v5 Notary Allocator Application: Ewesion

[Suyanj]

v5 Notary Allocator Application

To apply to be an allocator, organizations will submit one application for each proposed pathway to DataCap. If you will be designing multiple specific pathways, you will need to submit multiple applications.

Please complete the following steps:

1. Fill out the information below and create a new GitHub Issue

1. Notary Allocator Pathway Name (This can be your name, or the name of your pathway/program. For example "E-Fil+"):EAP---Ewesion Allocator Pathway
2. Organization Name:Ewesion
3. On-chain address for Allocator (Provide a NEW unique address. During ratification, you will need to initialize this address on-chain):f1xvlypp5grzwu4kqaggsxlrduga4elp7t6bkd5by
4. Country of Operation (Where your organization is legally based):China
5. Region of Operation (What region will you serve?):All Regions
6. Type of Allocator, diligence process: (Automated/programmatic, Market-based, or Manual (human-in-the-loop at some phase):Manual
7. DataCap requested for allocator for 12 months of activity (This should be an estimate of overall expected activity. Estimate the total amount of DataCap you will be distributing to clients in 12 months, in TiB or PiB):200PiB

2. Access allocator application (download to save answers)

Click link below to access a Google doc version of the allocator application that can be used to save your answers if you are not prepared to fully submit the application in Step 3. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-Ze8bo7ZlIJe8qX0YSFNPTka4CMprqoNB1D6V7WJJjo/copy

3. Submit allocation application

Clink link below to access full allocator questionnaire and officially submit your answers:
https://airtable.com/appvyE0VHcgpAkt4Z/shrQxaAIsD693e1ns

Note: Sections of your responses WILL BE posted back into the GitHub issue tracking your application.
The final section (Additional Disclosures) will NOT be posted to GitHub, and will be maintained by the Filecoin Foundation.
Application information for notaries not accepted and ratified in this round will be deleted.

[Kevin-FF-USA]

Hi @Suyanj
Wanted to let you know this application has been received. Once you complete and submit the include Airtable (form) information - the public answers will be posted in a thread below soon. If you have any questions - please let me know.

[Kevin-FF-USA]

Hi @Suyanj,

Thanks for submitting to become and Allocator! Wanted to confirm this application has been received along with your completed Airtable form.

[ghost]

Basic Information

1. Notary Allocator Pathway Name:
Ewesion Allocator Pathway

2. Organization:
Ewesion

3. On Chain Address for Allocator:
f1xvlypp5grzwu4kqaggsxlrduga4elp7t6bkd5by

4. Country of Operation:
China

5. Region(s) of operation:
South America, North America, Japan, Europe, Greater China, Asia minus GCR, Africa , Oceania, Other

6. Type of Allocator:
Manual

7. DataCap requested for allocator for 12 months of activity:
200PiB

8. Is your allocator providing a unique, new, or diverse pathway to DataCap? How does this allocator differentiate itself from other applicants, new or existing?:
The purpose of allocating the DataCap is to make sure clients use these DataCap in a manner fit the ecosystem needs. For new applied clients, we need background check about his/her information, like we once did. We define 6 varying degrees of trust. The rules in this table will be the primary guideline we use when evaluating a client and determining their DataCap allocation.

9. As a member in the Filecoin Community, I acknowledge that I must adhere to the Community Code of Conduct, as well other End User License Agreements for accessing various tools and services, such as GitHub and Slack.:
Acknowledge

Client Diligence

10. Who are your target clients?:
Individuals learning about Filecoin, Enterprise Data Clients, Small-scale developers or data owners, Other (specified above)

