tigerbeetle-node 0.8.0 → 0.10.0

package/src/tigerbeetle/src/vsr/journal.zig

@@ -9,9 +9,78 @@ const config = @import("../config.zig");
 const Message = @import("../message_pool.zig").MessagePool.Message;
 const vsr = @import("../vsr.zig");
 const Header = vsr.Header;
+const IOPS = @import("../iops.zig").IOPS;
 
 const log = std.log.scoped(.journal);
 
+/// There are two contiguous circular buffers on disk in the journal storage zone (`vsr.Zone.wal`).
+///
+/// In both rings, the `op` for each reserved header is set to the slot index.
+/// This helps WAL recovery detect misdirected reads/writes.
+const Ring = enum {
+    /// A circular buffer of prepare message headers.
+    headers,
+    /// A circular buffer of prepare messages. Each slot is padded to `config.message_size_max`.
+    prepares,
+};
+
+const headers_per_sector = @divExact(config.sector_size, @sizeOf(Header));
+comptime {
+    assert(headers_per_sector > 0);
+}
+
+/// A slot is `op % config.journal_slot_count`.
+const Slot = struct { index: u64 };
+
+/// An inclusive, non-empty range of slots.
+const SlotRange = struct {
+    head: Slot,
+    tail: Slot,
+
+    /// Returns whether this range (inclusive) includes the specified slot.
+    ///
+    /// Cases (`·`=included, ` `=excluded):
+    ///
+    /// * `head < tail` → `  head··tail  `
+    /// * `head > tail` → `··tail  head··` (The range wraps around).
+    /// * `head = tail` → panic            (Caller must handle this case separately).
+    fn contains(self: *const SlotRange, slot: Slot) bool {
+        // To avoid confusion, the empty range must be checked separately by the caller.
+        assert(self.head.index != self.tail.index);
+
+        if (self.head.index < self.tail.index) {
+            return self.head.index <= slot.index and slot.index <= self.tail.index;
+        }
+        if (self.head.index > self.tail.index) {
+            return slot.index <= self.tail.index or self.head.index <= slot.index;
+        }
+        unreachable;
+    }
+};
+
+const slot_count = config.journal_slot_count;
+const headers_size = config.journal_size_headers;
+const prepares_size = config.journal_size_prepares;
+
+pub const write_ahead_log_zone_size = headers_size + prepares_size;
+
+comptime {
+    assert(slot_count > 0);
+    assert(slot_count % 2 == 0);
+    assert(slot_count % headers_per_sector == 0);
+    assert(slot_count >= headers_per_sector);
+    // The length of the prepare pipeline is the upper bound on how many ops can be
+    // reordered during a view change. See `recover_prepares_callback()` for more detail.
+    assert(slot_count > config.pipeline_max);
+
+    assert(headers_size > 0);
+    assert(headers_size % config.sector_size == 0);
+
+    assert(prepares_size > 0);
+    assert(prepares_size % config.sector_size == 0);
+    assert(prepares_size % config.message_size_max == 0);
+}
+
 pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
     return struct {
         const Self = @This();
@@ -28,7 +97,7 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
         };
 
         pub const Write = struct {
-            pub const Trigger = enum { append, repair };
+            pub const Trigger = enum { append, repair, pipeline };
 
             self: *Self,
             callback: fn (self: *Replica, wrote: ?*Message, trigger: Trigger) void,
@@ -39,6 +108,7 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             /// True if this Write has acquired a lock on a sector of headers.
             /// This also means that the Write is currently writing sectors or queuing to do so.
             header_sector_locked: bool = false,
+
             /// Linked list of Writes waiting to acquire the same header sector as this Write.
             header_sector_next: ?*Write = null,
 
@@ -46,18 +116,17 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             range: Range,
 
             const Sector = *align(config.sector_size) [config.sector_size]u8;
+
             fn header_sector(write: *Self.Write, journal: *Self) Sector {
                 assert(journal.writes.items.len == journal.headers_iops.len);
-                const i = @divExact(@ptrToInt(write) - @ptrToInt(&journal.writes.items), @sizeOf(Self.Write));
-                // TODO: the compiler should probably be smart enough to avoid needing this align cast
-                // as the type of `headers_iops` ensures that each buffer is properly aligned.
+                const i = @divExact(
+                    @ptrToInt(write) - @ptrToInt(&journal.writes.items),
+                    @sizeOf(Self.Write),
+                );
+                // TODO The compiler should not need this align cast as the type of `headers_iops`
+                // ensures that each buffer is properly aligned.
                 return @alignCast(config.sector_size, &journal.headers_iops[i]);
             }
-
-            fn header_sector_same(write: *Self.Write, other: *Self.Write) bool {
-                return write_prepare_header_offset(write.message) ==
-                    write_prepare_header_offset(other.message);
-            }
         };
 
         /// State that needs to be persisted while waiting for an overlapping
@@ -85,27 +154,37 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
 
         storage: *Storage,
         replica: u8,
-        size: u64,
-        size_headers: u64,
-        size_circular_buffer: u64,
 
