International Business Machines Corporation
Prioritized rebuilds using dispersed indices

Abstract:

A method of rebuilding data stored as encoded data slices in a dispersed storage network (DSN) includes obtaining, by a rebuilding module implemented in a processing device, an identity of a plurality slices-in-error to be rebuilt, wherein each individual slice-in-error is associated with index information specifying: a particular dispersed storage unit associated with the individual slice-in-error; and a number of slices-in-error associated with the particular dispersed storage unit. A first slice-in-error is selected for rebuilding based, at least in part, on the number of slices-in-error associated with a first dispersed storage unit associated with the first slice-in-error. Read slice requests at least a decode threshold number of data slices are issued to the first dispersed storage unit. At least a decode threshold number of slices are received at the rebuilding module, which rebuilds the first slice-in-error using the received slices.