Selecting storage facilities and dispersal parameters in a dispersed storage network

1. A method comprises:

receiving a data storage request that includes metadata and data;

determining a base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters based on the metadata;

identifying candidate dispersed storage (DS) units based on dispersed error coding storage capabilities compatible with the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters;

selecting DS units of the candidate DS units based on the metadata and on dispersed error coding storage performance characteristics being comparable to a desired dispersed error coding storage performance level to produce selected DS units;

dispersed storage error encoding the data in accordance with at least a representation of the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce a set of encoded data slices; and

sending the set of encoded data slices to the selected DS units for storage therein.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metadata includes at least one of:

a requester identifier (ID) of a requesting device;

a data ID;

a data type;

a data size;

a storage requirement;

identity of the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters;

a performance indicator;

a security indicator; and

a priority indicator.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

obtaining error coding storage capabilities of the selected DS units; and

determining a set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters based on the error coding storage capabilities of the selected DS units and the metadata to provide the representation of the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters comprises at least one of:

selecting a slicing pillar width and read threshold pair from a plurality of slicing pillar width and read threshold pairings based on a performance indicator;

selecting an encryption method from a plurality of encryption methods based on a security indicator;

selecting an encryption key based on a requester identifier (ID) of a requesting device; and

selecting an error coding method from a plurality of error coding methods based on a data type.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

saving a record including the at least the representation of the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters and identifiers of the selected DS units.

6. A computer comprises:

an interface; and

a processing module operable to:

receive, via the interface, a data storage request that includes metadata and data;

determine a base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters based on the metadata;

identify candidate dispersed storage (DS) units based on dispersed error coding storage capabilities compatible with the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters;

select DS units of the candidate DS units based on the metadata and on dispersed error coding storage performance characteristics being comparable to a desired dispersed error coding storage performance level to produce selected DS units;

dispersed storage error encode the data in accordance with at least a representation of the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce a set of encoded data slices; and

send, via the interface, the set of encoded data slices to the selected DS units for storage therein.

7. The computer of claim 6 , wherein the metadata includes at least one of:

a requester identifier (ID) of a requesting device;

a data ID;

a data type;

a data size;

a storage requirement;

identity of the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters;

a performance indicator;

a security indicator; and

a priority indicator.

8. The computer of claim 6 , wherein the processing module further functions to:

obtain error coding storage capabilities of the selected DS units; and

determine a set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters based on the error coding storage capabilities of the selected DS units and the metadata to provide the representation of the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters.

9. The computer of claim 6 , wherein the processing module further functions to determine the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters by at least one of:

selecting a slicing pillar width and read threshold pair from a plurality of slicing pillar width and read threshold pairings based on a performance indicator;

selecting an encryption method from a plurality of encryption methods based on a security indicator;

selecting an encryption key based on a requester identifier (ID) of a requesting device; and

selecting an error coding method from a plurality of error coding methods based on a data type.

10. The computer of claim 6 , wherein the processing module further functions to:

save a record including the at least the representation of the base-line set of error coding dispersal storage function parameters and identifiers of the selected DS units.