I understand that currently Labs is archiving the various chains. What is the longer term plan for this?
I would expect that relayers will be permission-less as well, and that there should be an incentive structure for both relayers and validators of the relayed chain. Is that explained somewhere, or is this too far in the future to detail at this point?
Hi JR and thanks for your question : )
You are correct. Subspace Labs is currently archiving Dotsama. Right now, the storage is free on our testnet, and the feeds accounts we employ use a simple signature-based proof-of-authority. That was primarily a proof-of-concept.
We have an architecture for a permissionless, incentivized relayer network which will be described in more detail in an upcoming announcement. Essentially, executors will be able to opt-in to relaying blocks for other chains as part of archival storage feeds that will act like L2s on Subspace. These relayers will be elected using the same stake-weighted lottery in our decoupled execution scheme. Anyone who wishes to stake will be able to run the executor/relayer node.
We expect these feeds to be subsidized by endowments from the foundations of other chains which we archive. The archival scheme will later be used as the basis for a x-chain messaging scheme, where users will pay the relayer fee. Please stay tuned for more details on this architecture in the coming months!