User customizable data processing plan in a dispersed storage network

Abstract

A method includes obtaining, by a user computing device of a dispersed storage network (DSN), a DSN access request and determining a custom data processing plan for the DSN access request. The method further includes identifying two or more dispersed storage (DS) processing units of the DSN as candidates to process the DSN access request. The method further includes determining DS processing capabilities of each of the two or more DS processing units and selecting a DS processing unit to process the DSN access request based on a favorable comparison of the DS processing capabilities and the custom data processing plan. The method further includes selecting DS processing options of the DS processing unit to process the DSN access request according to the custom data processing plan, and sending the DSN access request and selection of the one or more DS processing options to the DS processing unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprises:
 obtaining, by a user computing device of a plurality of user computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), a DSN access request;   determining, by the user computing device, a custom data processing plan to process the DSN access request;   identifying, by the user computing device, two or more dispersed storage (DS) processing units of a plurality of DS processing units of the DSN as possible candidates to process the DSN access request;   determining, by the user computing device, DS processing capabilities of each of the two or more DS processing units;   selecting, by the user computing device, a DS processing unit of the two or more DS processing units to process the DSN access request based on a favorable comparison of the DS processing capabilities of the DS processing unit and the custom data processing plan;   selecting, by the user computing device, one or more DS processing options of the DS processing unit to process the DSN access request according to the custom data processing plan; and   sending, by the user computing device, the DSN access request and selection of the one or more DS processing options to the DS processing unit, wherein the DS processing unit processes the DSN access request in accordance with the one or more DS processing options.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the custom data processing plan includes one or more of:
 selecting, by the user computing device, dispersed storage error encoding parameters for storing data of the DSN access request in accordance with a desired level of security requirement;   selecting, by the user computing device, the dispersed storage error encoding parameters for storing the data of the DSN access request in accordance with a desired level of performance requirement; and   selecting, by the user computing device, the dispersed storage error encoding parameters for storing the data of the DSN access request in accordance with a desired level of access requirement.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying the two or more DS processing units comprises one or more of:
 accessing, by the user computing device, a virtual DSN table that includes, for the plurality of DS processing units, information regarding availability and one or more of: a data type, a data size, a DSN access request processing type, a security indicator, a performance indicator, and a status indicator;   receiving, by the user computing device, a command identifying the two or more DS processing units;   performing, by the user computing device, a lookup of available DS processing units of the plurality of DS processing units;   identifying, by user computing device, a predetermined two or more DS processing units as the two or more DS processing units; and   receiving, by the user computing device, messages from DS processing units of the plurality of DS processing units in response to a query-response protocol to obtain the information.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the identifying the two or more DS processing units further comprises:
 when the information is obtained, correlating, by the user computing device, the information regarding the one or more of: the data type, the data size, the security indicator, the performance indicator, and the status indicator with the custom data processing plan; and   identifying, by the user computing device, DS processing units having information that correlates with the custom data processing plan as the two or more DS processing units.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DS processing capabilities include one or more of:
 current capacity;   current loading;   uptime history;   performance history;   data types supported;   data types not supported;   DSN access requests supported;   security restrictions; and   encryption algorithms supported.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the DS processing options include one or more of:
 compression type;   encryption type;   encoding function type; and   rebuilding options.   
     
     
         7 . A user computing device of a plurality of user computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the user computing device comprises:
 an interface;   memory; and   a processing module operably coupled to the memory and the interface, wherein the processing module is operable to:
 obtain a DSN access request; 
 determine a custom data processing plan to process the DSN access request; 
 identify two or more dispersed storage (DS) processing units of a plurality of DS processing units of the DSN as possible candidates to process the DSN access request; 
 determining, by the user computing device, DS processing capabilities of each of the two or more DS processing units; 
 select a DS processing unit of the two or more DS processing units to process the DSN access request based on a favorable comparison of the DS processing capabilities of the DS processing unit and the custom data processing plan; 
 select one or more DS processing options of the DS processing unit to process the DSN access request according to the custom data processing plan; and 
 send the DSN access request and selection of the one or more DS processing options to the DS processing unit, wherein the DS processing unit processes the DSN access request in accordance with the one or more DS processing options. 
   
