Prioritizing dispersed storage network memory operations during a critical juncture

A computer readable storage device comprises:

• a first memory section for storing operational instructions that, when executed by a device of devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), causes the device to:
• for a data access request, determine, when a DSN memory operation related to the data access request is at a critical juncture, wherein the data access request is regarding a set of encoded data slices that are stored or to be stored in a set of storage units of the DSN, wherein a data segment is dispersed storage error encoded to produce the set of encoded data slices, wherein a decode threshold number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices is required to recover the data segment, wherein a write threshold number of encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices is required for a successful write operation, wherein the critical juncture includes the DSN memory operation being within one of a first offset of the decode threshold number and a second offset of the write threshold number;
• and
• a second memory section for storing operational instructions that, when executed by one or more of the devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), causes the one or more of the devices to:
• when the DSN memory operation is at the critical juncture:
• detecting an outstanding action with respect to the DSN memory operation;
• suspending execution of non-critical DSN operations;
• and
• prioritizing execution of the outstanding action.