+        /// A header is located at `slot == header.op % headers.len`.
+        ///
+        /// Each slot's `header.command` is either `prepare` or `reserved`.
+        /// When the slot's header is `reserved`, the header's `op` is the slot index.
+        ///
+        /// During recovery, store the (unvalidated) headers of the prepare ring.
+        // TODO Use 2 separate header lists: "staging" and "working".
+        // When participating in a view change, each replica should only send the headers from its
+        // working set that it knows it prepared.
+        // This also addresses the problem of redundant headers being written prematurely due to
+        // batching (after the first log cycle — for the first log cycle we write an invalid message).
         headers: []align(config.sector_size) Header,
-        /// We copy-on-write to these buffers when writing, as in-memory headers may change concurrently.
+
+        /// Store the redundant headers (unvalidated) during recovery.
+        // TODO When "headers" is split into "staging" and "working", reuse one of those instead.
+        headers_redundant: []align(config.sector_size) Header,
+
+        /// We copy-on-write to these buffers, as the in-memory headers may change while writing.
         /// The buffers belong to the IOP at the corresponding index in IOPS.
         headers_iops: *align(config.sector_size) [config.io_depth_write][config.sector_size]u8,
-        /// Apart from the header written with the entry, we also store two redundant copies of each
-        /// header at different locations on disk, and we alternate between these for each append.
-        /// This tracks which version (0 or 1) should be written to next:
-        headers_version: u1 = 0,
 
         /// Statically allocated read IO operation context data.
         reads: IOPS(Read, config.io_depth_read) = .{},
+
         /// Statically allocated write IO operation context data.
         writes: IOPS(Write, config.io_depth_write) = .{},
 
         /// Whether an entry is in memory only and needs to be written or is being written:
         /// We use this in the same sense as a dirty bit in the kernel page cache.
-        /// A dirty bit means that we have not yet prepared the entry, or need to repair a faulty entry.
+        /// A dirty bit means that we have not prepared the entry, or need to repair a faulty entry.
         dirty: BitSet,
 
         /// Whether an entry was written to disk and this write was subsequently lost due to:
@@ -113,43 +192,66 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
         /// * a misdirected write (or a misdirected read, we do not distinguish), or else
         /// * a latent sector error, where the sector can no longer be read.
         /// A faulty bit means that we prepared and then lost the entry.
-        /// A faulty bit requires the dirty bit to also be set so that functions need not check both.
+        /// A faulty bit requires the dirty bit to also be set so that callers need not check both.
         /// A faulty bit is used then only to qualify the severity of the dirty bit.
         faulty: BitSet,
 
-        recovered: bool = true,
+        /// The checksum of the prepare in the corresponding slot.
+        /// This is used to respond to `request_prepare` messages even when the slot is faulty.
+        /// For example, the slot may be faulty because the redundant header is faulty.
+        ///
+        /// The checksum will missing (`prepare_checksums[i]=0`, `prepare_inhabited[i]=false`) when:
+        /// * the message in the slot is reserved,
+        /// * the message in the slot is being written, or when
+        /// * the message in the slot is corrupt.
+        // TODO: `prepare_checksums` and `prepare_inhabited` should be combined into a []?u128,
+        // but that type is currently unusable (as of Zig 0.9.1).
+        // See: https://github.com/ziglang/zig/issues/9871
+        prepare_checksums: []u128,
+        /// When prepare_inhabited[i]==false, prepare_checksums[i]==0.
+        /// (`undefined` would may more sense than `0`, but `0` allows it to be asserted).
+        prepare_inhabited: []bool,
+
+        recovered: bool = false,
         recovering: bool = false,
 
-        pub fn init(
-            allocator: Allocator,
-            storage: *Storage,
-            replica: u8,
-            size: u64,
-            headers_count: u32,
-            init_prepare: *Header,
-        ) !Self {
-            if (@mod(size, config.sector_size) != 0) return error.SizeMustBeAMultipleOfSectorSize;
-            if (!math.isPowerOfTwo(headers_count)) return error.HeadersCountMustBeAPowerOfTwo;
-            assert(storage.size == size);
-
-            const headers_per_sector = @divExact(config.sector_size, @sizeOf(Header));
-            assert(headers_per_sector > 0);
-            assert(headers_count >= headers_per_sector);
+        pub fn init(allocator: Allocator, storage: *Storage, replica: u8) !Self {
+            // TODO Fix this assertion:
+            // assert(write_ahead_log_zone_size <= storage.size);
 
             var headers = try allocator.allocAdvanced(
                 Header,
                 config.sector_size,
-                headers_count,
+                slot_count,
                 .exact,
             );
             errdefer allocator.free(headers);
-            std.mem.set(Header, headers, Header.reserved());
+            for (headers) |*header| header.* = undefined;
 
-            var dirty = try BitSet.init(allocator, headers.len);
+            var headers_redundant = try allocator.allocAdvanced(
+                Header,
+                config.sector_size,
+                slot_count,
+                .exact,
+            );
+            errdefer allocator.free(headers_redundant);
+            for (headers_redundant) |*header| header.* = undefined;
+
+            var dirty = try BitSet.init(allocator, slot_count);
             errdefer dirty.deinit(allocator);
+            for (headers) |_, index| dirty.set(Slot{ .index = index });
 
-            var faulty = try BitSet.init(allocator, headers.len);
+            var faulty = try BitSet.init(allocator, slot_count);
             errdefer faulty.deinit(allocator);
+            for (headers) |_, index| faulty.set(Slot{ .index = index });
+
+            var prepare_checksums = try allocator.alloc(u128, slot_count);
+            errdefer allocator.free(prepare_checksums);
+            std.mem.set(u128, prepare_checksums, 0);
+
+            var prepare_inhabited = try allocator.alloc(bool, slot_count);
+            errdefer allocator.free(prepare_inhabited);
+            std.mem.set(bool, prepare_inhabited, false);
 
             const headers_iops = (try allocator.allocAdvanced(
                 [config.sector_size]u8,
@@ -159,45 +261,36 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             ))[0..config.io_depth_write];
             errdefer allocator.free(headers_iops);
 
