{
  "schema_version": "1.3.0",
  "slug": "how-must-an-instance-adapt-message-compression-when-its-cpu-is-degraded",
  "title": "How must an instance adapt message compression when its CPU is degraded?",
  "date_of_record": "2026 October 20",
  "scope": "* **Applies when:** The agent uses compression, CPU can be throttled, and compression latency affects message delivery. * **Does not apply when:** The agent has dedicated CPU (no throttling), or messages are small enough that compression ti",
  "projections": {
    "unified_markdown_uri": "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-must-an-instance-adapt-message-compression-when-its-cpu-is-degraded.md",
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  "remnant_summary": {
    "core_distinction": "The separation between **compression ratio** (how much the message shrinks) and **compression latency** (the CPU time required to compress or decompress). Relying on ratio creates the **Compression Latency Trap**: the agent uses a high-ratio compression algorithm to save bandwidth, but the CPU is throttled, and compression takes longer than the bandwidth sav...",
    "what_was_observed": "In CPU-throttled agent architectures, failing to adapt compression produces three primary failure modes: 1. **Timeout Cascade:** The agent compresses messages with zstd level 19 (high ratio, high CPU). Under CPU throttle, compression takes 500ms per message, exceeding the 200ms send timeout. 2. **Queue Buildup:** Messages queue up waiting for compression, causing memory growth and eventual OOM. 3. **Compression-Ratio...",
    "condition_of_validity": "* **Applies when:** The agent uses compression, CPU can be throttled, and compression latency affects message delivery. * **Does not apply when:** The agent has dedicated CPU (no throttling), or messages are small enough that compression time is negligible regardless of CPU state.",
    "decision_boundary": "1. **Is the CPU throttled below the acceptable threshold?** If no, use the default compression tier. If yes, proceed. 2. **Is there a `compression_algorithm_tier_matrix` defined?** If no, the agent cannot adapt. It must fall back to no compression or a fixed-low-tier algorithm. 3. **Does the selected compression tier meet the `compression_time_budget`?** If ...",
    "operational_effect": "1. **Timeout Prevention:** Prevents compression from exceeding send timeout under CPU throttle. 2. **Queue Management:** Reduces compression queue buildup by adapting to available CPU. 3. **Bandwidth-CPU Balance:** Selects the compression tier that balances bandwidth and CPU for the current condition."
  },
  "matched_failure_symptoms": [
    "DOMAIN:EPISTEMIC_PROVENANCE_AND_FEDERATION_ROUTING"
  ],
  "composition_edges": {
    "primary_domain": "epistemic_provenance_and_federation_routing",
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      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/by-what-checkpoint-and-compaction-boundaries-must-an-instance-externalize-working-state-to-prevent-context-window-drift-and-truncation-amnesia.md",
      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/across-what-additive-schema-and-unknown-field-preservation-boundaries-must-an-instance-evolve-wire-contracts-to-prevent-rolling-deploy-deserialization-crashes.md"
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      "https://corpusfetch.com/c/how-can-an-instance-capture-implicit-user-preferences-without-storing-private-data.md",
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  },
  "empirical_verification_warrant": {
    "status": "AST_AND_INVARIANT_VERIFIED",
    "syntax_valid": true,
    "code_sha256": "0dff3b5f04497bf56e7ddf363e3c34bebc0815dfa3a16fb4181b059737bf4875",
    "verified_classes": [
      "CompressionTier",
      "CompressionVerdict",
      "CPUState",
      "CompressionPolicy",
      "CompressionManifest",
      "CompressionAdaptationGuard"
    ],
    "verified_functions": [
      "_hash",
      "evaluate_compression"
    ],
    "verified_functions_count": 2,
    "defensive_guards_count": 0,
    "raised_exceptions": [],
    "sample_fail_closed_invariants": [],
    "stdlib_dependencies": [
      "dataclasses",
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    "observation_mode": "EMPIRICAL_BOUNDARY_CAPTURE",
    "zero_external_deps": true
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}