Circular Documentation
  • Getting Started
  • Introduction
    • Introducing Circular
  • Circular's Mission
  • Circular's Technology
    • Certificates & Data Anchoring
    • Multi-Chain Architecture
    • Certified Nodes & Jurisdictional Deployment
    • HyperCode & GPU Accelerated Processing
    • Proof of Reputation Consensus Mechanism
  • Certified Intelligence
  • Developer Tools
    • Enterprise APIs
      • Javascript
        • CEP_Account.open()
        • CEP_Account.setNetwork()
        • CEP_Account.setBlockchain()
        • CEP_Account.update()
        • CEP_Account.submitCertificate()
        • CEP_Account.getTransactionOutcome()
        • CEP_Account.getTransaction()
        • CEP_Account.close()
      • Node.JS
        • CEP_Account.open()
        • CEP_Account.setNetwork()
        • CEP_Account.setBlockchain()
        • CEP_Account.update()
        • CEP_Account.submitCertificate()
        • CEP_Account.getTransactionOutcome()
        • CEP_Account.getTransaction()
        • CEP_Account.close()
      • PHP
        • CEP_Account.open()
        • CEP_Account.setNetwork()
        • CEP_Account.setBlockchain()
        • CEP_Account.updateAccount()
        • CEP_Account.submitCertificate()
        • CEP_Account.getTransactionOutcome()
        • CEP_Account.getTransaction()
        • CEP_Account.close()
      • Python
        • CEP_Account.open()
        • CEP_Account.set_network()
        • CEP_Account.set_blockchain()
        • CEP_Account.update_account()
        • CEP_Account.submit_certificate()
        • CEP_Account.get_transaction_outcome()
        • CEP_Account.get_transaction()
        • CEP_Account.close()
      • Java
        • CEP_Account.open()
        • CEP_Account.setNetwork()
        • CEP_Account.setBlockchain()
        • CEP_Account.updateAccount()
        • CEP_Account.submitCertificate()
        • CEP_Account.getTransactionOutcome()
        • CEP_Account.getTransaction()
        • CEP_Account.close()
  • SDK
  • CLI & Tooling
  • Core Concepts
    • Overview
    • Certificates
  • Accounts
  • Private Chains
  • Data Management
  • Fees
  • Nodes
  • Private Keys
  • Recovery Phrases
  • Tutorials & Examples
    • Circular Connect Guide
      • Create an Organisation Account
      • Create a Blockchain Account
      • Purchase Certificates
      • Using the Explorer & Viewing Certificate Details
    • Create Your First Certificate
  • Industry Use Cases
    • Industry Use Cases - Overview
    • Clinical Trials
    • Medical Devices
    • Public Health
    • Pharma Supply Chains
    • Research and Academia
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On this page
  • What is a Node?
  • Why Nodes Matter
  • This distributed model brings several advantages:
  • Jurisdictional Flexibility
  • This allows enterprises and governments to:
  • Types of Nodes
  • Security and Trust
  • Benefits of Circular’s Node Model
  • Summary

Nodes

Nodes are the distributed servers that power Circular’s infrastructure, enabling compliance-grade decentralization, global reach, and jurisdictional control.

What is a Node?

A node is a trusted server running Circular’s core software. Nodes work together to maintain a synchronized, tamper-proof record of certified data across the network. Unlike traditional systems that rely on a single centralized database, Circular distributes responsibility across multiple independent nodes, enhancing resilience, transparency, and control.

Each node processes certifications, validates incoming data, and participates in reaching consensus across the network. This enables organizations to build workflows that are both collaborative and independently verifiable.

Why Nodes Matter

Most enterprise systems rely on centralized infrastructure, which introduces risk: a single point of failure, limited transparency, and potential regulatory bottlenecks. Circular’s architecture distributes trust across a global network of nodes, allowing institutions to certify and verify data without relying on intermediaries.

This distributed model brings several advantages:

  • No single point of failure

  • Independent verification of all actions

  • Greater data integrity and auditability

  • Reduced risk of tampering or hidden changes

Jurisdictional Flexibility

Circular supports jurisdictional node deployment, meaning nodes can be hosted in specific regions or by specific organizations to meet local compliance requirements.

This allows enterprises and governments to:

  • Operate within national data laws (HIPAA, GDPR, etc.)

  • Retain sovereignty over infrastructure

  • Participate in decentralized workflows without exposing data to external jurisdictions

  • Validate and certify data using trusted, regionally-hosted nodes

Types of Nodes

All nodes on Circular perform the same core functions but may be deployed in different roles based on context:

Institutional Nodes

Operated by hospitals, CROs, research organizations, or governments. These nodes participate in certification workflows and may be required for regulatory compliance.

Partner Nodes

Hosted by trusted partners or collaborators, used to validate certificates or contribute to multi-party processes.

Public Nodes

Part of Circular’s open infrastructure. Used to verify certificates, anchor proofs from private chains, and ensure network-wide integrity.

Security and Trust

Each node runs identical, open-source code and is cryptographically verified to prevent manipulation or misbehavior. All interactions between nodes are signed, timestamped, and independently auditable.

Organizations can choose to trust only specific nodes for their workflows, or opt into broader public verification depending on the level of transparency required.

Benefits of Circular’s Node Model

  • Resilience

    If one node goes offline, the network remains operational.

  • Scalability

    New nodes can be added to support growing demand or extend regional coverage.

  • Compliance Control

    Nodes can be deployed within specific jurisdictions to comply with local regulations.

  • Transparency

    Every certification is independently verifiable, even without relying on the original issuer.

  • Interoperability

    Nodes communicate across public and private chains, enabling seamless data flows without centralized bottlenecks.

Summary

Nodes are the foundation of Circular’s decentralized infrastructure. They offer the operational reliability of cloud-grade architecture, the regulatory flexibility of jurisdictional deployment, and the trust of cryptographic verification, all without exposing sensitive data or requiring specialized blockchain knowledge.

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Last updated 27 days ago