!!! Overview
[{$pagename}] are nodes of the [Hyperledger Indy] [network] that have [permissions] to participate in the [validation] process.


[Hyperledger Indy] is designed to be a global [public] [network], an instance will have many available [nodes] located around the world - more nodes available than can be effectively used in the [validation] process. The [validation] process needs enough [{$pagename}]s to be robust in the face of faults, but not too many as to degrade the performance in reaching [consensus]. 

[Hyperledger Indy]'s solution is to have an optimal subset of [{$pagename}] perform [Validation] - actively participating in the [Plenum Consensus Algorithm], and the rest as [Observer] nodes, tracking the growing Blockchain, serving reads (thus offloading that work from the [Validators]) and ready to called on to be Validators should they be required. 


The image below from Sovrin (covered in the next section) shows the division of Validator nodes (those currently participating in writing to the Ledger) and the Observer nodes (read-only nodes, but ready to become [Verifiers] if needed).

!! More Information
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