11. Describe in as much detail as possible how you will perform due diligence on clients. If you are proposing an automated pathway, what diligence mechanism will you use to determine client eligibility?:
Our approach to client verification encompasses both online and offline methods, tailored to the specific circumstances of each client. For institutional clients, a comprehensive review is conducted, including an assessment of company business licenses, official websites, business scopes, storage plans, and the content and source of stored data. Audit records, including communication logs, will be made publicly available on Github to ensure transparency.
The stringency of customer reviews is proportional to the DataCap, with individual customers undergoing identity verification based on account age and activity. All customers, regardless of type, undergo rigorous qualification procedures in the initial stages. Basic requirements include compliance with local laws, adherence to Filecoin community standards, and avoidance of actions directly or indirectly harmful to the Filecoin network. For corporate clients, detailed information is collected, covering organizational documents, government-issued identification numbers, signatory information, and beneficial ownership details. Individual customers undergo KYC verification based on personal details, including name, nationality, educational background, occupation, and social media accounts.
Our manual approach involves a thorough due diligence process, starting with an initial contact assessment and progressing through requirement analysis, business verification, compliance checks, risk assessments, reference checks, meetings, and ongoing monitoring after onboarding.
In summary, our verification process ensures a holistic understanding of each client, considering their specific needs, legal compliance, risk factors, and ongoing adherence to standards. The transparency provided through public audit records and the meticulous approach to due diligence contribute to the reliability and integrity of our client verification procedures.

12. Please specify how many questions you’ll ask, and provide a brief overview of the questions.:
In general, the higher the DataCap thresholds are, the more restricted the client scrutiny would be. We will consider the customer's answers and ask further questions to address the points of doubt.
We have created a questionnaire to help us get to know our clients.

1. What's your name and your position in your company?
2. Please introduce yourself and your team briefly. How many team members do you have in your R&D or core team?
3. Are you applying on behalf of an individual or a company? For your organization, Please describe the details of your company.
4. Please describe the process by which you or your organization learned about filecoin.
5. Please show us some of your Social Media Accounts
6. Please provide your company's business registration license.
7. What types of data do you plan to store with the DataCap and how many do you need? Could you please provide us some of your sample data?
8. Where is your data stored now? Whether the data is stored on a server or a cloud service provider?

13. Will you use a 3rd-party Know your client (KYC) service?:
We prioritize KYC services by partnering with reliable third parties for comprehensive customer background checks.
In China, we utilize official platforms like the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System and professional business search websites. For customers in the U.S. and Singapore, we rely on business registries, regulatory bodies, and credit reporting agencies.
Additional measures include address verification tools, direct communication, and ongoing research into open-source bot systems. Our in-house Compliance Department conducts due diligence, ensuring compliance with relevant laws. Successful checks lead to smooth technical integrations and dedicated client support for data transfer.

14. Can any client apply to your pathway, or will you be closed to only your own internal clients? (eg: bizdev or self-referral):
We maintain an open approach to all clients, both internal and external, and welcome individuals and organizations to apply for our services through various channl. All applicants are required to submit their applications on GitHub's issues platform, a platform accessible to the public. It's noteworthy that the FIL+ Governance team and the Filecoin Foundation have the authority to review these issues at any time, ensuring fairness and transparency in the application process.

15. How do you plan to track the rate at which DataCap is being distributed to your clients?:
Our system assigns clients a data score, barring those below a minimum threshold. DataCap allocations correlate with these scores. We pre-evaluate conditions to select eligible storage clients and continually optimize the process. Monitoring focuses on allocation fairness, success rates, transparency, and data diligence. Clients apply through us,the open-source bot will respect existing strategies. Monitoring, including clients' remaining quotas. Requests for the next quota round trigger when remaining quotas fall below 25%, granted upon bot-triggered requests. Data distribution details are available at https://datacapstats.io/.

Data Diligence

16. As an operating entity in the Filecoin Community, you are required to follow all local & regional regulations relating to any data, digital and otherwise. This may include PII and data deletion requirements, as well as the storing, transmit:
Acknowledge

17. What type(s) of data would be applicable for your pathway?:
Public Open Dataset (Research/Non-Profit), Public Open Commercial/Enterprise, Private Commercial/Enterprise, Private Non-Profit/Social Impact

