Batching updates in a dispersed storage network

A processing system of a dispersed storage and task (DST) processing unit comprises:

• at least one processor;
• a memory that stores operational instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the processing system to:
• for each one update operation of a plurality of update operations, create a new batch update containing the one update operation, wherein the update operations include updating content of data stored by a plurality of storage units;
• evaluate the one update operation in an empty transaction context to generate cached values;
• determine one of:
• a subset of the plurality of update operations associated with at least one existing waiting batches in a queue of waiting batches overlaps with the new batch, a subset of the plurality of update operations associated with at least one existing running batch overlap with the new batch, or operations of any existing waiting batches do not overlap with the new batch and operations of any existing running batches do not overlap with the new batch;
• when it is determined that the subset of the plurality of update operations associated with the at least one existing waiting batches in the queue of waiting batches overlaps with the new batch, update the new batch by merging the at least one existing waiting batches with the new batch by:
• serially composing the subset of the plurality of update operations of the at least one existing waiting batches with the one update operation of the new batch;
• and
• saving intermediate results of evaluating each of the subset of the plurality of update operations and the one update operation by updating the cached values based on the intermediate results;
• when it is determined that the subset of the plurality of update operations associated with the at least one existing running batch overlap with the new batch, include the new batch in the queue of waiting batches;
• when it is determined that the operations of the any existing waiting batches do not overlap with the new batch and that operations of the any existing running batches do not overlap with the new batch, authorizing immediate running of the new batch;
• and
• running the new batch by creating a multi-word compare and swap (CASN) transaction from its evaluated transaction context that includes the cached values.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises:

• at least one memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by a processing system of a dispersed storage network (DSN) that includes a processor and a memory, causes the processing system to:
• for each one update operation of a plurality of update operations, create a new batch update containing the one update operation, wherein the update operations include updating content of data stored by a plurality of storage units;
• evaluate the one update operation in an empty transaction context to generate cached values;
• determine one of:
• a subset of the plurality of update operations associated with at least one existing waiting batches in a queue of waiting batches overlaps with the new batch, a subset of the plurality of update operations associated with at least one existing running batch overlap with the new batch, or operations of any existing waiting batches do not overlap with the new batch and operations of any existing running batches do not overlap with the new batch;
• when it is determined that the subset of the plurality of update operations associated with the at least one existing waiting batches in the queue of waiting batches overlaps with the new batch, update the new batch by merging the at least one existing waiting batches with the new batch by:
• serially composing the subset of the plurality of update operations of the at least one existing waiting batches with the one update operation of the new batch;
• and
• saving intermediate results of evaluating each of the subset of the plurality of update operations and the one update operation by updating the cached values based on the intermediate results;
• when it is determined that the subset of the plurality of update operations associated with the at least one existing running batch overlap with the new batch, include the new batch in the queue of waiting batches;
• when it is determined that the operations of the any existing waiting batches do not overlap with the new batch and that operations of the any existing running batches do not overlap with the new batch, authorizing immediate running of the new batch;
• and
• running the new batch by creating a multi-word compare and swap (CASN) transaction from its evaluated transaction context that includes the cached values.