-            const header_copies = 2;
-            const size_headers = headers.len * @sizeOf(Header);
-            const size_headers_copies = size_headers * header_copies;
-            if (size_headers_copies >= size) return error.SizeTooSmallForHeadersCount;
-
-            const size_circular_buffer = size - size_headers_copies;
-            if (size_circular_buffer < 64 * 1024 * 1024) return error.SizeTooSmallForCircularBuffer;
-
-            log.debug("{}: size={} headers_len={} headers={} circular_buffer={}", .{
+            log.debug("{}: slot_count={} size={} headers_size={} prepares_size={}", .{
                 replica,
-                std.fmt.fmtIntSizeBin(size),
-                headers.len,
-                std.fmt.fmtIntSizeBin(size_headers),
-                std.fmt.fmtIntSizeBin(size_circular_buffer),
+                slot_count,
+                std.fmt.fmtIntSizeBin(write_ahead_log_zone_size),
+                std.fmt.fmtIntSizeBin(headers_size),
+                std.fmt.fmtIntSizeBin(prepares_size),
             });
 
             var self = Self{
                 .storage = storage,
                 .replica = replica,
-                .size = size,
-                .size_headers = size_headers,
-                .size_circular_buffer = size_circular_buffer,
                 .headers = headers,
+                .headers_redundant = headers_redundant,
                 .dirty = dirty,
                 .faulty = faulty,
+                .prepare_checksums = prepare_checksums,
+                .prepare_inhabited = prepare_inhabited,
                 .headers_iops = headers_iops,
             };
 
-            assert(@mod(self.size_circular_buffer, config.sector_size) == 0);
             assert(@mod(@ptrToInt(&self.headers[0]), config.sector_size) == 0);
-            assert(self.dirty.bits.len == self.headers.len);
-            assert(self.faulty.bits.len == self.headers.len);
+            assert(self.dirty.bits.bit_length == slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.bits.bit_length == slot_count);
+            assert(self.dirty.count == slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.count == slot_count);
+            assert(self.prepare_checksums.len == slot_count);
+            assert(self.prepare_inhabited.len == slot_count);
 
-            // Op 0 is always the cluster initialization op.
-            // TODO This will change when we implement synchronized incremental snapshots.
-            assert(init_prepare.valid_checksum());
-            assert(init_prepare.invalid() == null);
-            self.headers[0] = init_prepare.*;
-            self.assert_headers_reserved_from(init_prepare.op + 1);
+            for (self.headers) |*h| assert(!h.valid_checksum());
+            for (self.headers_redundant) |*h| assert(!h.valid_checksum());
 
             return self;
         }
@@ -208,7 +301,10 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             self.dirty.deinit(allocator);
             self.faulty.deinit(allocator);
             allocator.free(self.headers);
+            allocator.free(self.headers_redundant);
             allocator.free(self.headers_iops);
+            allocator.free(self.prepare_checksums);
+            allocator.free(self.prepare_inhabited);
 
             {
                 var it = self.reads.iterate();
@@ -220,74 +316,168 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             }
         }
 
-        /// Asserts that headers are .reserved (zeroed) from `op_min` (inclusive).
-        pub fn assert_headers_reserved_from(self: *Self, op_min: u64) void {
-            // TODO Snapshots
-            for (self.headers[op_min..]) |header| assert(header.command == .reserved);
+        /// Returns whether this is a fresh database WAL; no prepares (except the root) have ever
+        /// been written. This determines whether a replica can transition immediately to normal
+        /// status, or if it needs to run recovery protocol.
+        ///
+        /// Called by the replica immediately after WAL recovery completes, but before the replica
+        /// issues any I/O from handling messages.
+        pub fn is_empty(self: *const Self) bool {
+            assert(!self.recovering);
+            assert(self.recovered);
+            assert(self.writes.executing() == 0);
+
+            if (!self.headers[0].valid_checksum()) return false;
+            if (self.headers[0].operation != .root) return false;
+
+            const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
+            assert(self.headers[0].checksum == Header.root_prepare(replica.cluster).checksum);
+            assert(self.headers[0].checksum == self.prepare_checksums[0]);
+            assert(self.prepare_inhabited[0]);
+
+            // If any message is faulty, we must fall back to VSR recovery protocol (i.e. treat
+            // this as a non-empty WAL) since that message may have been a prepare.
+            if (self.faulty.count > 0) return false;
+
+            for (self.headers[1..]) |*header| {
+                if (header.command == .prepare) return false;
+            }
+
+            for (self.prepare_inhabited[1..]) |inhabited| {
+                if (inhabited) return false;
+            }
+
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        pub fn slot_for_op(_: *const Self, op: u64) Slot {
+            return Slot{ .index = op % slot_count };
+        }
+
+        pub fn slot_with_op(self: *const Self, op: u64) ?Slot {
+            if (self.header_with_op(op)) |_| {
+                return self.slot_for_op(op);
+            } else {
+                return null;
+            }
+        }
+
+        pub fn slot_with_op_and_checksum(self: *const Self, op: u64, checksum: u128) ?Slot {
+            if (self.header_with_op_and_checksum(op, checksum)) |_| {
+                return self.slot_for_op(op);
+            } else {
+                return null;
+            }
+        }
+
+        pub fn slot_for_header(self: *const Self, header: *const Header) Slot {
+            assert(header.command == .prepare);
+            return self.slot_for_op(header.op);
+        }
+
+        pub fn slot_with_header(self: *const Self, header: *const Header) ?Slot {
+            assert(header.command == .prepare);
+            return self.slot_with_op(header.op);
         }
 
