> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.emc.network/emc/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.emc.network/emc/products/emc-hub/network-operation-and-topology.md).

# Network Operation and Topology

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In the **EMC Protocol**, transaction accounting is achieved by validator nodes, which package the state machine data into a structure known as a “commitment” and store it on-chain via a smart contract. This process is referred to as **“submission.”** Once a commitment has been submitted to the contract, the transaction is considered completed—a milestone termed **“confirmation.”**&#x49;t is important to note that submission and confirmation occur asynchronously. In other words, there may be a delay between the time a transaction is submitted and the point at which it is fully confirmed on-chain. Nonetheless, from a user’s perspective, once a transaction has been submitted, it is effectively treated as finalized, enabling them to proceed with subsequent actions without waiting for the final confirmation step.