Archival Node

Concept

A specialized type of node (blockchain node) that stores the entire blockchain, and hence the amount of data it contains consists of the entire network including all blocks, transactions, and the state of every contract/ event and account at every block. In their functionality, archival nodes record and provide full amount of data on a network, and build an archive of historical states or records any point in time since inception. This capability makes them indispensable for certain uses such as data analysis, research, and advanced application development. By nature, archival nodes can reply with more complicated queries and data requests. Older data clusters can be accessed without having to reconstruct such data from the current state. Due to the huge amount of historical data involved for such queries and requests, running an archival node requires significant storage space and resources.

Archival nodes versus pruned node

Contrary to pruned nodes, archival nodes host a copy of the entire network and takes part in the synchronization process so that the entire network keeps seamlessly functioning. An archival node stores the entire network, including every transaction that was conducted on the network. A pruned node stores only a part of the blockchain, and hence the amount of data it stores is limited to a subset of the blockchain. Since pruned nodes require smaller amounts of data storage to maintain its consensus, more users can have more room to participant given a user’s lower tech capabilities. A pruned and archival node differ in the amount of blockchain data each can store. A pruned node only stores a sector of the blockchain, accommodating certain users’ limited resources (e.g., limited storage capacity). Furthermore, pruned nodes may also allow users avoid the longer wait time for downloading the entire records.

Role

Archival nodes are essential for users who need full access to the history of a blockchain, including detailed transaction details with time stamps and the state of accounts and data at any given point in time. This serves the particular, high-end needs for developers, researchers, auditors, and analysts who require inclusive data about the blockchain’s evolution over time. However, the resources required to run an archival node significantly impact its practicability and viability for general users or participants. Given the huge resources involved, these nodes are typically managed by specialized infrastructure providers or blockchain data services.