18. How will you verify a client’s data ownership? Will you use 3rd-party KYB (know your business) service to verify enterprise clients?:
In ensuring the validation of client data ownership and safeguarding their legitimate rights and data security, we employ a thorough verification process. DC applicants are initially required to provide proof of ownership data, followed by an assessment of the data source and sample data. Utilizing third-party KYB services, such as https://www.authento.io/kyb, adds an extra layer of validation.
The verification process includes completion of a GitHub application form, a cooperation agreement explicitly declaring data ownership, and submission of data authorization and licensing documents. These documents, encompassing business licenses, contracts with official seals, recorded videos, etc., articulate the scope, purpose, and time limits of the client's data authorization, with a specific emphasis on data sovereignty. Ensuring document authenticity, the signing of the cooperation agreement and submission of data authorization documents must occur through the client's enterprise email. Business information is verified using professional credit systems, commercial registration bureaus, and other enterprise inquiry websites. KYB system authentication, particularly through https://www.authento.io/kyb, is implemented for robust client authentication and verification. Collectively, these measures reinforce the validation of client data ownership and serve to protect their legitimate rights and data security.

19. How will you ensure the data meets local & regional legal requirements?:
Our comprehensive approach to legal assessment and continuous monitoring ensures the protection of data and adherence to legal standards. We conduct ongoing legal and regulatory research, customized compliance strategies, client education, and consultation to stay abreast of local and regional laws. Our framework includes data processing and transfer agreements, regular compliance audits, and the appointment of a Data Protection Officer and legal team. This commitment safeguards our clients and our business against legal risks. On the user front, we prioritize data ownership verification. Applicants submit proof of ownership, and we employ various measures, including KYB services like https://www.authento.io, to confirm data source claims. Clients complete a GitHub application form, sign a cooperation agreement, and provide data authorization and licensing documents. The use of enterprise email ensures document authenticity, and professional verification systems and KYB authentication contribute to data ownership validation and protection. Through these measures, we uphold the legitimacy and security of client data.

20. What types of data preparation will you support or require?:
• Clients can opt for the data encapsulation method that best suits their technical capabilities. Those with their technical teams are encouraged to use car files as the final data type, with no restrictions on file size. For clients lacking technical expertise or with less mature technical solutions, we offer a user-friendly tool for car file packaging. Our mature car file packaging and conversion tool effortlessly converts source files into car files and generates corresponding metadata files for order issuance and subsequent data queries. Through our service interface, clients upload source data, triggering our system to automatically package and distribute data to SP. An asynchronous interface allows clients to monitor real-time task progress and obtain specific information about encapsulated and saved data. • Our commitment to client support includes technical assistance, integration services, and data preparation services. Specifically, for Big Data Clients, we facilitate physical data transfers to our devices. Alternatively, smaller entities can leverage our API for streamlined data transfers.

21. What tools or methodology will you use to sample and verify the data aligns with your pathway?:
• Our data validation approach involves employing tools like random or stratified sampling for representative data extraction and utilizing open-source comparison tools for type and content assessment. We ensure alignment with customer-declared data preparation requirements and establish continuous monitoring to prevent abusive behavior, including real-time scrutiny of system logs. In managing LDN, we leverage https://filecoin.tools/ for data queries, emphasizing the importance of manual data inspection. The spot checks during quota issuance stages compare actual data with declared types, and each sampled data is retained until the LDN's conclusion. Detection of abuse leads to halting the next quota batch and reducing unused DC amounts simultaneously.

Data Distribution

22. How many replicas will you require to meet programmatic requirements for distribution?:
5+

23. What geographic or regional distribution will you require?:
We allocate DataCap with a focus on the Euro-American and Pacific Asia regions, giving particular priority to customers in the Asia Pacific region. Emphasizing decentralized storage and backup, we aim to bolster data security. Our requirements dictate that SPs are geographically diverse, spanning three continents and originating from five different countries. This ensures a balanced distribution, with no single SP exceeding a 25% share. Our approach is inclusive, treating all regions equally without any exclusions.

