Using slice routers for improved storage placement determination

A non-transitory computer readable memory device comprises:

• a first memory section for storing operational instructions that, when executed by a dispersed storage (DS) processing unit of a dispersed storage network (DSN), causes the DS processing unit to:
• send a set of data access requests regarding a set of encoded data slices to a set of slice routers of the DSN, wherein the set of encoded data slices is stored, or to be stored, in storage units of a set of storage unit groups of the DSN in accordance with a set of corresponding slice names, wherein a data segment of data is dispersed storage error encoded into the set of encoded data slices in accordance with dispersed data storage parameters that include a pillar width total number and a decode threshold number, and wherein a first storage unit group of the set of storage unit groups is associated with a first pillar number of the pillar width total number;
• a second memory section for storing operational instructions that, when executed by a first slice router of the set of slice routers, causes the first slice router to:
• identify a first storage unit from a first plurality of storage units of the first storage unit group of the set of storage unit groups based on a first slice name of the set of corresponding slice names, wherein the first slice name includes the first pillar number,
• wherein the first storage unit is one of the storage units of the set of storage unit groups, and wherein the first slice router is responsible for processing data access requests of the set of data access requests that include the first pillar number;
• send a first data access request of the set of data access requests to the first storage unit;
• receive a first data access response from the first storage unit;
• and
• forward the first data access response to the DS processing unit.