GBUdb

I understand that the GBUdb has collaborative features. How does that work exactly?

Each SNF node connects to our SYNC server(s) about once per minute to exchange telemetry, rulebase, and GBUdb data.

When your SNF node has new or updated information about an IP it has seen then it will "report" that information to "the cloud". In exchange "the cloud" will "reflect" what it knows about the IP. Your SNF node will then integrate part of the reflected data into it's own information on the IP.

Early in a node's experience with an IP the node will be heavily influenced by what the cloud reflects about that IP. Over time as each node gains experience it will be more confident in it's own information about the IP.

In this way, all SNF nodes participate in an ongoing conversation about the IPs they interact with. They form a consensus about the IP that is represented in "the cloud" as they share their personal experiences with eachother. When an SNF node first meets a new IP it essentially asks the cloud what it thinks about the IP. Once it has a deeper relationship with the IP it will keep the cloud up to date but will generally decide what it thinks about the IP on its own.

It's worth pointing out that GBUdb is not the only collaborative system in the SNF network. SNF nodes also share information about pattern matching activities, spam-storm notifications, and general system performance.