         /// Returns any existing entry at the location indicated by header.op.
         /// This existing entry may have an older or newer op number.
-        pub fn entry(self: *Self, header: *const Header) ?*const Header {
+        pub fn header_for_entry(self: *const Self, header: *const Header) ?*const Header {
             assert(header.command == .prepare);
-            return self.entry_for_op(header.op);
+            return self.header_for_op(header.op);
         }
 
-        /// We use the op number directly to index into the headers array and locate ops without a scan.
-        /// Op numbers cycle through the headers array and do not wrap when offsets wrap. The reason for
-        /// this is to prevent variable offsets from impacting the location of an op. Otherwise, the
-        /// same op number but for different views could exist at multiple locations in the journal.
-        pub fn entry_for_op(self: *Self, op: u64) ?*const Header {
+        /// We use `op` directly to index into the headers array and locate ops without a scan.
+        pub fn header_for_op(self: *const Self, op: u64) ?*const Header {
             // TODO Snapshots
-            const existing = &self.headers[op];
-            if (existing.command == .reserved) return null;
-            assert(existing.command == .prepare);
-            return existing;
+            const slot = self.slot_for_op(op);
+            const existing = &self.headers[slot.index];
+            switch (existing.command) {
+                .prepare => {
+                    assert(self.slot_for_op(existing.op).index == slot.index);
+                    return existing;
+                },
+                .reserved => {
+                    assert(existing.op == slot.index);
+                    return null;
+                },
+                else => unreachable,
+            }
         }
 
         /// Returns the entry at `@mod(op)` location, but only if `entry.op == op`, else `null`.
         /// Be careful of using this without considering that there may still be an existing op.
-        pub fn entry_for_op_exact(self: *Self, op: u64) ?*const Header {
-            if (self.entry_for_op(op)) |existing| {
+        pub fn header_with_op(self: *const Self, op: u64) ?*const Header {
+            if (self.header_for_op(op)) |existing| {
                 if (existing.op == op) return existing;
             }
             return null;
         }
 
-        /// As per `entry_for_op_exact()`, but only if there is an optional checksum match.
-        pub fn entry_for_op_exact_with_checksum(
-            self: *Self,
+        /// As per `header_with_op()`, but only if there is an optional checksum match.
+        pub fn header_with_op_and_checksum(
+            self: *const Self,
             op: u64,
             checksum: ?u128,
         ) ?*const Header {
-            if (self.entry_for_op_exact(op)) |existing| {
+            if (self.header_with_op(op)) |existing| {
                 assert(existing.op == op);
                 if (checksum == null or existing.checksum == checksum.?) return existing;
             }
             return null;
         }
 
-        pub fn previous_entry(self: *Self, header: *const Header) ?*const Header {
-            // TODO Snapshots
-            if (header.op == 0) return null;
-            return self.entry_for_op(header.op - 1);
+        // TODO How should we handle the case where the current header argument is the same as
+        // op_checkpoint?
+        pub fn previous_entry(self: *const Self, header: *const Header) ?*const Header {
+            if (header.op == 0) {
+                return null;
+            } else {
+                return self.header_for_op(header.op - 1);
+            }
         }
 
-        pub fn next_entry(self: *Self, header: *const Header) ?*const Header {
-            // TODO Snapshots
-            if (header.op + 1 == self.headers.len) return null;
-            return self.entry_for_op(header.op + 1);
+        pub fn next_entry(self: *const Self, header: *const Header) ?*const Header {
+            return self.header_for_op(header.op + 1);
         }
 
-        pub fn next_offset(header: *const Header) u64 {
-            // TODO Snapshots
-            assert(header.command == .prepare);
-            return header.offset + vsr.sector_ceil(header.size);
+        /// Returns the highest op number prepared, in any slot without reference to the checkpoint.
+        pub fn op_maximum(self: *const Self) u64 {
+            assert(self.recovered);
+
+            var op: u64 = 0;
+            for (self.headers) |*header| {
+                if (header.command == .prepare) {
+                    if (header.op > op) op = header.op;
+                } else {
+                    assert(header.command == .reserved);
+                }
+            }
+            return op;
+        }
+
+        /// Returns the highest op number prepared, as per `header_ok()` in the untrusted headers.
+        fn op_maximum_headers_untrusted(cluster: u32, headers_untrusted: []const Header) u64 {
+            var op: u64 = 0;
+            for (headers_untrusted) |*header_untrusted, slot_index| {
+                const slot = Slot{ .index = slot_index };
+                if (header_ok(cluster, slot, header_untrusted)) |header| {
+                    if (header.command == .prepare) {
+                        if (header.op > op) op = header.op;
+                    } else {
+                        assert(header.command == .reserved);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            return op;
         }
 
-        pub fn has(self: *Self, header: *const Header) bool {
+        pub fn has(self: *const Self, header: *const Header) bool {
+            assert(self.recovered);
+            assert(header.command == .prepare);
             // TODO Snapshots
-            const existing = &self.headers[header.op];
+            const slot = self.slot_for_op(header.op);
+            const existing = &self.headers[slot.index];
             if (existing.command == .reserved) {
                 return false;
             } else {
@@ -301,40 +491,49 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             }
         }
 
-        pub fn has_clean(self: *Self, header: *const Header) bool {
+        pub fn has_clean(self: *const Self, header: *const Header) bool {
             // TODO Snapshots
-            return self.has(header) and !self.dirty.bit(header.op);
+            if (self.slot_with_op_and_checksum(header.op, header.checksum)) |slot| {
+                if (!self.dirty.bit(slot)) {
+                    assert(self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index]);
+                    assert(self.prepare_checksums[slot.index] == header.checksum);
+                    return true;
+                }
+            }
+            return false;
         }
 
