Guardian Nodes & Node Keys

Overview

HYCHAIN employs a Guardian Node system, an additional component in maintaining the network's robustness and accuracy. These Guardian Nodes play a pivotal role in overseeing the network's operations. Their primary function is to act as guardians, constantly monitoring and verifying that HYCHAIN performs as expected. Guardian Nodes, are important in identifying and addressing any discrepancies in state posted, thereby contributing significantly to the overall health and stability of the network.

Participating In Node Operation

To participate in this system and receive rewards, prospective HYCHAIN Guardian Node operators are required to acquire at least one unique "Node Key" which is effectively a license key. This key is issued as a non-fungible token (NFT), making it a distinctive and verifiable part of the HYCHAIN ecosystem.

Owning this Node Key NFT grants the owner the authority to validate and endorse HYCHAIN state assertions. It's a responsibility that comes with the potential for rewards: when a Guardian Node successfully validates and signs off on a state assertion, and if that assertion is later validated as a legitimate claim, the operator of the Guardian Node becomes eligible for a reward. This incentive is rewarded in $TOPIA tokens, aligning the interests of the Guardians with the overall health and efficiency of the HYCHAIN network.

Assertions

Validation of legitimacy for each assertion is handled by a smart contract. Each time an assertion is made by a validator, a trusted “challenger” signs the assertion with its private key and submits that signature to this smart contract. The smart contract then verifies this signature and records it as a “challenge” corresponding to the original assertion, which ensures the security of HYCHAIN.