     
     
         8 . The user computing device of  claim 7 , wherein the processing module is operable to determine the custom data processing plan by one or more of:
 selecting dispersed storage error encoding parameters for storing data of the DSN access request in accordance with a desired level of security requirement;   selecting the dispersed storage error encoding parameters for storing the data of the DSN access request in accordance with a desired level of performance requirement; and   selecting the dispersed storage error encoding parameters for storing the data of the DSN access request in accordance with a desired level of access requirement.   
     
     
         9 . The user computing device  claim 7 , wherein the processing module is operable to identify the two or more DS processing units by one or more of:
 accessing a virtual DSN table that includes, for the plurality of DS processing units, information regarding availability and one or more of: a data type, a data size, a DSN access request processing type, a security indicator, a performance indicator, and a status indicator;   receiving a command identifying the two or more DS processing units;   performing a lookup of available DS processing units of the plurality of DS processing units;   identifying a predetermined two or more DS processing units as the two or more DS processing units; and   receiving messages from DS processing units of the plurality of DS processing units in response to a query-response protocol to obtain the information.   
     
     
         10 . The user computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing module is operable to further identify the two or more DS processing units by:
 when the information is obtained, correlating the information regarding the one or more of: the data type, the data size, the security indicator, the performance indicator, and the status indicator with the custom data processing plan; and   identifying DS processing units having information that correlates with the custom data processing plan as the two or more DS processing units.   
     
     
         11 . The user computing device of  claim 7 , wherein the DS processing capabilities include one or more of:
 current capacity;   current loading;   uptime history;   performance history;   data types supported;   data types not supported;   DSN access requests supported;   security restrictions; and   encryption algorithms supported.   
     
     
         12 . The user computing device of  claim 7 , wherein the DS processing options include one or more of:
 compression type;   encryption type;   encoding function type; and   rebuilding options.   
     
     
         13 . A computer readable memory comprises:
 a first memory element that stores operational instructions that, when executed by a user computing device of a plurality of user computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), causes the user computing device to:
 obtain a DSN access request; 
 determine a custom data processing plan to process the DSN access request; 
 identify two or more dispersed storage (DS) processing units of a plurality of DS processing units of the DSN as possible candidates to process the DSN access request; 
 determining, by the user computing device, DS processing capabilities of each of the two or more DS processing units; 
 select a DS processing unit of the two or more DS processing units to process the DSN access request based on a favorable comparison of the DS processing capabilities of the DS processing unit and the custom data processing plan; 
 select one or more DS processing options of the DS processing unit to process the DSN access request according to the custom data processing plan; and 
 send the DSN access request and selection of the one or more DS processing options to the DS processing unit, wherein the DS processing unit processes the DSN access request in accordance with the one or more DS processing options. 
   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable memory of  claim 13 , wherein the first memory element further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the user computing device, causes the user computing device to determine the custom data processing plan by one or more of:
 selecting dispersed storage error encoding parameters for storing data of the DSN access request in accordance with a desired level of security requirement;   selecting the dispersed storage error encoding parameters for storing the data of the DSN access request in accordance with a desired level of performance requirement; and   selecting the dispersed storage error encoding parameters for storing the data of the DSN access request in accordance with a desired level of access requirement.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable memory of  claim 13 , wherein the first memory element further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the user computing device, causes the user computing device to identify the two or more DS processing units by one or more of:
 accessing a virtual DSN table that includes, for the plurality of DS processing units, information regarding availability and one or more of: a data type, a data size, a DSN access request processing type, a security indicator, a performance indicator, and a status indicator;   receiving a command identifying the two or more DS processing units;   performing a lookup of available DS processing units of the plurality of DS processing units;   identifying a predetermined two or more DS processing units as the two or more DS processing units; and   receiving messages from DS processing units of the plurality of DS processing units in response to a query-response protocol to obtain the information.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable memory of  claim 15 , wherein the first memory element further stores operational instructions that, when executed by the user computing device, causes the user computing device to further identify the two or more DS processing units by one or more of:
 when the information is obtained, correlating the information regarding the one or more of: the data type, the data size, the security indicator, the performance indicator, and the status indicator with the custom data processing plan; and   identifying DS processing units having information that correlates with the custom data processing plan as the two or more DS processing units.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable memory of  claim 13 , wherein the DS processing capabilities include one or more of:
 current capacity;   current loading;   uptime history;   performance history;   data types supported;   data types not supported;   DSN access requests supported;   security restrictions; and   encryption algorithms supported.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable memory of  claim 13 , wherein the DS processing options include one or more of:
 compression type;   encryption type;   encoding function type; and   rebuilding options.