Data availability in vast network in event of memory device failure

1. A method for use in a distributed storage network including a distributed storage network (DSN) memory, the DSN memory including a plurality of storage units, the method comprising:

determining storage parameters associated with error-encoded data slices generated from data to be stored in the DSN memory, wherein the storage parameters include information indicating a read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices required to recover the data; and

distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices among the plurality of storage units, wherein distributedly storing includes limiting a number of the error-encoded data slices stored in each storage unit to a number that will leave at least the read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices stored in remaining storage units in the event of a failure of any individual storage unit.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying failure potentials associated with the plurality of storage units; and

distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices in the plurality of storage units based on the failure potentials.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

identifying the failure potentials includes determining failure rates associated with the plurality of storage units; and

distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices in the plurality of storage units includes storing the error-encoded data slices in the plurality of storage units based on the failure potentials.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining storage capacities of the plurality of storage units; and

distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices in plurality of storage units based on the storage capacity associated with the plurality of storage units.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining performance levels associated with the plurality of storage units.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

selecting a number of storage units for storing error-encoded data slices based, at least in part, on the performance levels associated with the plurality of storage units.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the storage parameters include:

a write-threshold number of error-encoded data slices corresponding to a minimum number of storage units used to store the error-encoded data slices, wherein the write-threshold number of error-encoded data slices is greater than or equal to the read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices.

8. A method for use in a distributed storage network including storage units, the method comprising:

determining first storage parameters associated with error-encoded data slices generated from data to be stored in the distributed storage network, wherein the storage parameters include information indicating a read-threshold number of the error-encoded data slices required to recover the data;

determining second storage parameters associated with storage units included in the distributed storage network, wherein the storage units include memory devices configured to store one or more error-encoded data slices of the read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices;

identifying, based on the first storage parameters and the second storage parameters, selected storage units to be used for storing the one or more error-encoded data slices; and

distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices among the selected storage units, wherein distributedly storing includes limiting a number of the error-encoded data slices stored in each storage unit to a number that will leave at least the read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices stored in remaining selected storage units in the event of a failure of any individual selected storage unit.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

determining the second storage parameters includes identifying failure potentials associated with the storage units; and

distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices includes storing the error-encoded data slices in the selected storage units based on the failure potentials.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein identifying the failure potentials includes:

determining failure rates associated with the storage units; and

distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices includes storing the error-encoded data slices in the selected storage units based on the failure rates.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

determining the second storage parameters includes determining storage capacities of the storage units; and

distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices includes storing the error-encoded data slices in selected storage units based on the storage capacities.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

determining the second storage parameters includes determining performance levels associated with the storage units; and

distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices includes storing the error-encoded data slices in the selected storage units based on the performance levels.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

selecting a number of the storage units for storing error-encoded data slices based, at least in part, on the performance levels associated with the storage units.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first storage parameters include:

a write-threshold number of error-encoded data slices corresponding to a minimum number of the storage units used to store the error-encoded data slices, wherein the write-threshold is greater than or equal to the read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices.

15. A distributed storage network comprising:

at least one processor configured to determine storage parameters associated with error-encoded data slices generated from data to be stored in the distributed storage network, wherein the storage parameters include information indicating a read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices required to recover the data;

storage units including memory devices configured to store one or more error-encoded data slices of the read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices; and

the at least one processor further configured to distributedly store the error-encoded data slices among the storage units, wherein distributedly storing includes limiting a number of the error-encoded data slices stored in each storage unit to a number that will leave at least the read-threshold number of error-encoded data slices stored in remaining storage units in the event of a failure of any individual storage unit.

16. The distributed storage network of claim 15 , wherein:

the at least one processor is further configured to:

identify potential memory device failures; and

distributedly storing the error-encoded data slices in the storage units based on any identified potential memory device failures.

17. The distributed storage network of claim 16 , wherein:

the at least one processor is further configured to identify the potential memory device failures based, at least in part, on a failure rate associated with the storage unit.

18. The distributed storage network of claim 15 , wherein:

the at least one processor is further configured to determine storage unit capacities.

19. The distributed storage network of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine performance levels associated with the storage units.

20. The distributed storage network of claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

select a number of the storage units to use for storing the error-encoded data slices based on the storage parameters associated with the storage unit.