Re-Encoding Data in an Expanded Storage Pool

A processing system of a computing device 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 perform operations that include:
• maintaining a storage pool that stores a first set of encoded data slices of at least one data object at a first number of locations, based on a width parameter of a dispersed error encoding;
• increasing the width parameter to produce an updated width parameter based on an expansion of the storage pool to include an additional set of storage units;
• re-encoding the at least one data object in accordance with the updated width parameter to produce a second set of encoded data slices;
• and
• storing the second set of encoded data slices in a second number of locations of the storage pool, wherein the second number of locations includes a greater number of locations than the first number of locations based on the updated width parameter being greater than the width parameter.