Accessing data in a dispersed storage network during write operations

A computing device comprises:

• an interface for interfacing with a network;
• memory;
• and
• a processing module operably coupled to the interface and to the memory, wherein the processing module is operable to:
• send, via the interface, data access requests to storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN) regarding a set of encoded data slices, wherein one of the data access request includes a slice name for a corresponding one of the encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices, a transaction number, a type of request, and a current revision level of the encoded data slice;
• when a transaction is pending for the set of encoded data slices, receive, via the interface, proposal records from the storage units;
• interpret the proposal records to determine an ordering of visible versions of the set of encoded data slices stored by the storage units;
• determine whether a threshold number of encoded data slices of a desired version of the set of encoded data slices is visible;
• when the threshold number of encoded data slices of a desired version of the set of encoded data slices is visible, determine whether to proceed with the data access request;
• and
• when the computing device determines to proceed with the data access request, send, via the interface, a request to proceed with the data access request to the storage units.

A computer readable memory comprises:

• a first memory element that stores operational instructions that, when executed by a computing device, causes the computing device to:
• send data access requests to storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN) regarding a set of encoded data slices, wherein one of the data access request includes a slice name for a corresponding one of the encoded data slices of the set of encoded data slices, a transaction number, a type of request, and a current revision level of the encoded data slice;
• a second memory element that stores operational instructions that, when executed by the computing device, causes the computing device to:
• when a transaction is pending for the set of encoded data slices, receive proposal records from the storage units;
• a third memory element that stores operational instructions that, when executed by the computing device, causes the computing device to:
• interpret the proposal records to determine an ordering of visible versions of the set of encoded data slices stored by the storage units;
• determine whether a threshold number of encoded data slices of a desired version of the set of encoded data slices is visible;
• when the threshold number of encoded data slices of a desired version of the set of encoded data slices is visible, determine whether to proceed with the data access request;
• and
• when the computing device determines to proceed with the data access request, send a request to proceed with the data access request to the storage units.