Abstract: A method begins by a processing module determining a priority access level of an encoded data slice stored on a memory device. The method continues by determining a soft failure level for the memory device, wherein the soft failure level includes a plurality of discrete usability levels with a highest usability level representing a maximum amount of usable memory, a second usability level representing a lower usability level than the highest usability level and a lowest usability level representing an unusable level when the usable memory is below a threshold. The method continues with the processing module determining whether to migrate the encoded data slice from the memory device based on the priority access level and the end-of-life memory level. The method continues with the processing module identifying another memory device. The method continues with the processing module facilitating migration of the encoded data slice to another memory device.

Abstract: A storage unit (SU) in a dispersed storage network (DSN) coordinates with affiliated dispersed storage units (SUs) to designate a leader SU among the plurality of SUs and when the SU is designated the leader, receives management information that is associated with the affiliated SUs from at least some of the affiliated SUs. The SU processes the management information from the at least some of the affiliated SUs to determine whether at least one of the affiliated SUs is offline; and based on a determination that the at least one of the SUs of the affiliated SUs is offline, transmits the management information for the affiliated SUs to one or more administrators associated with the DSN.

Abstract: A method for processing partial tasks in a distributed storage network (DSN) includes receiving a partial task request message for a DS execution unit, where the partial task request message includes corresponding partial tasks. The method continues by processing each partial task request message in accordance with the processing parameters to produce task request slice groupings, generating slices, such that each message is directed at a corresponding DS execution unit, and the sending the slice groupings and the task request slice groupings to the selected DS execution units for storage therein. The method continues by retrieving at least a decode threshold number of task response slices of one or more task response slice groupings from the DS execution units, decoding the task response slices, retrieving at least a decode threshold number of partial result slices, and decoding the partial results slices and processing the partial results to produce a result.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, by a first computing device, a data access request from a client device, where the first computing device is aware of geographical locations of other computing devices, and where the data access request includes a client geographical location header and a redirection count header. When the redirection count header is higher than a redirection count threshold, the method includes processing the data access request. When the redirection count header is lower than the redirection count threshold, the method includes determining an optimal computing device to process the data access request. When the optimal computing device is geographically closer to the first computing device than the client device, the method includes, proxying the data access request to the optimal computing device. When the optimal computing device is geographically closer to the client device, the method includes sending a redirect response to the client device.

Abstract: A method for execution by a storage unit in a dispersed storage network (DSN) includes selecting a storage zone of a memory device of the storage unit based on zone allocation parameters, and designating the selected storage zone as open for writes. A data slice is received via a network for storage. The data slice is written sequentially at a memory location of the one of storage zone based on determining that the storage zone is designated as open for writes. A pointer corresponding to the data slice that indicates the storage zone and the memory location is generated. A read request is received via the network from a requesting entity that indicates the data slice. The data slice is retrieved from the memory device based on the pointer, and is transmitted to the requesting entity.

Abstract: A method for execution by a device of a dispersed storage network (DSN) to access a set of encoded data slices. The method begins by performing a first distributed agreement protocol (DAP) function using a slice identifier and a first set of coefficients to identify a set of storage units. The method continues by performing a second DAP function using the slice identifier and a second set of coefficients to identify pillar numbers for the set of storage units. The method continues by sending a set of data access requests to the set of storage units in accordance with the pillar numbers, wherein a data access request of the set of data access requests includes a slice name for a corresponding one of the set of encoded data slices and wherein the slice name includes one of the pillar numbers.

Abstract: A method for distributed monitoring of storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN) including a plurality of sets of storage units. A managing unit of the DSN obtains configuration information relating to the DSN storage resources and selects a target storage unit to be monitored. The managing unit also determines a number of other storage units to be used in monitoring the target storage unit. Selection of the monitoring storage units includes determining, for each of a plurality of storage units of the DSN, an estimated failure correlation level with the target storage unit. Based at least in part on this information, the determined number of storage units are selected and assigned to monitor the target storage unit. The managing unit subsequently receives status information, relating to the target storage unit, from the monitoring storage units.

Abstract: A method begins by a computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN) maintaining a queue of pending requests to access the DSN while new requests are added to the queue and executed requests are deleted from the queue. The method continues by the computing device determining, for each pending request in the queue, a prioritization score to produce a plurality of prioritization scores. The prioritization score is determined by determining an identity of a requestor associated with a pending request, obtaining a trust score based on the requestor's identity, and obtaining a compliance score based on the requestor's identity. The trust score indicates the requestor's level of legitimate use of the DSN and the compliance score indicates the requestor's level of compliance with DSN system requests. The method continues by the computing device executing pending requests of the queue in accordance with the plurality of prioritization scores.

Abstract: A processing system in a dispersed storage and a task (DST) network operates by receiving data and a corresponding task; identifying candidate DST execution units for executing partial tasks of the corresponding task; receiving distributed computing capabilities of the candidate DST execution units; selecting a subset of DST execution units of the candidate DST execution units to favorably execute the partial tasks of the corresponding task; determining task partitioning of the corresponding task into the partial tasks based on one or more of the distributed computing capabilities of the subset of DST execution units; determining processing parameters of the data based on the task partitioning; partitioning the tasks based on the task partitioning to produce the partial tasks; processing the data in accordance with the processing parameters to produce slice groupings; and sending the slice groupings and the partial tasks to the subset of DST execution units.

Abstract: A method is provided for increasing throughput in a distributed storage network (DSN). A storage unit (SU) of the DSN receives a set of access requests regarding a set of encoded data slices and determines whether processing one or more access requests from the set of access requests can be delayed. Based on performance information regarding the one or more access requests the SU queues the requests and delays the processing of the requests in order to achieve higher throughput.

