1. Dispersed storage network (DSN) memory comprises: a pool of storage nodes, wherein each storage node of the pool of storage nodes includes a processing module, a network interface, and memory, and wherein the pool of storage nodes stores a multitude of encoded data files; the processing module of one or more storage nodes of the pool of storage nodes is operable to: obtain data access response performance data for each of the storage nodes in the pool of storage nodes; analyze the data access response performance data for the pool of storage nodes to modify a data access response plan to produce a modified data access response plan, wherein the data access response plan includes, for at least a portion of one of the multitude of encoded data files: a per data segment encoded data slice response level, identity of a set of storage nodes storing encoded data slices of the at least a portion of the one of the multitude of encoded data files, and identity of preferred storage nodes of the set of storage nodes to respond to a data access request for the at least a portion of the one of the multitude of encoded data files, wherein the data access response plan is modified to include an indication that one of the preferred storage nodes has an undesired performance level and to include an alternative data access response for the one of the preferred storage nodes having the undesired performance level; and distribute the modified data access response plan to the pool of storage nodes; and the processing modules of the preferred storage nodes operable to receive, via the network interfaces of the preferred storage nodes, corresponding portions of the data access request for the at least a portion of the one of the multitude of encoded data files; and the processing module of the one of the preferred storage nodes having the undesired performance level or the processing module of another storage node of the pool of storage nodes operable to process one of the corresponding portions of the data access request in accordance with the alternative data access response.