Policy Driven Data Migration in a Distributed Storage System

A computer readable storage medium comprises:

• at least one memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by one or more processing modules of a storage unit of a storage network, causes the storage unit to:
• determine whether a first memory compares favorably to a predetermined performance level;
• determine whether a data access response activity associated with the first memory compares favorably to a data access response activity threshold;
• in response to a determination that the first memory compares unfavorably to the predetermined performance level and the data access response activity associated with the first memory compares unfavorably to a data access response activity threshold, determine to migrate a set of encoded data slices stored in a first format from the first memory to a second memory, wherein a data object is dispersed error encoded in accordance with dispersed error encoding parameters to produce the set of encoded data slices;
• select a second format for the set of encoded data slices, wherein the second memory is configured to store the set of encoded data slices based on the second format;
• and
• migrate the set of encoded data slices from the first memory to the second memory.

A storage unit of a group of storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN), the storage unit comprises:

• an interface;
• a local memory;
• and
• a processing module operably coupled to the interface and the local memory, wherein the processing module functions to:
• determine whether a first memory compares favorably to a predetermined performance level;
• determine whether a data access response activity associated with the first memory compares favorably to a data access response activity threshold;
• in response to a determination that the first memory compares unfavorably to the predetermined performance level and the data access response activity associated with the first memory compares unfavorably to a data access response activity threshold, determine to migrate a set of encoded data slices stored in a first format from the first memory to a second memory, wherein a data object is dispersed error encoded in accordance with dispersed error encoding parameters to produce the set of encoded data slices;
• select a second format for the set of encoded data slices, wherein the second memory is configured to store the set of encoded data slices based on the second format;
• and
• migrate the set of encoded data slices from the first memory to the second memory.