1. A method for execution by a processing module of a computer of a multiple computer dispersed storage network (MCDSN) that stores a plurality of data objects, the method comprises: determining to create or modify a data object index key of a data object regarding an attribute of a first attribute category of a plurality of attribute categories; and entering a process to update a data object level index node that includes: accessing a hierarchical ordered index structure associated with the first attribute category to identify the data object level index node containing data object index keys associated with the attribute; retrieving the data object level index node from a set of dispersed storage (DS) units of the MCDSN; adding or modifying the data object index key in the data object level index node in accordance with an ordering of attributes of the first attribute category to produce an updated data object level index node; encoding the updated data object level index node in accordance with a dispersed storage error coding function to produce a set of encoded index node slices; generating a set of write commands to write the set of encoded index node slices to the set of DS units, wherein each of the set of write commands includes an update reference value that is based on a reference value of the data object level index node; when at least a threshold number of the set of write commands are successfully executed by the set of DS units, exiting the process to update the data object level index node; and when less than the threshold number of the set of write commands are successfully executed by the set of DS units, repeating the process to update the data object level index node.