[tor-bugs] #25999 [Core Tor/Stem]: Build an abstraction layer over different consensus flavours

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#25999: Build an abstraction layer over different consensus flavours
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 Reporter:  teor           |          Owner:  atagar
     Type:  enhancement    |         Status:  needs_information
 Priority:  Medium         |      Milestone:
Component:  Core Tor/Stem  |        Version:
 Severity:  Normal         |     Resolution:
 Keywords:  descriptor     |  Actual Points:
Parent ID:                 |         Points:
 Reviewer:                 |        Sponsor:
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Comment (by atagar):

 > I might have missed a document type or two, but I can't see any we could
 remove or even combine.

 At the end of the day data comes from three sources...

 * From relays via a server descriptor.
 * From relays via an extrainfo descriptor.
 * From authorities via the router status entry (ex. flags, bwauth
 measurements, etc).

 Microdescriptors are nothing more than a distillation of the server
 descriptor so downloads are smaller. Unless I'm missing something there's
 no reason anyone beside tor itself should care about those.

 The thing I think we *can* simplify is the consensus. I'm at a loss for a
 reason to have both a standard and microdescriptor consensus. Maybe the
 split's for historical backward compatibility?

 > ns (original) consensus flavour - a comprehensive consensus, used by old
 clients, and for detailed analysis by tools and people

 That's what I'm unsure about. Microdescriptors were added enough years ago
 that we likely already cut them out of the network. As for analysis, the
 microdescriptor consensus and server descriptors have the same data.

 > Ok, that would be very helpful.

 Do we have anyone eager to use such a class? It would be sad to implement
 such a thing only to see it go unused. ;)

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/25999#comment:5>
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