a data object. Then, based on the content retrieval messages for the data object and respectively for each associated data segment, the processing module determines respective groups of unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of EDSs, retrieves the respective groups of unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of EDSs from storage units (SUs) within the DSN, and provides the respective groups of unique pillar combinations of at least read threshold number of EDSs respectively to recipient device(s).

Abstract: A method begins by a computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN) encoding digital content into a plurality of sets of encoded data slices and generating at least one set of write commands, where a write command includes an indication of a number of copies of an encoded data slice to be stored. The method continues by a set of storage units of the DSN storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices, where a storage unit stores the number of copies of the encoded data slice in accordance with the write command. The method continues by the set of storage units receiving a plurality of retrieval requests from a plurality of requesting computing devices regarding the digital content and fulfilling the plurality of retrieval requests utilizing various combinations of copies of encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

Abstract: A method begins by a processing module obtaining a unique retrieval matrix based on an identity of the playback device and sending a request for retrieval of a set of encoded broadcast data slices to a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory, wherein the request includes the unique retrieval matrix and identity of the set of encoded broadcast data slices. The method continues with the processing module receiving a subset of the set of encoded broadcast data slices from the DSN memory, wherein the subset of the set of encoded broadcast data slices is based on the unique retrieval matrix. The method continues with the processing module storing the subset of the sets of encoded broadcast data slices.

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module of a centralized digital video storage (DVS) system regarding recording of multi-media content that is to be broadcast at a particular broadcast time, determining a number of subscriber devices that have selected to record the multi-media content. At the particular broadcast time, the method continues with the processing module receiving the multi-media content as it is being broadcast. When the number of subscriber devices is less than a first value, the method continues with the processing module encoding the multi-media content using first level encoding parameters to produce sets of first level encoded data slices for storage. When the number of subscriber devices is equal to or greater than the first value, the method continues with the processing module encoding the multi-media content using second level encoding parameters to produce sets of second level encoded data slices for storage.

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module of a centralized digital video storage (DVS) system that supports a plurality of subscriber units, receiving a request for playback of a stored multi-media file from a subscriber unit. The method continues with the processing module determining whether the stored multi-media file is a subscription based file or a publically available file. When the stored multi-media file is the subscription based file, the method continues with the processing module accessing digital rights management data regarding subscription based multi-media files to determine the subscriber unit's digital rights to the stored multi-media file. When the subscriber unit's digital rights include playback of the multi-media file, the method continues with the processing module sending a unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with a unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit.

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module of a centralized digital video storage (DVS) system storing, for playback, a plurality of sets of encoded data slices in storage units, where multi-media content is encoded to produce the plurality of sets of encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module monitoring the storage units for a failure mode and monitoring a number of subscriber devices requesting playback of the multi-media content. The method continues with the processing module determining whether a sufficient number of unique combinations of a decode threshold number of encoded data slices per set of slices exists to service playback of the multi-media content. When the sufficient number of the unique combinations do not exist, the method continues with the processing module reassigning unique combinations of the decode threshold number of encoded data slices per set of encoded data slices to some of the subscriber devices.

Abstract: A method begins by a processing module of a dispersed storage network (DSN) retrieving a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of a set of encoded data slices from a first grouping of storage units of the DSN. The method continues with the processing module determining a first status level indication of the retrieved decode threshold number of encoded data slices and sending check status request messages to a second grouping of storage units of the DSN. The method continues with the processing module receiving check status response messages and processing the check response messages to produce a second status level indication. When the second status level indication is substantially equal to the first status level indication, the method continues with the processing module indicating that the decode threshold number of encoded data slices is of a common status level as other encoded data slices of encoded data slices.

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module receiving a request to store a data object from a first requesting device. The method continues with the processing module determining that a substantially similar version of the data object is currently stored in a DSN. The method continues with the processing module determining that a number of unique combinations of retrieving the plurality of sets of encoded data slices has exceeded a threshold and, when so, encoding, with a same decode threshold number and an increased pillar width number, the data object to create and store a plurality of sub-set of redundancy encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module creating a unique combination of retrieving the data object for the first requesting device based on the plurality of sets of encoded data slices and the plurality of sub-set of redundancy encoded data slices.