24. How many Storage Provider owner/operators will you require to meet programmatic requirements for distribution?:
5+

25. Do you require equal percentage distribution for your clients to their chosen SPs? Will you require preliminary SP distribution plans from the client before allocating any DataCap?:
DataCap allocation is a meticulous process involving a comprehensive KYC audit, offline discussions, and investigations for new clients. Verification checks include assessing physical documents and government registrations. Qualified clients receive incremental DataCap with a reputation mechanism, allowing gradual increases based on performance. Customers provide detailed usage information, and allocation is determined by customer ratings. Distribution plans must adhere to specific limits, including maximum data stored, duplication rates, retrieval rates, and backup requirements. Uniform percentage allocation for each SP is not enforced due to varying capacities. Preliminary SP allocation plans are reviewed, considering factors like geography and institutional entities. Strict adherence to the distribution plan is required, with discrepancies leading to distribution halts. Classification of SPs based on capabilities ensures equitable data allocation percentages.

26. What tooling will you use to verify client deal-making distribution?:
Datacapttats.io and CID bot

27. How will clients meet SP distribution requirements?:
Identify protocols and interfaces for data exchange. Establish a secure connection using the provided tools, involving authentication and authorization. Obtain a list of allocatable data by sending appropriate query requests, based on different filtering criteria. Preferably allocate data to reviewed and reputable SPs.

28. As an allocator, do you support clients that engage in deal-making with SPs utilizing a VPN?:
Ewesion consistently supports the reasonable use of VPNs, considering them an essential component of enterprise firewall practices. Their approach involves analyzing user data related to VPN connections, including user identification and connection time. They identify VPN servers by monitoring network traffic and collaborate with SPs to develop policies and regulations for VPN usage. The emphasis is on providing detailed reports and statistical data to SPs, ensuring compliance with legal and privacy protection frameworks, and respecting user privacy rights and data protection requirements throughout the data collection, storage, and processing processes.

DataCap Allocation Strategy

29. Will you use standardized DataCap allocations to clients?:
Yes, standardized

30. Allocation Tranche Schedule to clients::
• First: 50% of the weekly allocation
• Second: 100% of the weekly allocation
• Third: 200% of the weekly allocation
• Fourth: 400% of the weekly allocation
• Max per client overall: 1P

31. Will you use programmatic or software based allocations?:
Yes, standardized and software based

32. What tooling will you use to construct messages and send allocations to clients?:
https://filplus.fil.org/#/

33. Describe the process for granting additional DataCap to previously verified clients.:
Ewesion has developed own DC request calculator or use existing bots with robust APIs. Clients can upload metadata information in tranches, deciding the size of the next tranche as needed. Monitoring and tracking DC usage will be strict, evaluating customer reputation for adherence to the allocation plan. Continuous tracking of customer information and the establishment of a reward and punishment mechanism will ensure fair and responsible use of DataCap. Subsequent allocation requests will follow community standards, with the remaining DataCap monitored through the filplus-ssa-bot on GitHub, triggering the next round when it falls below 25%.

34. Describe in as much detail as possible the tools used for: • client discoverability & applications • due diligence & investigation • bookkeeping • on-chain message construction • client deal-making behavior • tracking overall allocator health • disput:
Ewesion offers dedicated workspaces for clients, also supports subsequent allocation requests and dispute submissions, streamlining the data management process. Communication channels include Slack, Telegram, WeChat, GitHub, Jotform, Filscan, and manual trigger boot T&T on GitHub and Slack.

Tools and Bookkeeping

35. Will you use open-source tooling from the Fil+ team?:
Ewesion utilizes Namescan.io for compliance checks, authento.io for KYB checks, records bookkeeping tasks through GitHub, analyzes client transaction behavior with Filecoin Boost, tracks and monitors allocation activities using a specially designed dashboard, and communicates through channels including Slack, Telegram, WeChat and GitHub

36. Where will you keep your records for bookkeeping? How will you maintain transparency in your allocation decisions?:
Clients can access all bookkeeping records on the Ewesion official website. Additionally, in line with transparency, we will publicly share certain information on GitHub. Sensitive data will be kept private but made available to the Fil+ Governance team for dispute resolution or audits.

