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ArFleet Protocol

ArFleet is a protocol designed to facilitate the purchase of time-limited data storage from permissionless peers, eliminating the requirement of a third-party for enforcement.

Here's a quick overview of how it works.

Parties​

ArFleet has two types of parties:

  • Provider: A node that offers storage space and commits to storing data for a specified period.
  • Client: An entity that needs data storage and is willing to pay for the service.

They communicate as much as possible off-chain (with Clients reaching out to Provider nodes), while using ao to handle critical paths that need to minimize trust: holding collateral and rewards in ao processes, verifying storage proofs, and enforcing the protocol.

Collateral, Rewards, and Deals​

ArFleet monetary transactions are token-agnostic: they can use any mutually agreed-upon tokens between Provider and Client.

Clients purchase time-limited storage from Providers, and offer rewards in return.

Providers guarantee the storage of data for the duration of the storage lease, and put up collateral.

Both rewards and collateral are held in an ao process called a Deal.

Verification​

After a deal is activated, Provider has to continuously prove that they are storing the data for the duration of the deal.

This is done by submitting a storage proof to the Deal process.

✅ If the proof is valid and the verification challenge is passed:

  • The rewards are paid to the Provider.

❌ If the proof is invalid or not submitted within the verification interval:

  • A portion of the Provider's collateral is slashed.
  • Multiple consecutive failures can result in complete forfeiture of the collateral.

This mechanism incentivizes Providers to maintain data integrity and adhere to the agreed-upon storage terms.

All this verification happens between the Deal process and the Provider, and doesn't require the Client's involvement.