Efficient Storage of a Data Object in a Storage Network

1 . A method for execution by one or more processing modules of a storage network, the method comprising:

receiving a store data request including a data object and a data identifier;

generating a source name for the data object;

determining whether the data object is already stored in memory of the storage network; and

in response to determining that the data object is already stored in the memory of the storage network:

identifying location information for the data object;

storing the location information using the source name; and

updating metadata for the data object to indicate that an additional copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the data object is not already stored in the memory of the storage network:

storing the data object in the memory of the storage network using the source name; and

establishing metadata for the data object, the metadata indicating that one copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request to delete the data object; and

updating the metadata to indicate that one less copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the request to delete the data object includes a second data identifier, the method further comprising:

regenerating a corresponding source name for the data object based on the second data identifier;

determining that the corresponding source name corresponds to a link-object; and

deleting the link-object.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request to delete the data object;

regenerating a corresponding source name for the data object;

retrieving the metadata for the data object;

determining, based on the metadata, that one copy of the data object is currently stored in the memory of the storage network; and

deleting the data object and the metadata for the data object from the memory of the storage network.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein updating metadata for the data object to indicate that an additional copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network includes:

retrieving the metadata;

incrementing a copy count of the metadata by one to produce updated metadata; and

storing the updated metadata in the memory of the storage network.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein storing the updated metadata in the memory of the storage network includes:

encoding the updated metadata to produce a set of encoded data slices; and

facilitating storage of the set of encoded data slices in the memory of the storage network.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the data object is already stored in memory of the storage network includes:

generating a data tag for the data object; and

comparing the data tag to a list of data tags for stored data objects.

9 . A computing device, comprising:

at least one interface;

memory that stores operational instructions; and

a processing module operably coupled to the memory, wherein the processing module is configured to execute the operational instructions to:

receive, via the at least one interface, a store data request including a data object and a data identifier;

generate a source name for the data object;

determine whether the data object is already stored in memory of a storage network; and

in response to determining that the data object is already stored in the memory of the storage network:

identify location information for the data object;

store the location information using the source name; and

update metadata for the data object to indicate that an additional copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network.

10 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further configured to execute the operational instructions to:

in response to determining that the data object is not already stored in the memory of the storage network:

store the data object in the memory of the storage network using the source name; and

establish metadata for the data object, the metadata indicating that one copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network.

11 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further configured to execute the operational instructions to:

receive, via the at least one interface, a request to delete the data object; and

update the metadata to indicate that one less copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network.

12 . The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the request to delete the data object includes a second data identifier, and wherein the processing module is further configured to execute the operational instructions to:

regenerate a corresponding source name for the data object based on the second data identifier;

determine that the corresponding source name corresponds to a link-object; and

delete the link-object.

13 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processing module is further configured to execute the operational instructions to:

receive, via the at least one interface, a request to delete the data object;

regenerate a corresponding source name for the data object;

retrieve the metadata for the data object;

determine, based on the metadata, that one copy of the data object is currently stored in the memory of the storage network; and

delete the data object and the metadata for the data object from the memory of the storage network.

14 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein updating metadata for the data object to indicate that an additional copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network includes:

retrieving the metadata;

incrementing a copy count of the metadata by one to produce updated metadata; and

storing the updated metadata in the memory of the storage network.

15 . The computing device of claim 14 , wherein storing the updated metadata in the memory of the storage network includes:

encoding the updated metadata to produce a set of encoded data slices; and

facilitating, via the at least one interface, storage of the set of encoded data slices in the memory of the storage network.

16 . The computing device of claim 9 , wherein determining whether the data object is already stored in memory of the storage network includes:

generating a data tag for the data object; and

comparing the data tag to a list of data tags for stored data objects.

17 . A computer readable storage medium, comprising:

at least one memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by one or more processing modules of a computing device of a storage network, cause the computing device to:

receive a store data request including a data object and a data identifier;

generate a source name for the data object;

determine whether the data object is already stored in memory of the storage network; and

in response to determining that the data object is already stored in the memory of the storage network:

identify location information for the data object;

store the location information using the source name; and

update metadata for the data object to indicate that an additional copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network.

18 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the operational instructions further cause the computing device to:

in response to determining that the data object is not already stored in the memory of the storage network:

store the data object in the memory of the storage network using the source name; and

establish metadata for the data object, the metadata indicating that one copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network.

19 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the operational instructions further cause the computing device to:

receive a request to delete the data object; and

update the metadata to indicate that one less copy of the data object is stored in the memory of the storage network.

20 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the request to delete the data object includes a second data identifier, and wherein the operational instructions further cause the computing device to:

regenerate a corresponding source name for the data object based on the second data identifier;

determine that the corresponding source name corresponds to a link-object; and

delete the link-object.