Compacting data in a dispersed storage network

A processing system of a dispersed storage and task (DST) execution 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:
• receive a plurality of data slices for storage;
• facilitate storage of the plurality of data slices within a plurality of memory regions;
• identify a first subset of the plurality of data slices by determining that an access frequency of each data slice of the first subset compares favorably to a cold access threshold, wherein the first subset of the plurality of data slices are stored in a first at least one of the plurality of memory regions;
• generate a first compacted object by performing a compaction function on the first subset of the plurality of data slices and a first previously compacted object stored in a cold memory region of the plurality of memory regions that is separate from the first at least one of the plurality of memory regions;
• replace storage of the first previously compacted object with the first compacted object in the cold memory region;
• remove the first subset of the plurality of data slices from storage in the first at least one of the plurality of memory regions;
• identify a second subset of the plurality of data slices by determining that the access frequency of each data slice of the second subset compares favorably to a hot access threshold, wherein the second subset of the plurality of data slices are stored in a second at least one of the plurality of memory regions;
• generate a second compacted object by performing the compaction function on the second subset of the plurality of data slices and a second previously compacted object stored in a hot memory region of the plurality of memory regions;
• replace storage of the second previously compacted object with the second compacted object in the hot memory region that is separate from the second at least one of the plurality of memory regions;
• and
• remove the second subset of the plurality of data slices from storage in the second at least one of the plurality of memory regions.

A 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:
• receive a plurality of data slices for storage;
• facilitate storage of the plurality of data slices within a plurality of memory regions;
• identify a first subset of the plurality of data slices by determining that an access frequency of each data slice of the first subset compares favorably to a cold access threshold, wherein the first subset of the plurality of data slices are stored in a first at least one of the plurality of memory regions;
• generate a first compacted object by performing a compaction function on the first subset of the plurality of data slices and a first previously compacted object stored in a cold memory region of the plurality of memory regions that is separate from the first at least one of the plurality of memory regions;
• replace storage of the first previously compacted object with the first compacted object in the cold memory region;
• remove the first subset of the plurality of data slices from storage in the first at least one of the plurality of memory regions;
• identify a second subset of the plurality of data slices by determining that the access frequency of each data slice of the second subset compares favorably to a hot access threshold, wherein the second subset of the plurality of data slices are stored in a second at least one of the plurality of memory regions;
• generate a second compacted object by performing the compaction function on the second subset of the plurality of data slices and a second previously compacted object stored in a hot memory region of the plurality of memory regions;
• replace storage of the second previously compacted object with the second compacted object in the hot memory region that is separate from the second at least one of the plurality of memory regions;
• and
• remove the second subset of the plurality of data slices from storage in the second at least one of the plurality of memory regions.