A method for managing throughput in a distributed storage network includes encoding data to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices. According to the method, one or more write slice requests are generated corresponding to one or more sets of encoded data slices, and write slice requests are then output to a set of distributed storage and task execution units. For each distributed storage and task execution unit, a data ingest rate is generated and a write threshold number of distributed storage and task execution units is determined. A transmit data rate is determined and write slice requests are determined, followed by the generation write slice requests to the distributed storage and task execution units. A write threshold number of write slice requests is then input to the distributed storage and task execution units.