Handling data slice revisions in a dispersed storage network

A processing system of a storage unit of a dispersed storage network (DSN) 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, via a network, a data slice for storage, wherein the data slice includes a slice name which includes a pillar number of the data slice;
• write the data slice by generating a first bin that includes the data slice and storing the first bin in a first location of a memory device of the storage unit;
• generate an original bin pointer associated with the data slice that includes a reference to the first location;
• receive, via the network, a revision of the data slice;
• write the revision of the data slice by generating a second bin that includes the revision of the data slice and storing the second bin in a second location of the memory device, wherein the second bin is a revised version of the first bin;
• generate a modified bin pointer by editing the original bin pointer to include a reference to the second location;
• and
• generate a modified bin pointer by editing the original bin pointer to include a reference to the second location, wherein the modified bin pointer includes a back pointer that references the first location;
• and
• delete the back pointer from the modified bin pointer when the revision of the data slice has reached a finalized write stage,
• wherein the deleting the back pointer from the modified bin pointer includes assigning a null value to a back pointer field in the modified bin pointer;
• and
• wherein the original bin pointer is stored in the storage unit, and wherein the back pointer is generated by retrieving the original bin pointer from the storage unit.

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:
• receive, via a network, a data slice for storage, wherein the data slice includes a slice name which includes a pillar number of the data slice;
• write the data slice by generating a first bin that includes the data slice and storing the first bin in a first location of a memory device;
• generate an original bin pointer associated with the data slice that includes a reference to the first location;
• receive, via the network, a revision of the data slice;
• write the revision of the data slice by generating a second bin that includes the revision of the data slice and storing the second bin in a second location of the memory device, wherein the second bin is a revised version of the first bin;
• and
• generate a modified bin pointer by editing the original bin pointer to include a reference to the second location, wherein the modified bin pointer includes a back pointer that references the first location;
• and
• delete the back pointer from the modified bin pointer when the revision of the data slice has reached a finalized write stage;
• wherein the deleting the back pointer from the modified bin pointer includes assigning a null value to a back pointer field in the modified bin pointer;
• and
• wherein the original bin pointer is stored in the memory device, and wherein the back pointer is generated by retrieving the original bin pointer from the memory device.