GUARDIAN NODES
Independent servers that keep freely shareable knowledge alive.
A Guardian Node stores source code, release packages, documentation, licenses, checksums, and signatures — and verifies, on a schedule, that what it holds is still what was originally published.
What Is a Guardian Node?
A Guardian Node is an independent server in the FKPF preservation network. Its purpose is not merely to store files, but to actively preserve freely shareable software and digital knowledge over time.
WHO CAN OPERATE ONE
- an individual
- a university
- a library
- a museum
- a school
- a company
- a foundation
- a non-profit organization
- or any institution committed to preserving digital heritage
WHAT A NODE PRESERVES
- software archives
- source code
- release packages
- documentation
- licenses
- checksums
- digital signatures
A node may serve as a mirror, but serving downloads is not its purpose. Preservation is.
Why Guardian Nodes Matter
Knowledge survives when it exists in many independent places. A single archive is fragile; many independent copies — held by different operators under different conditions — create resilience that no single organization can provide on its own.
Resilience Through Independence
No node is a single point of failure for the collection it holds. When one disappears, the others remain.
Redundancy Without Central Control
The network does not depend on FKPF continuing to exist. Each operator preserves independently.
Community Over Organization
Preservation is kept in the hands of people and institutions that care, rather than concentrated in one place.
How Guardian Nodes Work
A node holds copies of artifacts that have been declared preservable by FKPF. It keeps them intact over time, verifies their integrity on a schedule, shares them with other nodes through replication, and makes them available for download. Verification is based on cryptographic checksums (SHA-256, SHA-512) and signatures where available — a node does not take preservation on trust, it checks.
The Catalog
Which artifacts should be preserved, where they can be found, and how they can be verified. Held by FKPF.
The Artifacts
The preserved files themselves, held by each node, verified on a schedule, and replicated across the network.
Responsibilities
- Keep the node online and reachable over the long term.
- Hold a local copy of the artifacts entrusted to the node.
- Verify the integrity of stored artifacts against their declared checksums and signatures on a regular schedule.
- Participate in replication, so that artifacts remain available across the network.
- Serve preserved artifacts as a mirror for downloads.
- Keep clear records of what is preserved and how it can be verified.
- Notify the network if the node is retiring, so its holdings can be replicated elsewhere.
What Guardian Nodes Are Not
A Guardian Node is not, by itself:
- an ordinary backup server
- a NAS
- a torrent seedbox
- a mirror server
It may be any of these. A backup protects against data loss for one owner; a Guardian Node protects the public record against loss for everyone, over generations.
Minimum Recommended Hardware
FKPF does not require a specific hardware model or manufacturer. A node may be a mini PC, a server, a NAS, a refurbished workstation, or any other suitable infrastructure. What matters is not the form factor, but:
- reliability over years of unattended operation;
- availability — the node should be online and reachable;
- sufficient storage and headroom for the collection it holds;
- a power and network setup suited to long-term, continuous work;
- an environment that can be trusted with the long-term safekeeping of the digital record.
Hardware will need to be replaced over time — that is expected. The unit of preservation is the node’s commitment to keep the collection intact, not any single piece of hardware.
Network Architecture
The network is designed around three concerns, kept deliberately separate.
Replication
Copies move between nodes so that no artifact depends on a single holder. Any node can rebuild its collection from the others.
Verification
Each node checks the artifacts it holds against known checksums and signatures, and reports what it has verified. The network does not rely on trust.
Discovery
The catalog records which artifacts exist, who preserves them, and how they can be verified.
Transport
HTTP is the baseline today. Support for additional transport methods — such as BitTorrent or IPFS — is planned for the future, so that preservation does not depend on a single way of moving data. Transport is a means, not the purpose of a node.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Guardian Node the same as a mirror server?
No. A mirror distributes copies of files for speed and availability. A Guardian Node preserves copies for the long term, verifies their integrity on a schedule, and takes part in a preservation network. A node may serve as a mirror, but serving downloads is not its purpose.
Is a Guardian Node a backup server?
No. A backup protects one owner against data loss. A Guardian Node protects the public record against loss for everyone. The distinction is in purpose, not in hardware.
Do I need specific hardware?
No. A node can be a mini PC, a server, a NAS, or another suitable system. What matters is reliability, availability, and the ability to run for years.
Can a single person run a Guardian Node?
Yes, in principle. A node can be operated by an individual as well as by an institution. The expectations — uptime, verification, and participation in replication — are the same either way.
What happens if a node goes offline?
Other nodes continue to hold the same artifacts. A retiring node is expected to notify the network so its holdings can be replicated elsewhere. No artifact should depend on a single node.
Will Guardian Nodes support BitTorrent or IPFS?
Not at launch. HTTP is the baseline for replication and downloads today. Additional transport methods, including BitTorrent and IPFS, are planned for the future, to keep preservation independent of any single protocol.
Does it cost anything to take part?
FKPF does not charge for participation. Each operator covers the cost of their own hardware, power, and network. The program is non-commercial.
Current Status
The Guardian Node program is in development. The network described on this page does not exist yet — there are no operating nodes today, and there is no production software to run one. This page describes the intended design, so that it can be discussed, criticized, and built openly. FKPF will publish the software and the protocol needed to run a node once they are ready.
Become a Guardian Node
Not yet. The program is still in development, and applications are not open at this time. There is no waiting list, and no application form. When the program opens, interested individuals and institutions will be able to apply to join the network. FKPF will announce how to take part once the software and the protocol are ready.
If you would like to follow the project’s progress, or to share feedback on this design, you are welcome to write.