A processing module encodes data into a plurality of sets of encoded data slices in accordance with first error coding dispersal storage function parameters optimized for data recovery speed and non-optimal for data recovery reliability. The processing module encodes priority data segments of the data in accordance with second error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce a plurality of sets of priority encoded data slices optimized for data recovery reliability and non-optimal for data recovery speed. The module outputs the plurality of sets of encoded data slices and the plurality of sets of priority encoded data slices to a dispersed storage network memory for storage therein.