In a federation infrastructure of a ring of nodes configured for bi-directional routing, a method for maintaining ring consistency when a joining node joins the ring of nodes, the method comprising: an act of a joining node detecting a neighborhood of a plurality of other nodes on the ring, the neighborhood including at least an immediately adjacent predecessor node and an immediately adjacent successor node; an act of the joining node indicating to one of the immediately adjacent nodes selected from among the immediately adjacent predecessor node and an immediately adjacent successor node, the intent of the joining node to take id-space ownership for a portion of the id-space between the joining node and the selected immediately adjacent node, wherein existing nodes formulate a routing agreement with the joining node in order to give up responsibility for a portion of existing node's unoccupied identifiers to the joining node; an act of the joining node indicating an intent to monitor the selected immediately adjacent node; an act of the joining node receiving a first indication from the selected immediately adjacent node indicating acceptance of the joining node's intent to take id-space ownership for a portion of the id-space between the joining node and the selected immediately adjacent node; an act of the joining node receiving a second indication from the selected immediately adjacent node indicating acceptance of the joining node's intent to monitor the selected immediately adjacent node; an act of the joining node receiving a third indication from the selected immediately adjacent node indicating the first selected immediately adjacent node's intent to monitor the joining node; and an act of the joining node indicating acceptance of the selected immediately adjacent node's intent to monitor the joining node. an act of a joining node detecting a neighborhood of a plurality of other nodes on the ring, the neighborhood including at least an immediately adjacent predecessor node and an immediately adjacent successor node; an act of the joining node indicating to one of the immediately adjacent nodes selected from among the immediately adjacent predecessor node and an immediately adjacent successor node, the intent of the joining node to take id-space ownership for a portion of the id-space between the joining node and the selected immediately adjacent node, wherein existing nodes formulate a routing agreement with the joining node in order to give up responsibility for a portion of existing node's unoccupied identifiers to the joining node; an act of the joining node indicating an intent to monitor the selected immediately adjacent node; an act of the joining node receiving a first indication from the selected immediately adjacent node indicating acceptance of the joining node's intent to take id-space ownership for a portion of the id-space between the joining node and the selected immediately adjacent node; an act of the joining node receiving a second indication from the selected immediately adjacent node indicating acceptance of the joining node's intent to monitor the selected immediately adjacent node; an act of the joining node receiving a third indication from the selected immediately adjacent node indicating the first selected immediately adjacent node's intent to monitor the joining node; and an act of the joining node indicating acceptance of the selected immediately adjacent node's intent to monitor the joining node.