A method for execution by a computing device of a dispersed storage network includes identifying a DSN address for data to be accessed within a DSN. A plurality of storage cohorts associated with the data to be accessed are identified. Ranked scoring information for each storage cohort obtaining ranked scoring information for each storage cohort of the plurality of storage cohorts with regards to the data to be accessed is obtained. A storage cohort of the plurality of storage cohorts is selected based on the ranked scoring information. Slice access requests are issued to a set of storage units of the selected storage cohort for the data to be accessed. Slice access responses received from at least one of the set of storage units of the selected storage cohort are processed.