Gossip Observer: New project to monitor the Lightning P2P network

The discussion revolves around optimizing communication within a network, suggesting a protocol where a sketch is sent every 60 seconds, with the option to refine the set before transmission. This approach aims to streamline the exchange of information by allowing recipients who can decode the sketch to respond with any missing messages the sender lacks. In scenarios where decoding fails, actions vary based on the circumstances such as differing block heights, the possibility of sending a larger set in future communications, waiting for more failures if connected to other peers, streaming gossip to peers with significantly less information, or querying for complete data when discrepancies cannot be resolved through standard exchanges.

A point of contention arises with the handling of undecodable sketches, especially when it leads to redundant data transmission across the network. The text critiques the absence of a protocol like GETDATA for targeted message content requests, which could prevent unnecessary bandwidth usage by avoiding duplicate message receipts from multiple peers. The ability to request missing messages directly from a select peer would enhance efficiency, allowing for a precise and singular request, thereby conserving network resources.

The mention of a previously proposed solution (GitHub pull request) highlights an earlier attempt to address these concerns within the community. Despite the proposal's potential to mitigate identified issues, it was deprioritized and not implemented at the time, leaving room for ongoing discussions about optimal strategies for network communication and data exchange. This historical context underscores the complexity and evolving nature of managing efficient data transmission in decentralized networks, emphasizing the need for continued innovation and evaluation of proposed solutions.