Sending a zero information gain formatted encoded data slice

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

determining, by the computing device, whether to send an encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices or to send the encoded data slice in accordance with a zero information gain (ZIG) format, wherein data is encoded using a dispersed storage error coding function to produce the set of encoded data slices, and wherein the data can be recreated from a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices, the decode threshold number of encoded data slices being less than a number of slices in the set of encoded data slices;

when the encoded data slice is to be sent in accordance with the ZIG format:

selecting a subset of the set of encoded data slices, in which the subset of the set of encoded data slices having less than the decode threshold number of encoded data slices and the subset not including the encoded data slice;

selecting one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice, in which the one or more partial encoding associates the encoded data slice with one or more of other encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices, but does not include the encoded data slice; and

generating one or more ZIG encoded data slices based on a ZIG function and the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice, wherein the one or more ZIG encoded data slices represent recovery information of the encoded data slice; and

outputting the subset of the encoded data slices and the one or more ZIG encoded data slices.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether to send the encoded data slice in the ZIG format comprises at least one of:

receiving an error message with regards to a previous transmission of the encoded data slice;

determining that the encoded data slice is of a first priority type;

receiving a request for transmission of the encoded data slice; and

determining that a slice name associated with the encoded data slice is on a list.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting of the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice comprises:

selecting one or more encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices to fulfill the decode threshold number of encoded data slices requirement for recreating the data, wherein the selecting the one or more encoded data slices includes at least one of:

selecting the one or more encoded data slices to include encoded error code blocks; and

selecting one or more encoded data slices to include encoded data blocks.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating a ZIG encoded data slice of the one or more ZIG encoded data slices comprises:

generating a decoding matrix for the encoded data slice based on an encoding matrix of the dispersed storage error coding function; and

generating the ZIG encoded data slice by:

encoding a first encoded data slice of the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice using the decoding matrix to produce a vector; and

encoding the vector by a row of the decoding matrix corresponding to the encoded data slice to produce the ZIG encoded data slice.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the generating the decoding matrix comprises:

reducing the encoding matrix to produce a square matrix based on the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice; and

inverting the square matrix to produce the decoding matrix.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating a ZIG encoded data slice of the one or more ZIG encoded data slices comprises:

generating a decoding matrix for the encoded data slice based on an encoding matrix of the dispersed storage error coding function; and

generating the ZIG encoded data slice by:

generating a first initial ZIG encoded data slice based on the decoding matrix and on a first encoded data slice of the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice;

generating a second initial ZIG encoded data slice based on the decoding matrix and on a second encoded data slice of the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice; and

combining the first and second initial ZIG encoded data slices to produce the ZIG encoded data slice.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outputting the one or more ZIG encoded data slices comprises at least one of:

outputting a first one of the ZIG encoded data slices on a first path and outputting a second one of the ZIG encoded data slices on a second path;

outputting to a receiving entity in support of a communication with the receiving entity;

outputting to a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory for storage therein; and

outputting to at least one intermediary device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outputting further comprises:

prior to outputting the one or more ZIG encoded data slices, obfuscating at least one ZIG encoded data slice utilizing an obfuscation function.

9. A dispersed storage (DS) module comprises:

a first module, when operable within a computing device, causes the computing device to:

determine whether to send an encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices or to send the encoded data slice in accordance with a zero information gain (ZIG) format, wherein data is encoded using a dispersed storage error coding function to produce the set of encoded data slices, and wherein the data can be recreated from a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices, the decode threshold number of encoded data slices being less than a number of slices in the set of encoded data slices;

a second module, when operable within the computing device and when the encoded data slice is to be sent in accordance with the ZIG format, causes the computing device to:

select a subset of the set of encoded data slices, in which the subset of the set of encoded data slices having less than the decode threshold number of encoded data slices and the subset not including the encoded data slice

select one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice, in which the one or more partial encoding associates the encoded data slice with one or more of other encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices, but does not include the encoded data slice; and

generate one or more ZIG encoded data slices based on a ZIG function and the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice, wherein the one or more ZIG encoded data slices represent recovery information of the encoded data slice; and

a third module, when operable within the computing device, causes the computing device to:

output the subset of the set of encoded data slices and the one or more ZIG encoded data slices.

10. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the first module functions to determine whether to send the encoded data slice in the ZIG format by at least one of:

receiving an error message with regards to a previous transmission of the encoded data slice;

determining that the encoded data slice is of a first priority type;

receiving a request for transmission of the encoded data slice; and

determining that a slice name associated with the encoded data slice is on a list.

11. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the second module functions to select the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice by:

selecting one or more encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices to fulfill the decode threshold number of encoded data slices requirement for recreating the data, wherein the selecting the one or more encoded data slices includes at least one of:

selecting the one or more encoded data slices to include encoded error code blocks; and

selecting one or more encoded data slices to include encoded data blocks.

12. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the second module functions to generate a ZIG encoded data slice of the one or more ZIG encoded data slices by:

generating a decoding matrix for the encoded data slice based on an encoding matrix of the dispersed storage error coding function; and

generating the ZIG encoded data slice by:

encoding a first encoded data slice of the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice using the decoding matrix to produce a vector; and

encoding the vector by a row of the decoding matrix corresponding to the encoded data slice to produce the ZIG encoded data slice.

13. The DS module of claim 12 , wherein the second module functions to generate the decoding matrix by:

reducing the encoding matrix to produce a square matrix based on the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice; and

inverting the square matrix to produce the decoding matrix.

14. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the second module functions to generate a ZIG encoded data slice of the one or more ZIG encoded data slices by:

generating a decoding matrix for the encoded data slice based on an encoding matrix of the dispersed storage error coding function; and

generating the ZIG encoded data slice by:

generating a first initial ZIG encoded data slice based on the decoding matrix and on a first encoded data slice of the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice;

generating a second initial ZIG encoded data slice based on the decoding matrix and on a second encoded data slice of the one or more partial encoding of the encoded data slice; and

combining the first and second initial ZIG encoded data slices to produce the ZIG encoded data slice.

15. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the third module functions to output the one or more ZIG encoded data slices by at least one of:

outputting a first one of the ZIG encoded data slices on a first path and outputting a second one of the ZIG encoded data slices on a second path;

outputting to a receiving entity in support of a communication with the receiving entity;

outputting to a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory for storage therein; and

outputting to at least one intermediary device.

16. The DS module of claim 9 , wherein the third module further functions to output by:

prior to outputting the one or more ZIG encoded data slices, obfuscating at least one ZIG encoded data slice utilizing an obfuscation function.