Abstract: A method by a computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN) begins by determining whether alternate form data (AFD) exists for a data object. When the alternate form data does not exist, the method continues by identifying a content derivation function in accordance with an AFD policy of the DSN. The method continues by identifying a portion of the data object based on the content derivation function and identifying one or more sets of encoded data slices of a plurality of sets of encoded data slices corresponding to the portion of the data object. The method continues by generating at least a portion of the AFD based on the one or more sets of encoded data slices. The method continues by storing the at least a portion of the AFD within memory of the DSN in accordance with a storage approach.

Abstract: A storage unit (SU) in a dispersed storage network (DSN) coordinates with affiliated dispersed storage units (SUs) to designate a leader SU among the plurality of SUs and when the SU is designated the leader, receives management information that is associated with the affiliated SUs from at least some of the affiliated SUs. The SU processes the management information from the at least some of the affiliated SUs to determine whether at least one of the affiliated SUs is offline; and based on a determination that the at least one of the SUs of the affiliated SUs is offline, transmits the management information for the affiliated SUs to one or more administrators associated with the DSN.

Abstract: Systems and Methods for data storage in a distributed storage network are disclosed. Unexpected errors can adversely affect consistency of both the content of a write (including the slice data), and the synchronicity between the written slices and metadata structures. To maintain consistency between these data structures, a sequencing of the order of writes and flushes to the memory devices for the different data structures may be enforced as follows: First: Slice content data is first written to the volatile memory (e.g. a cache memory) of a DS unit; Second: the Slice content data stored in volatile memory is “flushed” to a non-volatile bin (which bin is associated with a group of physical memory blocks in non-volatile memory); Third: after the flush of the slice content data to the bin (i.e. data is durable on the media device): metadata relating to the data is written.

Abstract: A method for execution by a computing device within a dispersed storage network (DSN). The method beings when data accesses occur for a data object of a storage container within the DSN. The method continues by updating, for at least some of the data accesses, an object value for the data object to produce an updated object value. The method continues by updating an object retention cost for the data object to produce an updated object retention cost. The method continues by updating a data object retention policy for the data object based on the updated object value and the updated object retentions costs. When one of the data accesses is a deletion event, the method continues by utilizing a current updated data object retention policy to determine a deletion-retention option for the data object. The method continues by executing the deletion-retention option on the data object.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, from a requesting device, an access request for at least one security alert encoded data slice of a set of security alert encoded data slices. A security alert message is dispersed storage error encoded into the set of security alert encoded data slices and stored in a set of storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN). The set of storage units further stores a plurality of sets of encoded data slices, which corresponds to a data object that is dispersed storage error encoded. The method further includes, based on the access request for the at least one security alert encoded data slice, identifying the requesting device as an unauthorized DSN device. The method further includes initiating a security response protocol within the DSN.

Abstract: A method for execution by a container instance manager (CIM) includes determining to create a new instance of a first data container, where the first data container is stored in a first memory location. Creation of the new instance of the first data container for storage in a second memory location is facilitated in response to the determining to create the new instance. The method further includes determining to remove a duplicate instance of a second data container. Deletion of the duplicate instance of the second data container from memory is facilitated in response to the determining to remove the duplicate instance.

Abstract: A method for ensuring appropriate content formatting of data prior to storage in a dispersed storage network (DSN) includes sending a content format verification code (“code”) to a secure execution module. The method further includes signing the code with a secure execution module signature to produce a trusted code and sending the trusted code to a trusted computing module. The method further includes sending, by the trusted computing module, the secure execution module signature and a trusted content format verification code identification to a dispersed storage (DS) processing unit. When the secure execution module signature and the trusted code ID are verified, the method includes sending a write request to the trusted computing module, determining whether the data is in the appropriate content format based on the trusted code, and when the data of the write request is in the appropriate format, sending the data to the DS processing unit.

Abstract: A method for optimizing scheduler selection by a distributed storage (DS) unit of a dispersed storage network (DSN) begins with a DS unit receiving a dispersed storage error function from a DSN user and queries DS elements to determine measured throughput and measured latency. The method resumes when the DS unit receives measured throughput and measured latency from the DSN elements and selects a scheduler based on the measured throughput and measured latency. The method continues with the DS unit receiving a different updated measured throughput and measured latency from the DSN elements and selecting a different scheduler.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining an input factor regarding dispersed storage operational criteria and generating a set of hardware scores for hardware resources of a computing device based on at least one of: operational conditions of the computing device and the DSN. The method further includes ordering the set of hardware scores based on the dispersed storage operational criteria and identifying a set of modules based on at least one of the dispersed storage operational criteria and the ordered set of hardware scores. The method further includes determining, for each module in the set of modules, a desired adjustment based on at least one of the dispersed storage operational criteria and the ordered set of hardware scores. The method further includes adjusting the set of modules to produce a set of adjusted modules, and utilizing an adjusted module to at least partially satisfy the dispersed storage operational criteria.

Abstract: A method begins with receiving an encoded data slice that has associated therewith a slice name that is representative of a dispersed storage network (DSN) logical address. The method continues with accessing a DSN address to memory device mapping based on the DSN logical address to identify a memory device of the storage unit. The method continues with retrieving a logical zone to physical address space mapping of the identified memory device. The method continues with determining information regarding the encoded data slice and a logical zone of the memory device from the logical zone to physical address space mapping based on the encoded data slice information. The method continues with generating a physical address within the identified logical zone for storing the encoded data slice. The method continues with storing the encoded data slice within the identified memory device at the physical address.