7.3 Node Identity

Discussion:

Node Identity uniquely distinguishes a Node within a defined architectural, logical, implementation, or deployment context. It provides the basis for attribution, authorisation, monitoring, audit, provenance, replay, recovery, and evidence.

A Node Identity allows later parts to identify which Node produced information, consumed a Communication Endpoint, reported status, acknowledged a command, executed a Node Role, or generated evidence.

A Node Identity exists at the architectural level. A deployment profile may associate a Node Identity with a container name, pod name, process identifier, host name, network address, certificate, service account, or other runtime identifier. Those identifiers do not replace the Node Identity.

Definition:

identifier uniquely distinguishing a Node within a defined architectural context

Source:

Adapted from FX Demo Reference Architecture, Section 2.1.16, Node Identity; generalised from implementation-profile identity to conceptual architectural identity.

Note:

A Node Identity is not a container name, pod name, host name, process identifier, user identity, organisation identity, network address, or repository path.

Example:

A Phase 0 implementation profile may assign a stable Node Identity to a health-monitoring Node so later reviewers can attribute its heartbeat records, status messages, audit entries, and evidence to the same architectural participant.