Directory file system in a dispersed storage network

1. A method for execution by a computing device, the method comprises:

determining a root directory dispersed storage network (DSN) address of a root directory regarding a request to read data;

retrieving, based on the root directory DSN address, a set of encoded root directory slices from a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory, wherein the set of encoded root directory slices corresponds to a data identifier (ID) of the data;

dispersed storage error decoding the set of encoded root directory slices to reproduce a root directory;

when a filename corresponding to the data ID is not stored in the root directory, entering a processing sequence that includes:

extracting a current intermediate directory DSN address from a preceding directory;

retrieving a set of encoded current intermediate directory slices from the DSN memory based on the current intermediate directory DSN address;

dispersed storage error decoding the set of encoded current intermediate directory slices to reproduce a current intermediate directory;

when the filename is not stored in the current intermediate directory, repeating the processing sequence for a next current intermediate directory DSN address; and

when the filename is stored in the current intermediate directory, extracting a data DSN address and exiting the processing sequence;

retrieving a set of encoded data slices from the DSN memory based on a data DSN address, the set of encoded data slices including a plurality of subsets of encoded data slices, each of the plurality of subsets of encoded data slices corresponding to a data segment of a plurality of data segments of the data, a number of encoded data slices within each of the subsets of encoded data slices corresponding to a number of pillars for each of the plurality of data segments, the number of pillars for each of the plurality of data segments being constant for a vault associated with a user of the data; and

dispersed storage error decoding the set of encoded data slices to reproduce the data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the filename is stored in the root directory, extracting the data DSN address from the root directory.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data ID comprises at least one of:

the filename;

a directory name;

a path; and

a block number.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieving the set of encoded root directory slices comprises:

determining a root directory DSN address based on at least one of:

a predetermination;

a user ID;

a user vault lookup based on the user ID; and

the data ID; and

retrieving the set of encoded root directory slices from the DSN memory based on the root directory DSN address.

5. The method claim 1 , wherein the current intermediate directory DSN address comprises at least one of:

a source name; and

at least one slice name.

6. The method claim 1 , wherein each of the root directory and the current intermediate directory comprises at least one of:

a filename;

a path;

a size indicator; and

a DSN address.

7. A method for execution by a computing device, the method comprises:

receiving a data storage request, wherein the data storage request includes data and a data identifier (ID);

dispersed storage error encoding the data to produce a set of encoded data slices, the set of encoded data slices including a plurality of subsets of encoded data slices, each of the plurality of subsets of encoded data slices corresponding to a data segment of a plurality of data segments of the data, a number of encoded data slices within each of the subsets of encoded data slices corresponding to a number of pillars for each of the plurality of data segments, the number of pillars for each of the plurality of data segments being constant for a vault associated with a user of the data;

determining a data dispersed storage network (DSN) address based on the data ID;

sending the set of encoded data slices to a DSN memory for storage at the data DSN address;

updating a directory file with path information corresponding to the data ID and the data DSN address to produce an updated directory file;

dispersed storage error encoding the updated directory file to produce a set of encoded updated directory slices; and

sending the set of encoded updated directory slices to the DSN memory for storage at a directory DSN address.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the updating the directory file further comprises:

determining whether the directory file is stored in the DSN memory;

when the directory file is stored in the DSN memory:

retrieving a set of encoded directory slices from the DSN memory based on the directory DSN address; and

dispersed storage error decoding the set of encoded directory slices to reproduce the directory file; and

when the directory file is not stored in the DSN memory:

creating the directory file to include at least one of a filename field, a path field, a size indicator field, and a DSN address field.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the updating the directory file further comprises:

obtaining a parent directory;

updating the parent directory with the directory DSN address and at least a portion of the data ID to produce an updated parent directory;

dispersed storage error encoding the updated parent directory to produce a set of encoded updated parent directory slices; and

sending the set of encoded updated parent directory slices to the DSN memory for storage at a parent directory DSN address.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the data DSN address comprises at least one of:

a source name; and

at least one slice name.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the directory file comprises:

one or more directories, wherein a directory of the one or more directories includes at least one of a filename, a path, a size indicator, and a DSN address.