-        pub fn has_dirty(self: *Self, header: *const Header) bool {
+        pub fn has_dirty(self: *const Self, header: *const Header) bool {
             // TODO Snapshots
-            return self.has(header) and self.dirty.bit(header.op);
+            return self.has(header) and self.dirty.bit(self.slot_with_header(header).?);
         }
 
-        /// Copies latest headers between `op_min` and `op_max` (both inclusive) as will fit in `dest`.
-        /// Reverses the order when copying so that latest headers are copied first, which also protects
+        /// Copies latest headers between `op_min` and `op_max` (both inclusive) as fit in `dest`.
+        /// Reverses the order when copying so that latest headers are copied first, which protects
         /// against the callsite slicing the buffer the wrong way and incorrectly.
         /// Skips .reserved headers (gaps between headers).
         /// Zeroes the `dest` buffer in case the copy would underflow and leave a buffer bleed.
         /// Returns the number of headers actually copied.
         pub fn copy_latest_headers_between(
-            self: *Self,
+            self: *const Self,
             op_min: u64,
             op_max: u64,
             dest: []Header,
         ) usize {
+            assert(self.recovered);
             assert(op_min <= op_max);
             assert(dest.len > 0);
 
             var copied: usize = 0;
-            std.mem.set(Header, dest, Header.reserved());
+            // Poison all slots; only slots less than `copied` are used.
+            std.mem.set(Header, dest, undefined);
 
             // Start at op_max + 1 and do the decrement upfront to avoid overflow when op_min == 0:
             var op = op_max + 1;
             while (op > op_min) {
                 op -= 1;
 
-                if (self.entry_for_op_exact(op)) |header| {
+                if (self.header_with_op(op)) |header| {
                     dest[copied] = header.*;
                     assert(dest[copied].invalid() == null);
                     copied += 1;
@@ -342,12 +541,16 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 }
             }
 
-            log.debug("copy_latest_headers_between: op_min={} op_max={} dest.len={} copied={}", .{
-                op_min,
-                op_max,
-                dest.len,
-                copied,
-            });
+            log.debug(
+                "{}: copy_latest_headers_between: op_min={} op_max={} dest.len={} copied={}",
+                .{
+                    self.replica,
+                    op_min,
+                    op_max,
+                    dest.len,
+                    copied,
+                },
+            );
 
             return copied;
         }
@@ -360,7 +563,7 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
         /// We expect that `op_min` and `op_max` (`replica.commit_min` and `replica.op`) must exist.
         /// A range will never include `op_min` because this is already committed.
         /// A range will never include `op_max` because this must be up to date as the latest op.
-        /// We must therefore first resolve any view jump barrier so that we can trust `op_max`.
+        /// We must therefore first resolve any op uncertainty so that we can trust `op_max` here.
         ///
         /// For example: If ops 3, 9 and 10 are missing, returns: `{ .op_min = 9, .op_max = 10 }`.
         ///
@@ -382,11 +585,11 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 op -= 1;
 
                 // Get the entry at @mod(op) location, but only if entry.op == op, else null:
-                var A = self.entry_for_op_exact(op);
+                var A = self.header_with_op(op);
                 if (A) |a| {
                     if (B) |b| {
                         // If A was reordered then A may have a newer op than B (but an older view).
-                        // However, here we use entry_for_op_exact() to assert a.op + 1 == b.op:
+                        // However, here we use header_with_op() to assert a.op + 1 == b.op:
                         assert(a.op + 1 == b.op);
 
                         // We do not assert a.view <= b.view here unless the chain is intact because
@@ -417,15 +620,11 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                         } else if (a.checksum == b.parent) {
                             // A is connected to B, and B is connected or B is op_max.
                             assert(a.view <= b.view);
-                        } else if (a.view < b.view) {
-                            // A is not connected to B, and A is older than B, open range:
+                        } else if (a.view != b.view) {
+                            // A is not connected to B, open range:
                             assert(a.op > op_min);
+                            assert(b.op <= op_max);
                             range = .{ .op_min = a.op, .op_max = a.op };
-                        } else if (a.view > b.view) {
-                            // A is not connected to B, but A is newer than B, open and close range:
-                            assert(b.op < op_max);
-                            range = .{ .op_min = b.op, .op_max = b.op };
-                            break;
                         } else {
                             // Op numbers in the same view must be connected.
                             unreachable;
@@ -471,6 +670,7 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             return range;
         }
 
+        /// Read a prepare from disk. There must be a matching in-memory header.
         pub fn read_prepare(
             self: *Self,
             callback: fn (replica: *Replica, prepare: ?*Message, destination_replica: ?u8) void,
@@ -478,6 +678,9 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             checksum: u128,
             destination_replica: ?u8,
         ) void {
+            assert(self.recovered);
+            assert(checksum != 0);
+
             const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
             if (op > replica.op) {
                 self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "beyond replica.op");
@@ -485,39 +688,46 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 return;
             }
 
-            // Do not use this pointer beyond this function's scope, as the
-            // header memory may then change:
-            const exact = self.entry_for_op_exact_with_checksum(op, checksum) orelse {
+            const slot = self.slot_with_op_and_checksum(op, checksum) orelse {
                 self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "no entry exactly");
                 callback(replica, null, null);
                 return;
             };
 
-            if (self.faulty.bit(op)) {
-                assert(self.dirty.bit(op));
-
-                self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "faulty");
-                callback(replica, null, null);
-                return;
-            }
-
-            if (self.dirty.bit(op)) {
-                self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "dirty");
+            if (self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index] and
+                self.prepare_checksums[slot.index] == checksum)
+            {
+                self.read_prepare_with_op_and_checksum(callback, op, checksum, destination_replica);
+            } else {
+                self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "no matching prepare");
                 callback(replica, null, null);
-                return;
             }
+        }
 
