Expanding information dispersal algorithm width without rebuilding through imposter slices

1. A method of accessing data in a dispersed storage network, the dispersed storage network including an initial set of dispersed storage units comprising:

at a first time, storing in each respective dispersed storage unit of the initial set of dispersed storage units a respective encoded data slice of a set of encoded data slices;

at a second time detecting an expansion of the initial set of dispersed storage units to include new dispersed storage units, the expansion resulting in an expanded set of dispersed storage units, wherein the expansion of the initial set of dispersed storage units is based on increasing an information dispersal algorithm (IDA) width;

identifying primary storage units of the expanded set of dispersed storage units; and

for each respective primary storage unit of the expanded set of dispersed storage units that is one of the new dispersed storage units, storing the respective encoded data slice of one of the respective dispersed storage units of the initial set of dispersed storage units that is not one of the primary storage units.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expansion of the initial set of dispersed storage units is based on increasing a write threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying primary storage units of the expanded set of dispersed storage units is based on a write threshold associated with the expanded set of dispersed storage units.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step of identifying primary storage units of the expanded set of dispersed storage units is based on one or more of interpreting system registration information, a storage unit performance level, an available storage capacity level, a predetermination and a random selection.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying primary storage units of the expanded set of dispersed storage units is performed by one or more of the respective dispersed storage units of the initial set of dispersed storage units that are not primary storage units.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the respective encoded data slice of the respective dispersed storage unit of the initial set of dispersed storage units that is not one of the primary storage units that is stored in the respective primary storage unit of the expanded set of dispersed storage units that is one of the new dispersed storage units is embedded with an IDA index of the respective dispersed storage unit of the initial set of the dispersed storage units that is not one of the primary storage units.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the respective encoded data slice stored in the respective primary storage unit of the expanded set of dispersed storage units that is one of the new dispersed storage units includes a slice name associated with the respective primary storage unit of the expanded set of dispersed storage units that is one of the new dispersed storage units.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersed storage network is transitioned to a trimmed writes configuration.

9. A dispersed storage processing unit for use in a dispersed storage network, the dispersed storage network including an initial set of dispersed storage units, the dispersed storage processing unit comprising:

a communications interface;

a memory; and

a processor;

wherein the memory includes a set of encoded data slices and wherein the memory further includes instructions for causing the processor to:

at a first time, store in each respective dispersed storage unit of the initial set of dispersed storage units a respective encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices;

at a second time detect an expansion of the initial set of dispersed storage units to include new dispersed storage units, the expansion resulting in an expanded set of dispersed storage units, wherein the expansion of the initial set of dispersed storage units is based on increasing a write threshold;

identify primary storage units of the expanded set of dispersed storage units; and

for each respective primary storage unit of the expanded set of dispersed storage units that is one of the new dispersed storage units, store the respective encoded data slice of one of the respective dispersed storage units of the initial set of dispersed storage units that is not one of the primary storage units.

10. The dispersed storage processing unit of claim 9 , wherein the expansion of the initial set of dispersed storage units is based on increasing an information dispersal algorithm (IDA) Width.

11. The dispersed storage processing unit of claim 9 , wherein the instructions for causing the processor to identify primary storage units of the expanded set of dispersed storage units are based on a write threshold associated with the expanded set of dispersed storage units.

12. The dispersed storage processing unit of claim 9 , wherein the instructions for causing the processor to identify primary storage units of the expanded set of dispersed storage units are based on one or more of interpreting system registration information, a storage unit performance level, an available storage capacity level, a predetermination and a random selection.

13. The dispersed storage processing unit of claim 9 , wherein the respective encoded data slice of one of the respective dispersed storage units of the initial set of dispersed storage units that is not one of the primary storage units is embedded with an IDA index of the respective dispersed storage unit of the initial set of the dispersed storage units that is not one of the primary storage units.

14. The dispersed storage processing unit of claim 13 , wherein the respective encoded data slice of one of the respective dispersed storage units of the initial set of dispersed storage units that is not one of the primary storage units includes a slice name associated with the respective primary storage unit of the expanded set of dispersed storage units that is one of the new dispersed storage units.

15. The dispersed storage processing unit of claim 9 , wherein the dispersed storage network utilizes a trimmed writes configuration.

16. A dispersed storage network comprising:

an initial set of dispersed storage units; and

a dispersed storage processing unit, the dispersed storage processing unit including:

a first communications interface;

a first memory; and

a first processor;

wherein the first memory includes a set of encoded data slices and wherein the first memory further includes instructions for causing the first processor to:

at a first time, store in each respective dispersed storage unit of the initial set of dispersed storage units a respective encoded data slice of the set of encoded data slices;

at a second time detect an expansion of the initial set of dispersed storage units to include new dispersed storage units, the expansion resulting in an expanded set of dispersed storage units; and

for each respective primary storage unit of the expanded set of dispersed storage units that is one of the new dispersed storage units, store the respective encoded data slice of one of the respective dispersed storage units of the initial set of dispersed storage units that is not one of the primary storage units;

wherein one or more of the dispersed storage units of the initial set of dispersed storage units include:

a second communications interface;

a second memory; and

a second processor; and

wherein the second memory includes instructions for causing the second processor to identify primary storage units of the expanded set of dispersed storage units based on a write threshold associated with the expanded set of dispersed storage units.

17. The dispersed storage network of claim 16 , wherein the dispersed storage network utilizes a trimmed writes configuration.