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+---
+phase: 1
+slug: federation-mesh-hardening
+# status lifecycle: draft (seeded by plan-phase) → validated (set by validate-phase §6)
+# audit-milestone §5.5 distinguishes NOT-VALIDATED (draft) from PARTIAL (validated + nyquist_compliant: false) (#2117)
+status: draft
+nyquist_compliant: false
+wave_0_complete: false
+created: 2026-07-29
+---
+
+# Phase 1 — Validation Strategy
+
+> Per-phase validation contract for feedback sampling during execution.
+
+---
+
+## Test Infrastructure
+
+| Property | Value |
+|----------|-------|
+| **Framework** | cargo test (Rust, workspace at core/) + bash harnesses (tests/multinode/, tests/lifecycle/) + node --check / manual curl for mock-backend |
+| **Config file** | core/Cargo.toml (workspace); tests/multinode/smoke.sh |
+| **Quick run command** | `cd core && cargo test -p archipelago federation` |
+| **Full suite command** | `cd core && cargo test` (plus on-node `tests/multinode/smoke.sh` for cross-node behavior) |
+| **Estimated runtime** | ~120 seconds (cargo test); multinode smoke is node-gated |
+|
+
+---
+
+## Sampling Rate
+
+- **After every task commit:** Run `cd core && cargo test -p archipelago federation` (or the targeted module's tests)
+- **After every plan wave:** Run `cd core && cargo test`; frontend waves: `cd neode-ui && npm run build` + grep dist for new strings
+- **Before `/gsd-verify-work`:** Full suite green + multinode smoke considerations noted (cross-node checks are hardware/node-gated)
+- **Max feedback latency:** 180 seconds
+
+---
+
+## Per-Task Verification Map
+
+| Task ID | Plan | Wave | Requirement | Threat Ref | Secure Behavior | Test Type | Automated Command | File Exists | Status |
+|---------|------|------|-------------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------------|-------------|--------|
+| (filled by planner) | — | — | FED-01..06 | — | — | — | — | — | ⬜ pending |
+
+*Status: ⬜ pending · ✅ green · ❌ red · ⚠️ flaky*
+
+---
+
+## Wave 0 Requirements
+
+- [ ] Storage-race unit tests for `federation/storage.rs` (concurrent load/save + remove-during-sync) — stubs for FED-01/FED-02
+- [ ] Mock-backend RPC parity checks (mesh contacts + message-mutation methods) — FED-04 remainder
+
+*Existing infrastructure covers cargo test; multinode smoke.sh covers cross-node sync but runs on-node only.*
+
+---
+
+## Manual-Only Verifications
+
+| Behavior | Requirement | Why Manual | Test Instructions |
+|----------|-------------|------------|-------------------|
+| Removed peer never reappears across real fleet sync cycles | FED-01 | Needs two live nodes + wall-clock sync cycles | Remove a peer on archi-dev, watch peer list through ≥2 sync cycles (90s loop), confirm absent + error surfaced on induced failure |
+| Channel-open UX end-to-end | FED-05 | Visual/UX judgment + live LND | Drive :8100 preview against archi-dev; share URI, open channel to trusted node, request public-node channel |
+| Paid-tick animation on-brand | FED-06 | Visual judgment | Trigger payment success in preview; compare ring/EQ segments to screensaver |
+
+---
+
+## Validation Sign-Off
+
+- [ ] All tasks have `<automated>` verify or Wave 0 dependencies
+- [ ] Sampling continuity: no 3 consecutive tasks without automated verify
+- [ ] Wave 0 covers all MISSING references
+- [ ] No watch-mode flags
+- [ ] Feedback latency < 180s
+- [ ] `nyquist_compliant: true` set in frontmatter
+
+**Approval:** pending