Tracking Data Slices Affected By Changing A Decentralized Storage Protocol

Abstract

A method for execution by a computing device includes changing a decentralized agreement protocol (DAP) of a storage network to a new DAP, where storage units of the storage network store encoded data slices. The method further includes performing, based on the changing, a DAP redistribution operation that is associated with transfer of affected ones of the encoded data slices from at least one storage unit to at least one other storage unit. The method further includes maintaining, based on the changing, at least one source name address map that includes a listing of source names in accordance with storage network addresses for the at least one storage unit. The method further includes updating the at least one source name address map based on performance of the transfer of the affected ones and storing the updated at least one source name address map in a memory of the storage network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for execution by a computing device, the method comprises:
 changing a decentralized agreement protocol (DAP) of a storage network to a new DAP, wherein storage units of the storage network store encoded data slices;   performing, based on the changing, a DAP redistribution operation, wherein the DAP redistribution operation is associated with transfer of affected ones of the encoded data slices from at least one storage unit of the storage units to at least one other storage unit of the storage units;   maintaining, based on the changing, at least one source name address map that includes a listing of source names in accordance with storage network addresses for the at least one storage unit, and wherein the source names correspond to the affected ones of the encoded data slices;   updating, based on the DAP redistribution operation, the at least one source name address map based on performance of the transfer of the affected ones of the encoded data slices from the at least one storage unit of the storage units to the at least one other storage unit of the storage units; and   storing the updated at least one source name address map in a memory of the storage network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a source name of the source names includes a vault identification. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a source name of the source names includes a data object identification. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a source name of the source names includes revision information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one source name address map further comprises:
 for each source name of the listing of source names, one or more corresponding storage network addresses.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the maintaining the at least one source name address map comprises:
 receiving, from a first storage unit of the storage network, a redistribution indication for a first source name associated with a first storage network address range of a storage network address space, wherein the first storage network address range is allocated to the first storage unit;   identifying a first source name address map of the at least one source name address map regarding the first storage unit that includes the first source name; and   updating one or more entries of the first source name address map with an indication that the first source name is affected by the DAP redistribution operation.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the updating the source name address map comprises:
 receiving, for storage in a first storage unit of the storage network, one or more encoded data slices of the affected ones as a result of the transfer, wherein the one or more encoded data slices are associated with storage network addresses that include a first source name that is within a first storage network address range of a storage network address space allocated to the first storage unit, and wherein the storage network address space includes the storage network addresses;   identifying a first source name address map of the at least one source name address map for the first storage unit that includes the first source name; and   when the one or more encoded data slices are stored in the first storage unit, removing one or more entries of the first source name address map to reflect the one or more encoded data slices associated with the first source name are no longer affected by the DAP redistribution operation.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storing the at least one source name address map comprises:
 storing a source name address map of the at least one source name address map in a storage unit of the storage network based on source names included in the source name address map being within a storage network address range assigned to the storage unit.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing is based on adding a storage unit to the storage network. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing is based on removing a storage unit from the storage network. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the changing is based on modifying storage capabilities of an existing storage unit. 
     
     
         12 . A computing device of a storage network comprises:
 an interface;   memory; and   a processing module operably coupled to the interface and to the memory, wherein the processing module is operable to:
 change a decentralized agreement protocol (DAP) of a storage network to a new DAP, wherein storage units of the storage network store encoded data slices; 
 perform, based on the changing, a DAP redistribution operation, wherein the DAP redistribution operation is associated with transfer of affected ones of the encoded data slices from at least one storage unit of the storage units to at least one other storage unit of the storage units; 
 maintain, based on the changing, at least one source name address map that includes a listing of source names in accordance with storage network addresses for the at least one storage unit, and wherein the source names correspond to the affected ones of the encoded data slices; 
 update, based on the DAP redistribution operation, the at least one source name address map based on performance of the transfer of the affected ones of the encoded data slices from the at least one storage unit of the storage units to the at least one other storage unit of the storage units; and 
 store the updated at least one source name address map in a memory of the storage network. 
   
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further operable to determine the at least one source name address map comprises:
 for each source name of the listing of source names, one or more corresponding storage network addresses.   
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further operable to perform the maintaining the at least one source name address map by:
 receiving via the interface, from a first storage unit of the storage network, a redistribution indication for a first source name associated with a first storage network address range of a storage network address space, wherein the first storage network address range is allocated to the first storage unit;   identifying a first source name address map of the at least one source name address map regarding the first storage unit that includes the first source name; and   updating one or more entries of the first source name address map with an indication that the first source name is affected by the DAP redistribution operation.   
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further operable to perform the updating the source name address map by:
 receiving via the interface, for storage in a first storage unit of the storage network, one or more encoded data slices of the affected ones as a result of the transfer, wherein the one or more encoded data slices are associated with storage network addresses that include a first source name that is within a first storage network address range of a storage network address space allocated to the first storage unit, and wherein the storage network address space includes the storage network addresses;   identifying a first source name address map of the at least one source name address map for the first storage unit that includes the first source name; and   when the one or more encoded data slices are stored in the first storage unit, removing one or more entries of the first source name address map to reflect the one or more encoded data slices associated with the first source name are no longer affected by the DAP redistribution operation.   
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further operable to perform the storing the at least one source name address map by:
 storing a source name address map of the at least one source name address map in a storage unit of the storage network based on source names included in the source name address map being within a storage network address range assigned to the storage unit.   
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further operable to determine the changing is based on adding a storage unit to the storage network. 
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further operable to determine the changing is based on removing a storage unit from the storage network. 
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further operable to determine the changing is based on modifying storage capabilities of an existing storage unit. 
     
     
         20 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further operable to determine a source name of the source names based on a vault identification and a data object identification.