-            const physical_size = vsr.sector_ceil(exact.size);
-            assert(physical_size >= exact.size);
+        /// Read a prepare from disk. There may or may not be an in-memory header.
+        pub fn read_prepare_with_op_and_checksum(
+            self: *Self,
+            callback: fn (replica: *Replica, prepare: ?*Message, destination_replica: ?u8) void,
+            op: u64,
+            checksum: u128,
+            destination_replica: ?u8,
+        ) void {
+            const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
+            const slot = self.slot_for_op(op);
+            assert(self.recovered);
+            assert(self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index]);
+            assert(self.prepare_checksums[slot.index] == checksum);
 
             const message = replica.message_bus.get_message();
             defer replica.message_bus.unref(message);
 
-            // Skip the disk read if the header is all we need:
-            if (exact.size == @sizeOf(Header)) {
-                message.header.* = exact.*;
-                callback(replica, message, destination_replica);
-                return;
+            // If the header is in-memory, we can skip the read from the disk.
+            if (self.header_with_op_and_checksum(op, checksum)) |exact| {
+                if (exact.size == @sizeOf(Header)) {
+                    message.header.* = exact.*;
+                    callback(replica, message, destination_replica);
+                    return;
+                }
             }
 
             const read = self.reads.acquire() orelse {
@@ -536,29 +746,30 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 .destination_replica = destination_replica,
             };
 
-            assert(exact.offset + physical_size <= self.size_circular_buffer);
-
-            const buffer = message.buffer[0..physical_size];
-            const offset = self.offset_in_circular_buffer(exact.offset);
+            const buffer: []u8 = message.buffer[0..config.message_size_max];
+            const offset = offset_logical(.prepares, slot);
 
             // Memory must not be owned by `self.headers` as these may be modified concurrently:
             assert(@ptrToInt(buffer.ptr) < @ptrToInt(self.headers.ptr) or
-                @ptrToInt(buffer.ptr) > @ptrToInt(self.headers.ptr) + self.size_headers);
+                @ptrToInt(buffer.ptr) > @ptrToInt(self.headers.ptr) + headers_size);
 
-            log.debug(
-                "{}: read_sectors: offset={} len={}",
-                .{ replica.replica, offset, buffer.len },
+            assert_bounds(.prepares, offset, buffer.len);
+            self.storage.read_sectors(
+                read_prepare_with_op_and_checksum_callback,
+                &read.completion,
+                buffer,
+                .wal,
+                offset,
             );
-
-            self.storage.read_sectors(on_read, &read.completion, buffer, offset);
         }
 
-        fn on_read(completion: *Storage.Read) void {
+        fn read_prepare_with_op_and_checksum_callback(completion: *Storage.Read) void {
             const read = @fieldParentPtr(Self.Read, "completion", completion);
             const self = read.self;
             const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
             const op = read.op;
             const checksum = read.checksum;
+            assert(self.recovered);
 
             defer {
                 replica.message_bus.unref(read.message);
@@ -571,43 +782,85 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 return;
             }
 
-            _ = replica.journal.entry_for_op_exact_with_checksum(op, checksum) orelse {
-                self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "no entry exactly");
+            const checksum_inhabited = self.prepare_inhabited[self.slot_for_op(op).index];
+            const checksum_match = self.prepare_checksums[self.slot_for_op(op).index] == checksum;
+            if (!checksum_inhabited or !checksum_match) {
+                self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "prepare changed during read");
                 read.callback(replica, null, null);
                 return;
-            };
+            }
+
+            // Check that the `headers` slot belongs to the same op that it did when the read began.
+            // The slot may not match the Read's op/checksum due to either:
+            // * The in-memory header changed since the read began.
+            // * The in-memory header is reserved+faulty; the read was via `prepare_checksums`
+            const slot = self.slot_with_op_and_checksum(op, checksum);
 
             if (!read.message.header.valid_checksum()) {
-                self.faulty.set(op);
-                self.dirty.set(op);
+                if (slot) |s| {
+                    self.faulty.set(s);
+                    self.dirty.set(s);
+                }
 
                 self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "corrupt header after read");
                 read.callback(replica, null, null);
                 return;
             }
+            assert(read.message.header.invalid() == null);
+
+            if (read.message.header.cluster != replica.cluster) {
+                // This could be caused by a misdirected read or write.
+                // Though when a prepare spans multiple sectors, a misdirected read/write will
+                // likely manifest as a checksum failure instead.
+                if (slot) |s| {
+                    self.faulty.set(s);
+                    self.dirty.set(s);
+                }
 
-            const body = read.message.buffer[@sizeOf(Header)..read.message.header.size];
-            if (!read.message.header.valid_checksum_body(body)) {
-                self.faulty.set(op);
-                self.dirty.set(op);
-
-                self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "corrupt body after read");
+                self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "wrong cluster");
                 read.callback(replica, null, null);
                 return;
             }
 
             if (read.message.header.op != op) {
+                // Possible causes:
+                // * The prepare was rewritten since the read began.
+                // * Misdirected read/write.
+                // * The combination of:
+                //   * The leader is responding to a `request_prepare`.
+                //   * The `request_prepare` did not include a checksum.
+                //   * The requested op's slot is faulty, but the prepare is valid. Since the
+                //     prepare is valid, WAL recovery set `prepare_checksums[slot]`. But on reading
+                //     this entry it turns out not to have the right op.
+                //   (This case (and the accompanying unnessary read) could be prevented by storing
+                //   the op along with the checksum in `prepare_checksums`.)
+                assert(slot == null);
+
                 self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "op changed during read");
                 read.callback(replica, null, null);
                 return;
             }
 
             if (read.message.header.checksum != checksum) {
+                // This can also be caused by a misdirected read/write.
+                assert(slot == null);
+
                 self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "checksum changed during read");
                 read.callback(replica, null, null);
                 return;
             }
 
