Dispersed storage with variable slice length and methods for use therewith

A dispersed storage processing unit of a dispersed storage network (DSN) comprises:

• at least one module, when operable within a computing device, that causes the computing device to:
• select a first slice length for a first data segment of a data object to be stored in the DSN;
• select a second slice length for a second data segment of the data object to be stored in the DSN;
• encode the first data segment using a first dispersed storage error coding function to produce a first set of data slices in accordance with the first slice length;
• encode the second data segment using a second dispersed storage error coding function to produce a second set of data slices in accordance with the second slice length;
• select a first storage file based on the first slice length;
• select a second storage file based on the second slice length;
• generate a first storage file identifier (ID) that indicates the first storage file;
• generate a second storage file identifier (ID) that indicates the second storage file;
• generate a first set of DSN addresses corresponding to the first set of data slices and a second set of DSN addresses corresponding to the second set of data slices, wherein the first set of DSN addresses each include the first storage file ID and a corresponding one of a first plurality of offset identifiers (IDs) and the second set of DSN addresses each include the second storage file ID and a corresponding one of a second plurality of offset identifiers (IDs);
• write the first set of data slices in accordance with the first set of DSN addresses;
• write the second set of data slices in accordance with the second set of DSN addresses;
• update a directory to associate the first set of DSN addresses with an identifier of the first data segment;
• and
• update the directory to associate the second set of DSN addresses with an identifier of the second data segment.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises:

• at least one memory section that stores operational instructions that, when executed by one or more processing modules of one or more computing devices of a dispersed storage network (DSN), causes the one or more computing devices to:
• select a first slice length for a first data segment of a data object to be stored in the DSN;
• select a second slice length for a second data segment of the data object to be stored in the DSN;
• encode the first data segment using a first dispersed storage error coding function to produce a first set of data slices in accordance with the first slice length;
• encode the second data segment using a second dispersed storage error coding function to produce a second set of data slices in accordance with the second slice length;
• select a first storage file based on the first slice length;
• select a second storage file based on the second slice length;
• generate a first storage file identifier (ID) that indicates the first storage file;
• generate a second storage file identifier (ID) that indicates the second storage file;
• generate a first set of DSN addresses corresponding to the first set of data slices and a second set of DSN addresses corresponding to the second set of data slices, wherein the first set of DSN addresses each include the first storage file ID and a corresponding one of a first plurality of offset identifiers (IDs) and the second set of DSN addresses each include the second storage file ID and a corresponding one of a second plurality of offset identifiers (IDs);
• write the first set of data slices in accordance with the first set of DSN addresses;
• write the second set of data slices in accordance with the second set of DSN addresses;
• update a directory to associate the first set of DSN addresses with an identifier of the first data segment;
• and
• update the directory to associate the second set of DSN addresses with an identifier of the second data segment.