DISPERSED STORAGE UNIT SOLICITATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

1 . A method for execution by a dispersed storage processing module, the method comprises:

obtaining data for storage;

soliciting dispersed storage (DS) units to store encoded data slices of the data;

receiving favorable responses from a set of DS units; and

encoding the data in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function and in accordance with the favorable responses.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the soliciting further comprises:

interpreting metadata;

determining the DS units based on the metadata; and

sending a message to each of the DS units, wherein the message includes requirements for storage.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the favorable responses further comprises at least one of:

first storage requirements that substantially matches requirements of the soliciting; and

second storage requirements that encompasses the requirements of the soliciting.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the encoding further comprises:

establishing error coding dispersal storage function parameters based on the favorable responses from the set of DS units, wherein the error coding dispersal storage function parameters includes at least one of:

a segmenting protocol;

a pre-slice data manipulation function;

a forward error correction encoding function;

a slicing pillar width;

a post-slice data manipulation function;

a write threshold; and

a read threshold.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the soliciting further comprises:

sending a solicitation broadcast message to the DS units, wherein the solicitation broadcast message includes storage requirements.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

interpreting metadata;

establishing a slicing pillar width in accordance with the metadata;

encoding the data in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function and the slicing pillar width when a number of the favorable responses is equal to or greater than the slicing pillar width; and

when the number of the favorable responses is less than the slicing pillar width, adjusting the error coding dispersal storage function.

7 . A method for execution by a dispersed storage (DS) unit, the method comprises:

receiving a solicitation message regarding dispersed storage of data, wherein the solicitation message includes one or more storage requirements regarding storage of encoded data slices of the data;

comparing the one or more storage requirements with storage capabilities of the DS unit;

when the storage capabilities compares favorably to the one or more storage requirements, sending a favorable response;

receiving at least one of the encoded data slices of the data; and

storing the at least one of the encoded data slices in accordance with the one or more storage requirements.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the favorable response further comprises one of:

the storage capabilities substantially matches the one or more storage requirements; and

the storage capabilities substantially encompasses the one or more storage requirements.

9 . The method of claim 7 further comprises:

maintaining a storage record of the at least one of the encoded data slices, wherein the record includes at least one of: the one or more storage requirements, the storage capabilities, a storage agreement, a slice name, a source name, a data object name, an integrity check value, and a storage location.

10 . The method of claim 9 further comprises:

receiving a retrieval message that includes identities of a set of encoded data slices;

determining whether an encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices is identified in the record; and

when the encoded data slice is identified in the record, sending a message that includes the encoded data slice.

11 . A dispersed storage processing module comprises:

an interface; and

a processing module operable to:

obtain data for storage;

solicit, via the interface, dispersed storage (DS) units to store encoded data slices of the data;

receive, via the interface, favorable responses from a set of DS units; and

encode the data in accordance with an error coding dispersal storage function and in accordance with the favorable responses.

12 . The dispersed storage processing module of claim 11 , wherein the processing module further functions to solicit by:

interpreting metadata;

determining the DS units based on the metadata; and

sending, via the interface, a message to each of the DS units, wherein the message includes requirements for storage.

13 . The dispersed storage processing module of claim 11 , wherein the favorable responses further comprises one of:

first storage requirements that substantially matches requirements of the soliciting; and

second storage requirements that encompasses the requirements of the soliciting.

14 . The dispersed storage processing module of claim 11 , wherein the processing module further functions to encode by:

establishing error coding dispersal storage function parameters based on the favorable responses from the set of DS units, wherein the error coding dispersal storage function parameters includes at least one of:

a segmenting protocol;

a pre-slice data manipulation function;

a forward error correction encoding function;

a slicing pillar width;

a post-slice data manipulation function;

a write threshold; and

a read threshold.

15 . The dispersed storage processing module of claim 11 , wherein the processing module further functions to solicit by:

sending, via the interface, a solicitation broadcast message to the DS units, wherein the solicitation broadcast message includes storage requirements.

16 . The dispersed storage processing module of claim 11 further functions to:

interpret metadata;

establish a slicing pillar width in accordance with the metadata;

encode the data in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function and the slicing pillar width when a number of the favorable responses is equal to or greater than the slicing pillar width; and

adjust the error coding dispersal storage function when the number of the favorable responses is less than the slicing pillar width.

17 . A dispersed storage (DS) unit comprises:

an interface;

a memory; and

a processing module operable to:

receive, via the interface, a solicitation message regarding dispersed storage of data, wherein the solicitation message includes one or more storage requirements regarding storage of encoded data slices of the data;

compare the one or more storage requirements with storage capabilities of the DS unit;

send, via the interface, a favorable response when the storage capabilities compares favorably to the one or more storage requirements;

receive, via the interface, at least one of the encoded data slices of the data; and

store, in the memory, the at least one of the encoded data slices in accordance with the one or more storage requirements.

18 . The dispersed storage unit of claim 17 , wherein the favorable response further comprises one of:

the storage capabilities substantially matches the one or more storage requirements; and

the storage capabilities substantially encompasses the one or more storage requirements.

19 . The dispersed storage unit of claim 17 further functions to:

maintain, in the memory, a storage record of the at least one of the encoded data slices, wherein the record of storage includes at least one of: the one or more storage requirements, the storage capabilities, a storage agreement, a slice name, a source name, a data object name, an integrity check value, and a storage location.

20 . The dispersed storage unit of claim 19 further functions to:

receive, via the interface, a retrieval message that includes identities of a set of encoded data slices;

determine whether an encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices is identified in the record; and

send, via the interface, a message that includes the encoded data slice when the encoded data slice is identified in the record.