+            if (!read.message.header.valid_checksum_body(read.message.body())) {
+                if (slot) |s| {
+                    self.faulty.set(s);
+                    self.dirty.set(s);
+                }
+
+                self.read_prepare_log(op, checksum, "corrupt body after read");
+                read.callback(replica, null, null);
+                return;
+            }
+
             read.callback(replica, read.message, read.destination_replica);
         }
 
@@ -620,46 +873,37 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
 
         pub fn recover(self: *Self) void {
             assert(!self.recovered);
+            assert(!self.recovering);
+            assert(self.dirty.count == slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.count == slot_count);
 
-            if (self.recovering) return;
             self.recovering = true;
 
             log.debug("{}: recover: recovering", .{self.replica});
 
-            self.recover_headers(0, 0);
-            self.recover_headers(0, 1);
+            self.recover_headers(0);
         }
 
-        fn recover_headers(self: *Self, offset: u64, version: u1) void {
+        fn recover_headers(self: *Self, offset: u64) void {
             const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
 
             assert(!self.recovered);
             assert(self.recovering);
+            assert(self.dirty.count == slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.count == slot_count);
 
-            if (offset == self.size_headers) {
-                log.debug("{}: recover_headers: version={} recovered", .{
-                    self.replica,
-                    version,
-                });
-                if (self.reads.executing() == 0) {
-                    log.debug("{}: recover_headers: both versions recovered", .{self.replica});
-                    self.recovered = true;
-                    self.recovering = false;
-                    // The initialization op (TODO Snapshots):
-                    assert(!self.dirty.bit(0));
-                    assert(!self.faulty.bit(0));
-                    // From here it's over to the Recovery protocol from VRR 2012.
-                }
+            if (offset == headers_size) {
+                log.debug("{}: recover_headers: complete", .{self.replica});
+                self.recover_prepares(Slot{ .index = 0 });
                 return;
             }
-            assert(offset < self.size_headers);
+            assert(offset < headers_size);
 
             const message = replica.message_bus.get_message();
             defer replica.message_bus.unref(message);
 
-            // We use the count of reads executing to know when both versions have finished reading:
             // We expect that no other process is issuing reads while we are recovering.
-            assert(self.reads.executing() < 2);
+            assert(self.reads.executing() == 0);
 
             const read = self.reads.acquire() orelse unreachable;
             read.* = .{
@@ -669,148 +913,547 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 .callback = undefined,
                 .op = undefined,
                 .checksum = offset,
-                .destination_replica = version,
+                .destination_replica = null,
             };
 
-            const buffer = self.recover_headers_buffer(message, offset);
+            const buffer = recover_headers_buffer(message, offset);
             assert(buffer.len > 0);
 
-            log.debug("{}: recover_headers: version={} offset={} size={} recovering", .{
+            log.debug("{}: recover_headers: offset={} size={} recovering", .{
                 self.replica,
-                version,
                 offset,
                 buffer.len,
             });
 
             self.storage.read_sectors(
-                recover_headers_on_read,
+                recover_headers_callback,
                 &read.completion,
                 buffer,
-                self.offset_in_headers_version(offset, version),
+                .wal,
+                offset,
             );
         }
 
-        fn recover_headers_buffer(self: *Self, message: *Message, offset: u64) []u8 {
-            const max = std.math.min(message.buffer.len, self.size_headers - offset);
-            assert(max % config.sector_size == 0);
-            return message.buffer[0..max];
-        }
-
-        fn recover_headers_on_read(completion: *Storage.Read) void {
+        fn recover_headers_callback(completion: *Storage.Read) void {
             const read = @fieldParentPtr(Self.Read, "completion", completion);
             const self = read.self;
             const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
             const message = read.message;
 
             const offset = @intCast(u64, read.checksum);
-            const version = @intCast(u1, read.destination_replica.?);
-            const buffer = self.recover_headers_buffer(message, offset);
+            const buffer = recover_headers_buffer(message, offset);
 
-            log.debug("{}: recover_headers: version={} offset={} size={} recovered", .{
+            log.debug("{}: recover_headers: offset={} size={} recovered", .{
                 self.replica,
-                version,
                 offset,
                 buffer.len,
             });
 
+            assert(!self.recovered);
+            assert(self.recovering);
             assert(offset % @sizeOf(Header) == 0);
             assert(buffer.len >= @sizeOf(Header));
             assert(buffer.len % @sizeOf(Header) == 0);
+            assert(read.destination_replica == null);
+            assert(self.dirty.count == slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.count == slot_count);
+
+            // Directly store all the redundant headers in `self.headers_redundant` (including any
+            // that are invalid or corrupt). As the prepares are recovered, these will be replaced
+            // or removed as necessary.
+            const buffer_headers = std.mem.bytesAsSlice(Header, buffer);
+            std.mem.copy(
+                Header,
+                self.headers_redundant[@divExact(offset, @sizeOf(Header))..][0..buffer_headers.len],
+                buffer_headers,
+            );
 