12. A computer comprises:

an interface; and

a processing module operable to:

determine a root directory dispersed storage network (DSN) address of a root directory regarding a request to read data;

retrieve, via the interface and based on the root directory DSN address, a set of encoded root directory slices from a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory, wherein the set of encoded root directory slices corresponds to a data identifier (ID) of the data;

dispersed storage error decode the set of encoded root directory slices to reproduce a root directory;

when a filename corresponding to the data ID is not stored in the root directory, enter a processing sequence that includes:

extracting a current intermediate directory DSN address from a preceding directory;

retrieving, via the interface, a set of encoded current intermediate directory slices from the DSN memory based on the current intermediate directory DSN address;

dispersed storage error decoding the set of encoded current intermediate directory slices to reproduce a current intermediate directory;

when the filename is not stored in the current intermediate directory, repeating the processing sequence for a next current intermediate directory DSN address; and

when the filename is stored in the current intermediate directory, extracting a data DSN address and exiting the processing sequence;

retrieve, via the interface, a set of encoded data slices from the DSN memory based on a data DSN address, the set of encoded data slices including a plurality of subsets of encoded data slices, each of the plurality of subsets of encoded data slices corresponding to a data segment of a plurality of data segments of the data, a number of encoded data slices within each of the subsets of encoded data slices corresponding to a number of pillars for each of the plurality of data segments, the number of pillars for each of the plurality of data segments being constant for a vault associated with a user of the data; and

dispersed storage error decoding the set of encoded data slices to reproduce the data.

13. The computer of claim 12 , wherein the processing module further functions to:

extract the data DSN address from the root directory when the filename is stored in the root directory.

14. The computer of claim 12 , wherein the data ID comprises at least one of:

the filename;

a directory name;

a path; and

a block number.

15. The computer of claim 12 , wherein the processing module further functions to retrieve the set of encoded root directory slices by:

determining a root directory DSN address based on at least one of:

a predetermination;

a user ID;

a user vault lookup based on the user ID; and

the data ID; and

retrieving, via the interface, the set of encoded root directory slices from the DSN memory based on the root directory DSN address.

16. The computer claim 12 , wherein the current intermediate directory DSN address comprises at least one of:

a source name; and

at least one slice name.

17. The computer claim 12 , wherein each of the root directory and the current intermediate directory comprises at least one of:

a filename;

a path;

a size indicator; and

a DSN address.

18. A computer comprises:

an interface; and

a processing module operable to:

receive, via the interface, a data storage request, wherein the data storage request includes data and a data identifier (ID);

dispersed storage error encode the data to produce a set of encoded data slices, the set of encoded data slices including a plurality of subsets of encoded data slices, each of the plurality of subsets of encoded data slices corresponding to a data segment of a plurality of data segments of the data, a number of encoded data slices within each of the subsets of encoded data slices corresponding to a number of pillars for each of the plurality of data segments, the number of pillars for each of the plurality of data segments being constant for a vault associated with a user of the data;

determine a data dispersed storage network (DSN) address based on the data ID;

send, via the interface, the set of encoded data slices to a DSN memory for storage at the data DSN address;

update a directory file with path information corresponding to the data ID and the data DSN address to produce an updated directory file;

dispersed storage error encode the updated directory file to produce a set of encoded updated directory slices; and

send, via the interface, the set of encoded updated directory slices to the DSN memory for storage at a directory DSN address.

19. The computer of claim 18 , wherein the processing module further functions to update the directory file by:

determining whether the directory file is stored in the DSN memory;

when the directory file is stored in the DSN memory:

retrieving, via the interface, a set of encoded directory slices from the DSN memory based on the directory DSN address; and

dispersed storage error decoding the set of encoded directory slices to reproduce the directory file; and

when the directory file is not stored in the DSN memory:

creating the directory file to include at least one of a filename field, a path field, a size indicator field, and a DSN address field.

20. The computer of claim 18 , wherein the processing module further functions to update the directory file by:

obtaining a parent directory;

updating the parent directory with the directory DSN address and at least a portion of the data ID to produce an updated parent directory;

dispersed storage error encoding the updated parent directory to produce a set of encoded updated parent directory slices; and

sending, via the interface, the set of encoded updated parent directory slices to the DSN memory for storage at a parent directory DSN address.

21. The computer of claim 18 , wherein the data DSN address comprises at least one of:

a source name; and

at least one slice name.

22. The computer of claim 18 , wherein the directory file comprises:

one or more directories, wherein a directory of the one or more directories includes at least one of a filename, a path, a size indicator, and a DSN address.