How does the network scale?

This is right there are 4 live copies at any time (well this is the target number so any less than that starts a copy). There are up to 16 off line copies (machines switched off but may still be useful).

The cache / speed up happens because data is cached in first in first out queues in each node along the route. So like a swarm that returns to normal after a period. This happens because a node has it in its interest to just pass data back rather than pass a message along (and then maybe also the data on return route). So a selfish node wants to cache. Certainly does not want to drop data as the network will penalise it.

This means that data reaches along the path of the requester of that data and appears to bellow out form the source. Nobody gets paid for cache data as its a network fundamental principle (save, yourself, save data, save network - the golden rules). This saves many attacks as well as being efficient.

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