Another important issue related to the storage network is not only providers' membership processes, but also providers departure processes. $WAL helps to address this issue by appropriately regulating providers' membership and departure processes to avoid sudden data loss or network stability problems.
For example, if a new storage provider is introduced in Walrus, it is not presented with heavy data loads right from the start. The load is gradually increased based on performance. Thus, the data stored in Walrus is not placed in untried nodes.
Leaving the network is equally managed. Providers do not just leave without repercussions. @Walrus 🦭/acc monitors whether replicas are still usable when leaving. When a provider tries to withdraw while servicing data, replicas are first re-reassigned so that a provider can withdraw in its entirety. This is done to ensure that there are no availability gaps, nor any data losses.
The $WAL incentives are closely related to this procedure. The involved parties will benefit only when the storage obligation is fulfilled. But this will impact their reward, and it will also teach them to stay for as long as expected and ensure that replicas are maintained to prevent losses.
Since provider turnover is also handled at the protocol level, Walrus guarantees consistent storage quality despite the ever-changing network. Joining nodes are handled gently, as well as leaving nodes to avoid affecting availability goals.
This instills confidence in users that data security is no longer reliant on how different providers conduct themselves. The network itself ensures seamless transitions so that data in the network is accessible despite who is in or out.
Through optimizing provider lifecycle events with performance metrics and incentives tied to WAL, Walrus enables lower risk and consistency with regards to overall network reliability.
