1. A method of operating a distributed storage processing unit, the method comprising: creating a plurality of data slices from a data segment in accordance with an error coding function, wherein n number of data slices are created when error coding the data segment and wherein at least a threshold number k of the n data slices are needed to reconstruct the data segment, where k is less than n, in which n data slices are to be stored in n storage units of a distributed storage network; identifying the n storage units for respective ones of the n storage units to store a different data slice of the n data slices; determining which of the n storage units are in a ready status, wherein a ready status indicates a readiness to receive respective data slices for storage; when all n storage units are in the ready status, sending n data slices to the n storage units for storage in the n storage units; when less than k storage units are in the ready status, not sending the data slices to the storage units; and when less than n, but more than or equal to k storage units are in the ready status, sending respective data slices to respective storage units that are in the ready status for storage and temporarily storing in a temporary memory, data slice or slices destined to storage unit or units in a non-ready status.