Abstract: A method includes sending, by a computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN), an inquiry to storage units of the DSN regarding status of a new vault in the DSN. The new vault is a logical storage container supported by the storage units, and the new vault is defined by vault parameters that include new vault identifier, new vault storage capabilities, access privileges, and authorized users. When a threshold number of storage units provide a status response of active and when a data access request for a set of encoded data slices is received, the computing device sends a set of access requests regarding the data access request to the storage units. When the threshold number of storage units do not provide the status response of active, the computing device facilitates activation of the new vault in at least the threshold number of storage units.

Abstract: A method for utilizing a decentralized agreement protocol for data access operations in a dispersed storage network (DSN) including a legacy storage unit pool and one or more non-legacy storage unit pools. In response to obtaining a DSN address associated with a data access request, a DSN computing device(s) generates ranked scoring information for the legacy storage unit pool and the non-legacy storage unit pool, the ranked scoring information based at least in part on the DSN address, a first location weight associated with the legacy storage unit pool, and a second location weight associated with the non-legacy storage unit pool. In an embodiment, the first location weight decreases over time (e.g., as a generation of legacy storage units is retired). Based on the ranked scoring information, at least one of the legacy storage unit pool or the non-legacy storage unit pool is selected for processing the data access request.

Abstract: A method for execution by a dispersed storage and task (DST) execution unit includes generating location weight data that includes a plurality of location weights assigned to a plurality of memory devices of the DST execution unit. A first one of the plurality of memory devices and a second one of the plurality of memory devices are selected for reallocation based on the location weight data. The reallocation is executed by removing a data slice from the first one of the plurality of memory devices and storing the data slice in the second one of the plurality of memory devices.

Abstract: A method includes a first computing device encrypting a portion of a data matrix based on a set of encryption keys to produce an encrypted data matrix. The method further includes the first computing device sending the encrypted data matrix to a second computing device. The method further includes the second computing device dispersed storage error encoding the data matrix to produce a set of encrypted encoded data slices. The method further includes the second computing device sending the set of encrypted encoded data slices to a set of storage units of the DSN for storage therein.

Abstract: A method begins by sending a set of read requests to a first set of storage units of the DSN. The method continues by sending a set of read foreign requests to a second set of storage units of the DSN. The method continues by receiving favorable responses to the set of read requests. When a favorable response is received regarding the read foreign request, the method continues by determining whether an encoded data slice (EDS) contained in the favorable response is needed to obtain a decode threshold number of EDSs. When the EDS is needed, the method continues by including the EDSs contained in the favorable response regarding the read foreign request with other EDSs received in the favorable responses to the set of read requests to produce the decode threshold number of EDSs. The method continues by decoding the threshold number of EDSs to recover the data segment.

Abstract: A distributed storage network (DSN) employs one or more distributed storage task execution (DST EX) units for dispersed storage of encoded data slices. A delete-slice request associated with a first encoded data slice is received at a DST EX unit, the encoded data slice is packed into a common file with other encoded data slices, and the common file is stored in a distributed storage (DS) memory included in the DST EX unit. Each encoded data slice packed into the common file is associated with a file offset within the common file. The DST EX unit identifies a file offset of the first encoded data slice within the common file. The DST EX unit releases the portion of the DS memory associated with the particular file offset within the common file to a file system maintained by the DST EX unit.

Abstract: A method includes determining a desired retrieval resolution of a data segment. A first sub-set of encoded data slices corresponds to a first resolution of the data segment, a second sub-set of encoded data slices corresponds to a second resolution, and a third sub-set of encoded data slices corresponds to redundancy encoded data slices. The method further includes, when the desired retrieval resolution is the first resolution, sending first requests to storage units regarding the first sub-set of encoded data slices, and dispersed storage error decoding the first sub-set of encoded data slices to recover the data segment at the first resolution. The method further includes, when the desired retrieval resolution is the second resolution, sending second requests to storage units regarding the second sub-set of encoded data slices, and dispersed storage error decoding the second sub-set of encoded data slices to recover the data segment at the second resolution.

Abstract: A method includes identifying an encoded slice for rebuilding. The method further includes determining whether the set of encoded slices is stored in an encrypted section of a vault or within an unencrypted section of the vault. The method further includes, when the set of encoded slices is stored in the unencrypted section of the vault, determining whether the set of storage units have viewing rights. The method further includes, when the set of storage units does not have the viewing rights, enabling a restricted rebuilding process to rebuild the encoded slice. The method further includes, when the set or storage units does have the viewing rights, enable an unrestricted rebuilding process to rebuild the encoded slice.

Abstract: A method for execution by processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method begins by identifying a stored data object (using bundled writes) for retrieval from a dispersed storage network (DSN), determining a DSN address that corresponds to the store data object, generating a read source request based on the DSN address, identifying a set of storage units of the DSN, where one or more of the storage units of the set of storage units are associated with storage of the stored data object, sending the read source request to the identified set of storage units, receiving retrieved encoded data slices from at least some of the storage units of the identified set of storage units and dispersed storage error decoding, for each set of encoded data slices, a decode threshold of received encoded data slices to produce a recovered data object.

Abstract: A method for use in a dispersed storage network operates to select a recovery of selected ones of one or more first sets of encoded data slices in response to detecting a storage error associated with the selected ones of the one or more first sets of encoded data slices; issue requests for a second decode threshold number of encoded data slices of selected ones of one or more second sets of encoded data slices corresponding to the selected ones of the one or more first sets of encoded data slices; decode the second decode threshold number of encoded data slices to produce recovered data in response to receiving the second decode threshold number of encoded data slices; encode the recovered data utilizing first IDA parameters associated with the first IDA to produce one or more rebuilt encoded data slices corresponding to the selected ones of the one or more first sets of encoded data slices; and facilitate storage of the one or more rebuilt encoded data slices.

