1. A method for execution by a subscribing computing device comprises: identifying data for storage; determining to store the data in local memory of the computing device or to store the data as encoded data slices; when the data is to be stored as encoded data slices, sending, to a unit of a distributed storage network (DSN), a subscription request message regarding the data for storage; receiving, from the unit, a subscription response message which indicates a type of dispersal storage allowed, wherein allowed types of dispersal storage include: direct dispersal storage where the subscribing computing device encodes the data into the encoded data slices and sends the encoded data slices to storage units of the DSN for storage therein, indirect dispersal storage where a dispersed storage processing unit encodes the data and sends the encoded data slices to the storage units of the DSN for storage therein, and targeted dispersed storage where the subscribing computing device encodes the data into the encoded data slices and sends the encoded data slices to other subscribing computing devices for storage therein; and when the subscription response message indicates the direct dispersal storage: obtaining, from the unit, error coding dispersal storage function parameters; encoding at least a portion of the data in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce the encoded data slices; and performing a dispersed storage write function to store the encoded data slices in the storage units of the DSN.