Risk Mitigation, Auditing, Compliance

37. Describe your proposed compliance check mechanisms for your own clients.:
Ewesion will maintain records, including DataCap allocation details and relevant information for each client, such as dates and allocated amounts. Regular audits will be conducted to ensure each client's storage usage aligns with the allocated DataCap.
Plans involve setting up servers in multiple regions for retrieval sampling, inspecting sector content to verify files and sizes, and comparing with client-uploaded metadata before allocation. LDN management utilizes GitHub for the application portal and filplus-backend. The credibility of SPs will be assessed using https://datacapstats.io/ and filplus-backend. Clients must adhere to rules regarding storage capacity, duplication rates, retrieval rates, backups, and CID sharing. Violations, especially CID sharing, may result in cooperation termination.

38. Describe your process for handling disputes. Highlight response times, transparency, and accountability mechanisms.:
In the event of differences or disputes, the allocation decision discussion should be publicly initiated on Slack or GitHub. If disputes persist regarding the decision, the governance team will make a corresponding ruling within 5 working days upon receiving a dispute resolution application.
Response time: Ensuring a timely response, we will handle disputes within 24 hours of submission. The dispute handling process will be initiated immediately upon receiving the application, confirming receipt to the parties involved.
Transparency: Disputes will be managed on GitHub to maintain transparency. A proposal will be created, allowing parties to leave comments and submit evidence below the proposal. The entire process will be publicly displayed to ensure all parties involved clearly understand the progress and basis for decision-making. Communication will also take place on GitHub or in public video conferences to maintain open communication with all parties involved.
GitHub result announcement: The final decision will be publicly announced on GitHub, detailing penalties for errant parties and rewards for honest parties, along with relevant resolution instructions.
Accountability mechanism: For the errant party, corresponding punitive measures will be taken, including revoking DataCap, listing them as a dishonest storage provider, and adding them to the blacklist.
For honest parties, we will provide more support, increase their DataCap quota, and offer more opportunities to participate in network development. Ensuring the fairness, transparency, and accountability of the dispute handling process is our commitment, and we will adhere to relevant regulations and standards to maintain the stability and reliability of the Filecoin network.

39. Detail how you will announce updates to tooling, pathway guidelines, parameters, and process alterations.:
Before issuing update notices, it is advisable to conduct a round of promotion and feedback. Inform relevant team members of the changes, encourage them to provide feedback, and make adjustments or modifications based on the results of promotion and feedback. Regular follow-up and evaluation based on feedback results will further optimize and improve tools, path guides, parameters, and processes. Meetings or discussions with other notaries and notary governance teams are essential to ensure consensus on upcoming changes. Communication will primarily take place on Slack, with major decisions synchronized on GitHub, and important files synchronized via email.

40. How long will you allow the community to provide feedback before implementing changes?:
Before implementing changes, we will allow the community at least 15 days to provide feedback. The overall feedback process includes announcing and promoting changes through channels such as Slack, GitHub, and community forums, with detailed explanations and plans. Multiple feedback channels, including GitHub issues and discussions, Slack channels, email, and community forums, will be available for community members to express their opinions and suggestions.
We will regularly update the community, summarizing and responding to received feedback to ensure ongoing engagement. Our transparent merging strategy will carefully consider community input, maintaining fairness and openness in the decision-making process. A final announcement will be made when the change plan is finalized, detailing the execution plan, impact scope, and how community feedback has been incorporated into the decision-making process.
Through these steps, we ensure the community has sufficient time and diverse ways to provide feedback while maintaining transparency, fairness, and inclusivity.

41. Regarding security, how will you structure and secure the on-chain notary address? If you will utilize a multisig, how will it be structured? Who will have administrative & signatory rights?:
We employ a multi-signature wallet system, with core personnel (up to three individuals) holding the primary exercise rights. The project manager, development engineer, and operations manager each possess a key in the multi-signature setup. The operations manager performs applicant background checks, and upon meeting requirements, the project manager reviews project specifications. Subsequently, the development engineer verifies data allocation for the DC node in the application. This approach ensures confidentiality and a secure operational process.