Abstract: A method for execution by a dispersed storage and task (DST) execution unit includes generating location weight data that includes a plurality of location weights assigned to a plurality of memory devices of the DST execution unit. A first one of the plurality of memory devices and a second one of the plurality of memory devices are selected for reallocation based on the location weight data. The reallocation is executed by removing a data slice from the first one of the plurality of memory devices and storing the data slice in the second one of the plurality of memory devices.

Abstract: A method includes sending, by a computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN), an inquiry to storage units of the DSN regarding status of a new vault in the DSN. The new vault is a logical storage container supported by the storage units, and the new vault is defined by vault parameters that include new vault identifier, new vault storage capabilities, access privileges, and authorized users. When a threshold number of storage units provide a status response of active and when a data access request for a set of encoded data slices is received, the computing device sends a set of access requests regarding the data access request to the storage units. When the threshold number of storage units do not provide the status response of active, the computing device facilitates activation of the new vault in at least the threshold number of storage units.

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. The computing device receives a data access request for a data object and determines a first revision number of a corresponding set of EDSs stored among first SU(s) and a second revision number of a corresponding trimmed copy of the set of EDSs stored among second SU(s). When the second revision number compares favorably to the first revision number, the computing device issues the data access request to the first SU(s) and/or the second SU(s) and issues the data access request for the data object to only the first SU(s) when it doesn't.

Abstract: A method for execution by a dispersed storage and task (DST) execution unit includes generating location weight data that includes a plurality of location weights assigned to a plurality of memory devices of the DST execution unit. A first one of the plurality of memory devices and a second one of the plurality of memory devices are selected for reallocation based on the location weight data. The reallocation is executed by removing a data slice from the first one of the plurality of memory devices and storing the data slice in the second one of the plurality of memory devices.

Abstract: A method for use in a dispersed storage network operates to select a recovery of selected ones of one or more first sets of encoded data slices in response to detecting a storage error associated with the selected ones of the one or more first sets of encoded data slices; issue requests for a second decode threshold number of encoded data slices of selected ones of one or more second sets of encoded data slices corresponding to the selected ones of the one or more first sets of encoded data slices; decode the second decode threshold number of encoded data slices to produce recovered data in response to receiving the second decode threshold number of encoded data slices; encode the recovered data utilizing first IDA parameters associated with the first IDA to produce one or more rebuilt encoded data slices corresponding to the selected ones of the one or more first sets of encoded data slices; and facilitate storage of the one or more rebuilt encoded data slices.

Abstract: A method includes a first computing device encrypting a portion of a data matrix based on a set of encryption keys to produce an encrypted data matrix. The method further includes the first computing device sending the encrypted data matrix to a second computing device. The method further includes the second computing device dispersed storage error encoding the data matrix to produce a set of encrypted encoded data slices. The method further includes the second computing device sending the set of encrypted encoded data slices to a set of storage units of the DSN for storage therein.

Abstract: A method for use in a dispersed storage network operates to select a recovery of selected ones of one or more first sets of encoded data slices in response to detecting a storage error associated with the selected ones of the one or more first sets of encoded data slices; issue requests for a second decode threshold number of encoded data slices of selected ones of one or more second sets of encoded data slices corresponding to the selected ones of the one or more first sets of encoded data slices; decode the second decode threshold number of encoded data slices to produce recovered data in response to receiving the second decode threshold number of encoded data slices; encode the recovered data utilizing first IDA parameters associated with the first IDA to produce one or more rebuilt encoded data slices corresponding to the selected ones of the one or more first sets of encoded data slices; and facilitate storage of the one or more rebuilt encoded data slices.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a data access request for a set of encoded data slices. The data access request identifies a new vault in the dispersed storage network (DSN), where the new vault is a logical storage container supported by storage units of the DSN, and where the new vault is defined by vault parameters that include new vault identifier, new vault storage capabilities, access privileges, and authorized users. The method further includes sending an inquiry to the storage units regarding status of the new vault. When a threshold number of storage units provide a status response of active, a computing device sends a set of access requests regarding the data access request to the storage units. When the threshold number of storage units do not provide the status response of active, the computing device facilitates activation of the new vault in at least the threshold number of storage units.

Abstract: A method includes identifying an encoded slice for rebuilding. The method further includes determining whether the set of encoded slices is stored in an encrypted section of a vault or within an unencrypted section of the vault. The method further includes, when the set of encoded slices is stored in the unencrypted section of the vault, determining whether the set of storage units have viewing rights. The method further includes, when the set of storage units does not have the viewing rights, enabling a restricted rebuilding process to rebuild the encoded slice. The method further includes, when the set or storage units does have the viewing rights, enable an unrestricted rebuilding process to rebuild the encoded slice.

Abstract: A method includes a first computing device generating a set of encryption keys and encrypting a data matrix based on the set of encryption keys to produce an encrypted data matrix. The method further includes the first computing device sending the encrypted data matrix to a second computing device. The method further includes the second computing device dispersed storage error encoding the data matrix to produce a set of encrypted encoded data slices. The method further includes the second computing device sending the set of encrypted encoded data slices to a set of storage units of the DSN for storage therein.