Consolidating data access in a dispersed storage network

A processing system of a dispersed storage and task (DST) 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 request for distributed storage network (DSN) configuration information from one of a plurality of additional DST units via a network;
• generate DSN configuration information;
• transmit the DSN configuration information to the one of the plurality of additional DST units for storage in a local memory of the one of the plurality of additional DST units;
• receive an access request from a requesting entity, wherein the access request indicates a data object;
• determine a set of slice accesses based on the access request received from the requesting entity, wherein the set of slice accesses corresponds to a set of encoded data slices corresponding to the data object;
• perform one of the set of slice accesses by accessing a local memory of the DST unit;
• transmit a set of slice access messages to a set of DST units, wherein the set of slice access messages corresponds to a remaining subset of the set of slice accesses, wherein the set of DST units includes a subset of the plurality of additional DST units that includes the one of the plurality of additional DST units, and wherein each of the set of DST units include a local memory that stores the DSN configuration information;
• receive a set of responses from the set of DST units in response to performance of the remaining subset of the set of slice accesses by the set of DST units;
• generate a data response by processing the set of responses and a result of the one of the set of slice accesses;
• and
• transmit the data response to the requesting entity.

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 a request for distributed storage network (DSN) configuration information, wherein the processing system is associated with a dispersed storage and task (DST) unit, and wherein the request is received from one of a plurality of additional DST units via a network;
• generate DSN configuration information;
• transmit the DSN configuration information to the one of the plurality of additional DST units for storage in a local memory of the one of the plurality of additional DST units;
• receive an access request from a requesting entity, wherein the access request indicates a data object;
• determine a set of slice accesses based on the access request received from the requesting entity, wherein the set of slice accesses corresponds to a set of encoded data slices corresponding to the data object;
• perform one of the set of slice accesses by accessing a local memory of the DST unit;
• transmit a set of slice access messages to a set of DST units, wherein the set of slice access messages corresponds to a remaining subset of the set of slice accesses, wherein the set of DST units includes a subset of the plurality of additional DST units that includes the one of the plurality of additional DST units, and wherein each of the set of DST units include a local memory that stores the DSN configuration information;
• receive a set of responses from the set of DST units in response to performance of the remaining subset of the set of slice accesses by the set of DST units;
• generate a data response by processing the set of responses and a result of the one of the set of slice accesses;
• and
• transmit the data response to the requesting entity.