Method for partial updating data content in a distributed storage network

A computing device comprises:

• an interface for interfacing with a network;
• memory;
• and
• a first processing module operably coupled to the interface and to the memory, wherein the first processing module is operable to:
• receive a request to update a data segment, wherein a data object is segmented to create a plurality of data segments and wherein each data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded to produce a set of encoded data slices (EDSs);
• determine whether a plurality of EDSs of a set of EDSs associated with the data segment is eligible for partial updating;
• in response to a determination that a plurality of EDSs of a set of EDSs associated with the data segment is eligible for partial updating, select a first EDS of the plurality of EDSs that would be affected during a partial updating process and a second EDS of the plurality of EDSs that would be unaffected during a partial updating process applied to the set of EDSs;
• and
• execute the partial updating process for the first EDS, while excluding the second EDS.

A method for execution by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the method comprises:

• receiving a request to update a data segment, wherein a data object is segmented to create a plurality of data segments and wherein each data segment of the plurality of data segments is dispersed error encoded to produce a set of encoded data slices (EDSs);
• determining whether a plurality of EDSs of a set of EDSs associated with the data segment is eligible for partial updating, wherein the request to update the data segment includes each of a slice name, a slice revision associated with the slice name to modify and a slice revision to be produced from a modification for each EDSs of a set of EDSs associated with the data segment that is eligible for partial updating;
• in response to a determination that a plurality of EDSs of a set of EDSs associated with the data segment is eligible for partial updating, selecting a first EDS of the plurality of EDSs that would be affected during a partial updating process and a second EDS of the plurality of EDSs that would be unaffected during a partial updating process applied to the set of EDSs;
• and
• executing the partial updating process for the first EDS, while excluding the second EDS.