HYBRID CENTRALIZED AND AUTONOMOUS DISPERSED STORAGE SYSTEM STORAGE METHOD

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

receiving a plurality of sets of encoded data slices, wherein a read threshold number of encoded data slices of a set of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is required to recover a data segment of data and wherein an individual encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices yields substantially no information regarding the data segment;

receiving metadata associated with the plurality of sets of encoded data slices;

interpreting the metadata to determine storage instructions regarding the plurality of sets of encoded data slices; and

when the storage instructions indicate daisy chain storage:

locally storing first encoded data slices of each set of encoded data slices; and

forwarding other encoded data slices of the sets of encoded data slices to at least one other DS unit.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the storage instructions indicate the daisy chain storage:

updating the metadata to produce updated metadata;

locally storing the updated metadata; and

forwarding the updated metadata to the at least one other DS unit.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein updating the metadata to produce updated metadata includes adding identification information relating to the DS unit.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the storage instructions indicate the daisy chain storage:

updating the metadata to produce updated metadata;

determining whether the DS unit is an end DS unit; and

when the DS unit is the end DS unit, forwarding the updated metadata to a DS processing module.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

when the storage instructions indicate one-to-many storage:

transmitting pillar numbered encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to corresponding ones of a plurality of DS units, wherein the plurality of DS units includes the at least one other DS unit.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

receiving a retrieval message from an initiator;

retrieving locally stored metadata in response to the retrieval message;

retrieving stored encoded data slices in accordance with the locally stored metadata;

sending the stored encoded data slices to the initiator; and

forwarding the retrieval message to the at least one other DS unit in accordance with the locally stored metadata.

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

receiving a plurality of sets of encoded data slices, wherein a read threshold number of encoded data slices of a set of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is required to recover a data segment of data and wherein an individual encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices yields substantially no information regarding the data segment;

receiving metadata associated with the plurality of sets of encoded data slices;

interpreting the metadata to determine storage instructions regarding the plurality of sets of encoded data slices;

determining whether to store locally at least a portion of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices;

upon a favorable determination to store locally at least a portion of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices, locally storing first encoded data slices of each set of encoded data slices; and

soliciting at least one other DS unit for storage of at least a portion of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein determining whether to store locally at least a portion of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is based on one or more of:

the metadata;

status of the DS unit;

memory availability of the DS unit;

historic performance information relating to the DS unit; and

a DS unit solicitation response history indicator.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein soliciting at least one other DS unit for storage of at least a portion of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices includes:

determining at least one target DS unit;

sending a solicitation message to the at least one target DS unit; and

receiving a favorable response from the at least one target DS unit.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the solicitation message includes at least one storage requirement regarding storage of the at least a portion of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein determining at least one target DS unit is based on one or more of:

the metadata;

a DS unit list;

a routing table entry;

a random selection;

geographical location relative to the DS unit; and

geographical location relative to a user device.

12 . The method of claim 9 further comprises:

upon receiving a favorable response from the at least one target DS unit:

forwarding at least a first portion of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the at least one target DS unit;

updating the metadata to produce updated metadata;

locally storing the updated metadata; and

forwarding the updated metadata to the at least one target DS unit.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein updating the metadata to produce updated metadata includes adding identification information relating to the DS unit.

14 . The method of claim 12 further comprises:

receiving a favorable response from a second target DS unit; and

forwarding at least a second portion of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the second target DS unit.

15 . The method of claim 7 further comprises:

receiving a retrieval message from an initiator;

retrieving locally stored metadata in response to the retrieval message;

retrieving stored encoded data slices in accordance with the locally stored metadata;

sending the stored encoded data slices to the initiator; and

forwarding the retrieval message to the at least one other DS unit in accordance with the locally stored metadata.

16 . A dispersed storage (DS) unit comprises:

an interface;

a memory; and

a processing module operable to:

receive, via the interface, a plurality of sets of encoded data slices, wherein a read threshold number of encoded data slices of a set of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices is required to recover a data segment of data and wherein an individual encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices yields substantially no information regarding the data segment;

receive, via the interface, metadata associated with the plurality of sets of encoded data slices;

interpret the metadata to determine storage instructions regarding the plurality of encoded data slices; and

when the storage instructions indicate daisy chain storage:

locally store, in the memory, first encoded data slices of each set of encoded data slices; and

forward, via the interface, other encoded data slices of the sets of encoded data slices to at least one other DS unit.

17 . The dispersed storage unit of claim 16 , wherein the processing module further functions to:

when the storage instructions indicate the daisy chain storage:

update the metadata to produce updated metadata;

locally store, in the memory, the updated metadata; and

forward, via the interface, the updated metadata to the at least one other DS unit.

18 . The dispersed storage unit of claim 16 , wherein the processing module further functions to:

when the storage instructions indicate the daisy chain storage:

update the metadata to produce updated metadata;

determine whether the DS unit is an end DS unit; and

forward, via the interface, the updated metadata to a DS processing module, when the DS unit is the end DS unit.

19 . The dispersed storage unit of claim 16 , wherein the processing module further functions to:

when the storage instructions indicate one-to-many storage:

transmit, via the interface, pillar numbered encoded data slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to corresponding ones of a plurality of DS units, wherein the plurality of DS units includes the at least one other DS unit.

20 . The dispersed storage unit of claim 16 , wherein the processing module further functions to:

receive, via the interface, a retrieval message from an initiator;

retrieve, from the memory, locally stored metadata in response to the retrieval message;

retrieve, from the memory, stored encoded data slices in accordance with the locally stored metadata;

send, via the interface, the stored encoded data slices to the initiator; and

forward, via the interface, the retrieval message to the at least one other DS unit in accordance with the locally stored metadata.