Reporting

Observer Responsibilities

Selected observers have specific duties each epoch: test gateways, document results, and submit findings through two channels. Proper completion of these responsibilities determines observer rewards and future selection chances.

Dual Submission Process

Observers must submit their findings through both channels to fulfill their duties:

1. Detailed Reports to Arweave

• Format: Comprehensive JSON reports with full evaluation data
• Purpose: Permanent audit trail and transparency
• Content: Complete test results, timing data, and failure details

2. Contract Interactions to AR.IO Smart Contract

• Format: List of failed gateways
• Purpose: Efficient vote tallying for consensus
• Content: Binary pass/fail determinations for each gateway tested

Observer Evaluations

Observers test assigned gateways against 10 ArNS names (2 prescribed + 8 chosen) and document their findings:

Evaluation Results

Passing Report: Gateway successfully resolves ArNS names with correct status codes (200), transaction IDs, and data hashes.

Failing Report: Gateway fails ArNS resolution tests due to ownership issues, timeouts (5000ms), or missing content.

Observers evaluate gateways based on:

• Gateway Wallet Ownership: Verifies correct wallet address
• ArNS Resolution: Tests successful name-to-transaction resolution
• Content Hash Verification: Ensures data integrity
• Response Times: Measures performance within limits
• Chunk/Offset Validation: Cryptographic verification of data chunks (for selected gateways)

Chunk/Offset Assessment Reporting

For gateways selected for chunk/offset validation, observers perform additional testing and reporting:

Validation Process

• Offset Selection: Random offsets within the stable weave range are chosen for testing
• Chunk Retrieval: Observers request chunk data using GET /chunk/{offset} endpoint
• Merkle Proof Verification: Cryptographic validation ensures chunk authenticity
• Binary Search: Efficient transaction lookup using cached metadata for proof validation

Reporting Details

• Individual Assessments: Each offset test is tracked with pass/fail/skipped status
• Enforcement Status: Reports include whether chunk/offset failures affect gateway status
• Performance Metrics: Response times and validation results are documented
• Early Stopping: Tests stop immediately upon first successful validation

Report Structure

{
  "offsetAssessments": {
    "plannedOffsets": [12345, 67890, ...],
    "actualAssessments": [...],
    "validatedOffset": 12345,
    "pass": true,
    "enforcementEnabled": true
  }
}

Observer Rewards and Penalties

Observer performance directly impacts rewards and future participation:

Successful Observer Performance

• Observer Reward: Observers who submit both reports and contract interactions receive the Observer Reward
• Future Selection: Successful reporting improves Observer Performance Ratio Weight (OPRW)
• Increased Chances: Higher OPRW increases likelihood of future observer selection and more reward opportunities

Failed Observer Performance

• No Observer Reward: Observers who fail to submit required reports forfeit their Observer Reward
• Gateway Penalty: If the deficient observer is also a functional gateway, their gateway reward is reduced by 25%
• Reduced Selection: Failed submissions decrease OPRW, diminishing future observer selection chances
• Lost Opportunities: Lower selection probability means fewer chances to earn Observer Rewards

Observer Accountability

The system tracks observer performance to ensure network quality:

• Submission Tracking: Both Arweave reports and contract interactions must be submitted
• Performance History: Observer submission record affects future selection probability
• Reward Impact: Consistent reporting builds credibility and increases earning potential

Next Steps

Ready to understand how these reports are processed? Learn about Performance Evaluation to see how reports become votes and determine gateway rewards, or explore Reward Distribution to understand the complete incentive structure.