42. Will you deploy smart contracts for program or policy procedures? If so, how will you track and fund them?:
Yes, we plan to deploy smart contracts for our scheduled or policy programs. To track and fund these contracts, we will implement comprehensive measures. This includes deploying smart contracts using suitable technical platforms, establishing tracking systems to monitor their execution, and providing financial support for associated expenses. Our tracking measures involve utilizing blockchain explorers, event logs, and custom monitoring tools to promptly address any issues. Funding programs will involve allocating resources for gas fees, program expenses, and incentives. Detailed information and examples will be shared transparently on platforms like GitHub to keep the community informed about our smart contract deployment, tracking, and funding strategies.

Monetization

43. Outline your monetization models for the services you provide as a notary allocator pathway.:
Regarding staking and gas, we will follow market behavior, monitoring changes in staking and gas through tools such as filfox. As for service fees, we charge 1024 FIL/1PiB.

44. Describe your organization's structure, such as the legal entity and other business & market ventures.:
Founded in 2019 by Benny Li, Ewesion is a platform for creative artists that serves everyone from large and medium-sized enterprises to media and individual users. Ewesion is the largest picture provider for the Tencent public cloud today. We provide functional design and editing tools to its users as well as secure storage of their final creations. It is quickly becoming the image repository of choice, aiming to power and preserve content to elevate visual communications. Our company is located in China, and we have office in both Shanghai and Beijing. Now we have over 100 employees. We specialize in providing a full range of Internet information services that meet the creative and editorial graphic needs of all types of businesses, channels, media and individual users.

45. Where will accounting for fees be maintained?:
These fees will be accounted for and managed according to the network operation rules. Independent auditing agencies should conduct monetary audits to ensure transparency and verifiability. Matters related to cost accounting may need to be decided through proposals and voting, and corresponding rules and mechanisms should be established. Specific cost accounting is typically achieved through network protocols and smart contracts, recorded on the blockchain. Other stakeholders in the Filecoin community can also participate in the audit process to ensure transparency and openness of the data.

Past Experience, Affiliations, Reputation

46. If you've received DataCap allocation privileges before, please link to prior notary applications.:
#740

47. How are you connected to the Filecoin ecosystem? Describe your (or your organization's) Filecoin relationships, investments, or ownership.:
Our first application for datacap was in September 2021. After our first successful datacap request and use, we made several more requests for datacap to store our company's data. Due to our active use of datacap, Filecoin Foundation has written a special article to document our participation in filecoin. https://filecoinfoundation.medium.com/storage-company-ewesion-leverages-filecoin-network-for-data-preservation-e36cecc84e0e Also we have made deals on BDE platform. https://www.bigd.exchange/detail/20220902165012

48. How are you estimating your client demand and pathway usage? Do you have existing clients and an onboarding funnel?:
Our first application for datacap was in September 2021. After our first successful datacap request and use, we made several more requests for datacap to store our company's data. Due to our active use of datacap, Filecoin Foundation has written a special article to document our participation in filecoin. https://filecoinfoundation.medium.com/storage-company-ewesion-leverages-filecoin-network-for-data-preservation-e36cecc84e0e Also we have made deals on BDE platform. https://www.bigd.exchange/detail/20220902165012We estimate customer needs and usage patterns through various methods, including regular user surveys, feedback collection, data analysis, collaboration with other notaries, and learning from experience. These approaches provide real-time insights into storage demands and usage trends. Our customer acquisition strategy involves thorough background checks for first-time applicants, defining six trust levels, and utilizing these rules as primary guidelines for client evaluation and DataCap allocation. For existing clients, we employ regular reviews, data analysis, and ongoing communication to ensure compliance with previously granted DataCap. Additionally, community oversight is encouraged, allowing other community members to provide insights into potential misuse of DataCap. Our goal is to optimize DataCap allocation through a multifaceted approach, meeting customer storage needs while maintaining the stability and security of the Filecoin network.