Abstract: A method for storing a data object includes identifying data segments of the data object. The method continues with generating key indexes for the data segments. For a data segment, the method continues with accessing data segment key information based on a corresponding key index of the plurality of key indexes to determine whether an encryption key has been generated for a similar data segment. When the encryption key has been generated for the similar data segment, the method continues with using the encryption key to encrypt the data segment to produce an encrypted data segment. The method continues with compressing the encrypted data segment to produce a compressed and encrypted data segment. The method continues with storing the compressed and encrypted data segment in a storage unit of a dispersed storage network (DSN).

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module receiving a request to store a data object from a first requesting device. The method continues with the processing module determining that a substantially similar version of the data object is currently stored in a DSN. The method continues with the processing module determining that a number of unique combinations of retrieving the plurality of sets of encoded data slices has exceeded a threshold and, when so, encoding, with a same decode threshold number and an increased pillar width number, the data object to create and store a plurality of sub-set of redundancy encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module creating a unique combination of retrieving the data object for the first requesting device based on the plurality of sets of encoded data slices and the plurality of sub-set of redundancy encoded data slices.

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module obtaining data to store and determining whether substantially similar data to the data is stored. When the substantially similar data is not stored, the method continues with the processing module generating a first encryption key based on the data, encoding the first encryption key into encoded data slices in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function, and storing the encoded data slices in a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory. The method continues with the processing module encrypting the data using an encryption key of the substantially similar data in accordance with an encryption function to produce encrypted data, compressing the encrypted data in accordance with a compression function to produce compressed data, storing the compressed data when the substantially similar data is stored.

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module obtaining data to store and determining whether substantially similar data to the data is stored. When the substantially similar data is not stored, the method continues with the processing module generating a first encryption key based on the data, encoding the first encryption key into encoded data slices in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function, and storing the encoded data slices in a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory. The method continues with the processing module encrypting the data using an encryption key of the substantially similar data in accordance with an encryption function to produce encrypted data, compressing the encrypted data in accordance with a compression function to produce compressed data, storing the compressed data when the substantially similar data is stored.

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module of a centralized digital video storage (DVS) system regarding recording of multi-media content that is to be broadcast at a particular broadcast time, determining a number of subscriber devices that have selected to record the multi-media content. At the particular broadcast time, the method continues with the processing module receiving the multi-media content as it is being broadcast. When the number of subscriber devices is less than a first value, the method continues with the processing module encoding the multi-media content using first level encoding parameters to produce sets of first level encoded data slices for storage. When the number of subscriber devices is equal to or greater than the first value, the method continues with the processing module encoding the multi-media content using second level encoding parameters to produce sets of second level encoded data slices for storage.

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module of a centralized digital video storage (DVS) system that supports a plurality of subscriber units, receiving a request for playback of a stored multi-media file from a subscriber unit. The method continues with the processing module determining whether the stored multi-media file is a subscription based file or a publically available file. When the stored multi-media file is the subscription based file, the method continues with the processing module accessing digital rights management data regarding subscription based multi-media files to determine the subscriber unit's digital rights to the stored multi-media file. When the subscriber unit's digital rights include playback of the multi-media file, the method continues with the processing module sending a unique copy of the stored multi-media file to the subscriber unit in accordance with a unique slice retrieval pattern of the subscriber unit.

Abstract: A method begins with a processing module obtaining data to store and determining whether substantially similar data to the data is stored. When the substantially similar data is not stored, the method continues with the processing module generating a first encryption key based on the data, encoding the first encryption key into encoded data slices in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function, and storing the encoded data slices in a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory. The method continues with the processing module encrypting the data using an encryption key of the substantially similar data in accordance with an encryption function to produce encrypted data, compressing the encrypted data in accordance with a compression function to produce compressed data, storing the compressed data when the substantially similar data is stored.