MIGRATING ENCODED DATA SLICES FROM A RE-PROVISIONED MEMORY DEVICE OF A DISPERSED STORAGE NETWORK MEMORY

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

maintaining a memory assignment table for a plurality of memory devices within the storage unit, the memory assignment table includes a field for memory identifier, a field for memory allocation, and a field for memory usability status; and

utilizing the memory assignment table to perform one or more functions from a list of functions, wherein the list of functions includes:

selecting a first memory device of the plurality of memory devices to store incoming data;

determining when to decommission a second memory device of the plurality of memory devices based on memory usability status of the second memory device;

determining when to migrate data stored on a third memory device of the plurality of memory devices to another memory device of the plurality of memory devices; and

changing a storage protocol of data stored on a fourth memory device of the plurality of memory devices.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprises:

updating the memory assignment table when a new memory device is added to the plurality of memory devices.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein using the memory assignment table to select the first memory device comprises:

receiving the incoming data, which includes addressing information;

interpreting the addressing information to determine a vault identifier; and

identifying the first memory device based on the vault identifier and information contained in the field for memory allocation of the first memory device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein using the memory assignment table to change the storage protocol of data comprises:

determining that usable life of the fourth memory device for a first type of storage protocol has expired;

when the usable life of the fourth memory device for the first type of storage protocol has expired, converting the data stored on the fourth memory device from the first type of storage protocol to a second type of storage protocol to produce reformatted data; and

storing the reformatted data on one or more memory devices of the plurality of memory devices.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein using the memory assignment table to migrate data stored on a third memory device comprises:

determining a data migration scheme for migrating the data stored on the third memory device; and

migrating the data stored on the third memory device to one or more other memory devices of the plurality of memory devices in accordance with the data migration scheme.

6 . A storage unit comprises:

an interface;

a plurality of memory devices; and

a processing module, wherein the processing module is operable to:

maintain a memory assignment table for the plurality of memory devices, the memory assignment table includes a field for memory identifier, a field for memory allocation, and a field for memory usability status; and

utilize the memory assignment table to perform one or more functions from a list of functions, wherein the list of functions includes:

selecting a first memory device of the plurality of memory devices to store incoming data;

determining when to decommission a second memory device of the plurality of memory devices based on memory usability status of the second memory device;

determining when to migrate data stored on a third memory device of the plurality of memory devices to another memory device of the plurality of memory devices; and

changing a storage protocol of data stored on a fourth memory device of the plurality of memory devices.

7 . The storage unit of claim 6 , wherein the processing module is further operable to:

update the memory assignment table when a new memory device is added to the plurality of memory devices.

8 . The storage unit of claim 6 , wherein the processing module is further operable to use the memory assignment table to select the first memory device by:

receiving, via the interface, the incoming data, which includes addressing information;

interpreting the addressing information to determine a vault identifier; and

identifying the first memory device based on the vault identifier and information contained in the field for memory allocation of the first memory device.

9 . The storage unit of claim 6 , wherein the processing module is further operable to use the memory assignment table to change the storage protocol of data by:

determining that usable life of the fourth memory device for a first type of storage protocol has expired;

when the usable life of the fourth memory device for the first type of storage protocol has expired, converting the data stored on the fourth memory device from the first type of storage protocol to a second type of storage protocol to produce reformatted data; and

storing the reformatted data on one or more memory devices of the plurality of memory devices.

10 . The storage unit of claim 6 , wherein the processing module is further operable to use the memory assignment table to migrate data stored on a third memory device comprises:

determining a data migration scheme for migrating the data stored on the third memory device; and

migrating the data stored on the third memory device to one or more other memory devices of the plurality of memory devices in accordance with the data migration scheme.