What are the roles of Nodes & Oracles on the network?

Role of Notes (Vaults)

All members can propose data, witness proposals in multisig groups that they are members of, and participate in community attestations. Members may also choose to be network Nodes - what we call Vaults. Vaults operate computing hardware to store data and create and seal blocks.

Standard Vaults are data storers.

Sealer Vaults store data as well as create and seal blocks.

BeefLedger Limited will maintain a minimal number of Sealer Vaults (3) to ensure data continuity. However, we encourage members to become Vault operators and provide the network with data storage (and therefore security) services.

Vaults provide a utility function to the network and should be remunerated accordingly. BeefLedger has developed a low-cost range of Vault packages.

Being a Sealer Vault operator earn revenues from proposal fees.

Role of Oracles

Oracles are usually data sources external to the Proof of Authority network’s membership but some members could also assume Oracle status.

External Oracles can be either Device Oracles (eg., IOT networks) or Institutional Oracles whose status is conferred by some form of legal authority. Institutional Oracles can be certification bodies, regulators, authorised auditors and such like.

Member Oracles would be members with particular specialist knowledge recognised by the membership. One such Member Oracle could be scientific laboratories that are both members and providers of scientific DNA reports.

Oracle data sources are typically in an off-chain environment, with validity provided by confirmation of Oracle identity and an on-chain confirmed Hash Value (via the network’s multi-sig protocols). The on-chain Hash provides the validation Proof for off-chain data authorities.