Managing rogue nodes, the Takamaka method

Introduction
One of the most significant challenges in blockchain management is handling rogue nodes. A rogue node can compromise the network's integrity through malicious or merely ineffective behavior. Takamaka has developed a sophisticated system to manage these nodes, ensuring the network's stability and security.

Slashing or Not Slashing
When dealing with rogue nodes, it is crucial to decide on a management policy. This can be extremely punitive, as in Ethereum, or more cautious like Takamaka. At first glance, a strict policy that heavily penalizes nodes for undesirable behavior might seem like the best choice. However, implementing a rogue node management policy requires a thorough analysis of real execution conditions, such as unstable networks, malicious actors, and machines prone to failures.

Problem Analysis

Unstable Network/Machines Prone to Failures
Service interruptions and unstable internet connections are common experiences. Even with significant investments, situations of entire regions being isolated due to the collapse of critical infrastructure can occur. This type of problem is not rare, especially in domestic environments where connections are often less reliable. Even with the best intentions and significant investments, one can face situations where entire states or geographical regions are isolated due to the collapse of critical infrastructure.

Malicious Actors
DDoS attacks are an example of how malicious actors can create problems. These attacks generate artificial traffic towards a specific validator node, preventing it from communicating with the rest of the network and causing a slashing of its balance. This increases the relative weight of malicious nodes within the network.

Software That May Contain Errors
Server management is often separated from software maintenance. A bug in a node version can cause erroneous behavior, leading to unjust slashing. Semantic errors are difficult to identify and can have consequences even in environments with stringent human supervision. An emblematic example of this type of problem is the "Post Office IT scandal" in the United Kingdom.

Rebalancing Strategy in Takamaka

Failure to Send a Block
If a node does not send a block, neither the node nor the stakeholders who staked on it receive the coinbase of 1 TKG. If the problem is temporary, it will likely resolve by the next block. In the long term, an offline or abandoned node will no longer be rewarded, but the balance of the other nodes will increase. The activation threshold as a miner is dynamic and depends on the available stake on the network. This means that over time, inactive nodes will be excluded from the miner group.

Failure to Send a Block with a Loaded Network
If the network is heavily utilized, the penalty is accentuated. Each transaction included in a block entails a fee for stakeholders and miners. This accelerates the value transfer to honest nodes and speeds up the deactivation of problematic ones.

Incentive to Include All Blocks
The weight of a block is determined at the beginning of an epoch and recalculated for the next one. Always accepting the fork with the most blocks increases the likelihood that the chain segment will become final and that the reward will be confirmed.

Incentive for Decentralization
The more stake assigned to a primary address, the more physical nodes can be activated. Each physical node can process between 60 and 120 slots without penalty. If a physical node exceeds 120 slots, the coinbase is not received, incentivizing the activation of new servers.

Incentive for Decentralization with a Loaded Network
When a block is mined beyond the 120th with a single server, the coinbase is not received, and the collected fees are frozen. These fees are gradually returned if block production resumes within the 60-120 range per physical server. In this way, minor infractions in balancing are not penalizing and are reabsorbed in the next epoch, while major infractions accumulate more penalties.

Conclusion
Takamaka adopts a system that incentivizes correct behavior without excessively penalizing small errors. Penalties serve as warnings and become progressively more severe with increasing violations. This approach fosters collaboration among servers to maintain a stable and secure network, reducing the ability to achieve finality for those excluding blocks or nodes from operations. In this way, Takamaka ensures effective rogue node management, promoting network security and stability without compromising data integrity and regulatory compliance.
For more information on how Takamaka manages rogue nodes and ensures network security, visit our site at Takamaka.io.

Sources

• Nasdaq: If Ethereum Starts Slashing, It Burns

• Cointelegraph: Ethereum Classic 51% Attack

• Cloudflare Blog: Undersea Cable Failures Cause Internet Disruptions Across Africa

• Coinguides: ASIC Resistance Explained

• The Register: Post Office IT Scandal