Lineage.proto in the Seigr Ecosystem[edit]

The Lineage.proto file defines the Protocol Buffers schema for tracking the lifecycle, modifications, and contributor history of each data capsule within Seigr’s Seigr Urcelial-net. Lineage tracking is fundamental to Seigr’s commitment to ethical data management, accountability, and security, providing an immutable, chronological record of each capsule’s evolution.

Purpose of Lineage.proto[edit]

Lineage.proto is designed to support the following functionalities:

Contributor Accountability: Each action related to a capsule is recorded with a unique contributor ID, ensuring transparency and ethical responsibility for every change.
Historical Verification: By tracking the evolution of capsules, Seigr can verify the accuracy and integrity of capsules, supporting Seigr’s Immune System functions.
Rollback and Restoration: Lineage tracking supports Seigr’s rollback functionality, allowing capsules to revert to previous states if tampering or corruption is detected.
Data Replication and Adaptive Scaling: By examining lineage data, Seigr can implement demand-based replication and storage strategies for high-use capsules.

Structure of Lineage.proto[edit]

The structure of the Lineage.proto file includes two main message types: Lineage and LineageEntry. The Lineage message holds the overall record for a capsule, while each LineageEntry records individual actions, such as modifications, replications, or access events.

Key Components[edit]

Lineage: Represents the entire lineage of a capsule, including the creator ID, current hash, version, and a list of individual lineage entries.
LineageEntry: Represents a single event or action in the capsule’s history, including details like action type, timestamp, contributor ID, previous hashes, and any relevant metadata.

Lineage.proto Schema[edit]

Below is the full schema for Lineage.proto in Protocol Buffers syntax:

syntax = "proto3";

message Lineage {
    string creator_id = 1;          // Unique ID of the capsule's creator
    string current_hash = 2;        // Current hash of the capsule, updated with each new action
    string version = 3;             // Protocol version of the lineage record
    repeated LineageEntry entries = 4; // List of all recorded actions (LineageEntry)
}

message LineageEntry {
    string action = 1;              // Description of the action (e.g., "creation", "update", "replication")
    string contributor_id = 2;      // Unique identifier for the contributor performing the action
    string timestamp = 3;           // ISO-formatted timestamp for the action
    repeated string previous_hashes = 4; // Hashes of previous entries or states
    map<string, string> metadata = 5;    // Additional data related to the action
}

Field Definitions[edit]

Lineage Message[edit]

The Lineage message captures the overall historical record for a single capsule, including its unique identifier, the latest state hash, protocol version, and the full list of entries tracking its lifecycle.

creator_id: The unique identifier of the original creator, establishing ownership and accountability.
current_hash: Represents the latest hash in the capsule’s history. Updated with each new entry, this hash forms the basis for tamper detection.
version: Specifies the protocol version, allowing backward compatibility and schema evolution as the Seigr system updates.
entries: A list of LineageEntry records for each action or modification associated with the capsule.

LineageEntry Message[edit]

The LineageEntry message records individual actions or changes applied to the capsule over time. Each entry ensures that all changes, contributors, and timestamps are traceable.

action: Describes the action taken, such as "creation," "modification," or "access," establishing a clear historical record.
contributor_id: The ID of the contributor who performed the action, supporting ethical accountability.
timestamp: An ISO 8601-formatted timestamp that records the exact time of the action, enabling chronological tracking.
previous_hashes: A list of hashes linking back to earlier states or actions, forming a tamper-resistant hash chain that preserves capsule history.
metadata: Key-value pairs providing additional information about the action, such as replication parameters, access context, or node-specific data.

How Lineage.proto Integrates with Seigr[edit]

The Lineage.proto schema is integrated within Seigr to maintain a complete and traceable record of each capsule’s lifecycle. This data supports the following critical features:

Historical Integrity and Verification: By tracking all modifications and preserving prior states through hash chains, Seigr can verify each capsule's history, supporting integrity checks and preventing tampering.
Rollback Functionality: If corruption is detected, the Rollback system uses lineage entries to revert capsules to a secure, previously verified state.
Adaptive Replication Based on Access Patterns: Lineage data informs the Adaptive Replication system, allowing Seigr to increase replication of high-demand capsules while conserving resources for low-demand data.
Multi-Path Retrieval with Lineage-Based Validation: In conjunction with Multi-Path Retrieval, lineage entries validate capsule integrity across multiple nodes, supporting robust, distributed data access.

Mathematical Model of Lineage Integrity[edit]

The integrity of a lineage record is maintained through a series of hash chains, mathematically represented as a sequence of hash-linked events. Given a lineage $L$ of actions $A=\{a_{1},a_{2},...,a_{n}\}$ , each entry $a_{i}$ has a hash $H(a_{i})$ calculated as:

$H(a_{i})={\text{HyphaCrypt}}(a_{i}||H(a_{i-1}))$

where:

$H(a_{i-1})$ represents the hash of the preceding entry, ensuring continuity and tamper resistance.
|| denotes concatenation.

The probability $P_{\text{intact}}$ that a lineage remains uncompromised after $n$ entries, given a probability $p$ that any single entry remains uncompromised, is calculated as:

$P_{\text{intact}}=p^{n}$

This mathematical model illustrates that the integrity of the lineage grows stronger with each verified entry, creating a robust, tamper-resistant historical record.

Example Lineage Scenario[edit]

A typical lineage for a capsule might include actions like:

1. Creation: The original contributor creates the capsule, initializing the lineage with a creation event, contributor ID, and initial timestamp. 2. Update: Another contributor modifies the capsule, with the entry capturing details like the action ("modification"), contributor ID, timestamp, and previous hash. 3. Replication: The Adaptive Replication system replicates the capsule, adding a lineage entry with metadata on replication parameters and contributing nodes. 4. Rollback: The Immune System detects corruption and initiates a rollback, with the event recorded in the lineage, restoring the capsule to a verified state.

Each action contributes to a secure and verifiable lineage history, ensuring that capsules can be reliably traced, verified, and, if necessary, restored to prior versions.

Future Enhancements to Lineage.proto[edit]

Potential future enhancements to the Lineage.proto schema include:

Predictive Analysis: Integration of predictive algorithms to optimize replication based on lineage patterns, adjusting replication and storage strategies proactively.
Inter-Capsule Lineage Tracking: Cross-referencing capsules in shared projects, allowing related capsules to track and display interconnected lineage records.
Community-Driven Lineage Verification: Contributors may vote on changes to a capsule’s lineage, supporting transparent and community-managed data governance within the Seigr network.

Conclusion[edit]

The Lineage.proto file is integral to Seigr’s ethical, transparent, and resilient data management strategy. By capturing an immutable history of each capsule, Lineage.proto ensures data integrity, accountability, and adaptive replication. As a core component of Seigr’s Seigr Metadata schema, it helps build a decentralized, secure, and self-healing data ecosystem.

For more details on related topics, see: