1. A method for execution by a computing device, the method comprises: determining to pre-fetch a number of encoded data segments from dispersed storage network (DSN) memory, wherein a data segment of data is disperse storage error encoded to produce one of the number of encoded data segments to include a set of encoded data slices and wherein the number of encoded data segments includes a number of sets of encoded data slices; for the number of encoded data segments: determining an encoded data slice retrieval request pattern for requesting retrieval of encoded data slices of the number of sets of encoded data slices from storage units of the DSN memory based on one or more factors of a set of factors, wherein the set of factors includes data consumption, response latency information, processing consumption, network traffic, response history, and reliability information; sending, to a first storage unit of the storage units, encoded data slice requests in accordance with a first portion of the encoded data slice retrieval request pattern; sending, to a second storage unit of the storage units, encoded data slice requests in accordance with a second portion of the encoded data slice retrieval request pattern; receiving, for an encoded data segment of the number of encoded data segments, a threshold number of encoded data slices prior to a specific retrieval request for the encoded data segment; and storing the threshold number of encoded data slices in a pre-fetch buffer.