-            for (std.mem.bytesAsSlice(Header, buffer)) |*header, index| {
-                const op = offset / @sizeOf(Header) + index;
-
-                if (header.valid_checksum()) {
-                    // This header is valid.
-                    if (self.entry_for_op(op)) |existing| {
-                        if (existing.checksum == header.checksum) {
-                            // We also have the same header from the other version.
-                            assert(!self.faulty.bit(op));
-                        } else if (existing.command == .reserved) {
-                            self.set_entry_as_dirty(header);
-                            self.faulty.clear(op);
-                        } else {
-                            // Don't replace any existing op from the other version.
-                            // First come, first served.
-                            // We'll sort out the right order later when we recover higher up.
-                            assert(!self.faulty.bit(op));
-                        }
-                    } else if (header.command == .reserved) {
-                        self.dirty.set(op);
-                        self.faulty.clear(op);
-                    } else {
-                        self.set_entry_as_dirty(header);
-                    }
-                } else {
-                    // This header is corrupt.
-                    if (self.entry_for_op(op)) |_| {
-                        // However, we have a valid header from the other version.
-                    } else {
-                        self.dirty.set(op);
-                        self.faulty.set(op);
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-
+            const offset_next = offset + buffer.len;
             // We must release before we call `recover_headers()` in case Storage is synchronous.
             // Otherwise, we would run out of messages and reads.
             replica.message_bus.unref(read.message);
             self.reads.release(read);
 
-            self.recover_headers(offset + buffer.len, version);
+            self.recover_headers(offset_next);
         }
 
-        /// A safe way of removing an entry, where the header must match the current entry to succeed.
-        fn remove_entry(self: *Self, header: *const Header) void {
-            // Copy the header.op by value to avoid a reset() followed by undefined header.op usage:
-            const op = header.op;
-            log.debug("{}: remove_entry: op={} checksum={}", .{
+        fn recover_headers_buffer(message: *Message, offset: u64) []align(@alignOf(Header)) u8 {
+            const max = std.math.min(message.buffer.len, headers_size - offset);
+            assert(max % config.sector_size == 0);
+            assert(max % @sizeOf(Header) == 0);
+            return @alignCast(@alignOf(Header), message.buffer[0..max]);
+        }
+
+        fn recover_prepares(self: *Self, slot: Slot) void {
+            const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
+            assert(!self.recovered);
+            assert(self.recovering);
+            assert(self.dirty.count == slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.count == slot_count);
+            // We expect that no other process is issuing reads while we are recovering.
+            assert(self.reads.executing() == 0);
+
+            if (slot.index == slot_count) {
+                self.recover_slots();
+                return;
+            }
+            assert(slot.index < slot_count);
+
+            const message = replica.message_bus.get_message();
+            defer replica.message_bus.unref(message);
+
+            const read = self.reads.acquire() orelse unreachable;
+            read.* = .{
+                .self = self,
+                .completion = undefined,
+                .message = message.ref(),
+                .callback = undefined,
+                .op = undefined,
+                .checksum = slot.index,
+                .destination_replica = null,
+            };
+
+            log.debug("{}: recover_prepares: recovering slot={}", .{
                 self.replica,
-                op,
-                header.checksum,
+                slot.index,
             });
 
-            assert(self.entry(header).?.checksum == header.checksum);
-            assert(self.headers[op].checksum == header.checksum); // TODO Snapshots
+            self.storage.read_sectors(
+                recover_prepares_callback,
+                &read.completion,
+                // We load the entire message to verify that it isn't torn or corrupt.
+                // We don't know the message's size, so use the entire buffer.
+                message.buffer[0..config.message_size_max],
+                .wal,
+                offset_logical(.prepares, slot),
+            );
+        }
+
+        fn recover_prepares_callback(completion: *Storage.Read) void {
+            const read = @fieldParentPtr(Self.Read, "completion", completion);
+            const self = read.self;
+            const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
 
-            defer self.headers[op] = Header.reserved();
-            self.dirty.clear(op);
-            self.faulty.clear(op);
+            assert(!self.recovered);
+            assert(self.recovering);
+            assert(self.dirty.count == slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.count == slot_count);
+            assert(read.destination_replica == null);
+
+            const slot = Slot{ .index = @intCast(u64, read.checksum) };
+            assert(slot.index < slot_count);
+
+            // Check `valid_checksum_body` here rather than in `recover_done` so that we don't need
+            // to hold onto the whole message (just the header).
+            if (read.message.header.valid_checksum() and
+                read.message.header.valid_checksum_body(read.message.body()))
+            {
+                self.headers[slot.index] = read.message.header.*;
+            }
+
+            replica.message_bus.unref(read.message);
+            self.reads.release(read);
+
+            self.recover_prepares(Slot{ .index = slot.index + 1 });
+        }
+
+        /// When in doubt about whether a particular message was received, it must be marked as
+        /// faulty to avoid nacking a prepare which was received then lost/misdirected/corrupted.
+        ///
+        ///
+        /// There are two special cases where faulty slots must be carefully handled:
+        ///
+        /// A) Redundant headers are written in batches. Slots that are marked faulty are written
+        /// as invalid (zeroed). This ensures that if the replica crashes and recovers, the
+        /// entries are still faulty rather than reserved.
+        /// The recovery process must be conservative about which headers are stored in
+        /// `journal.headers`. To understand why this is important, consider what happens if it did
+        /// load the faulty header into `journal.headers`, and then reads it back after a restart:
+        ///
+        /// 1. Suppose slot 8 is in case @D. Per the table below, mark slot 8 faulty.
+        /// 2. Suppose slot 9 is also loaded as faulty.
+        /// 3. Journal recovery finishes. The replica beings to repair its missing/broken messages.
+        /// 4. VSR recovery protocol fetches the true prepare for slot 9.
+        /// 5. The message from step 4 is written to slot 9 of the prepares.
+        /// 6. The header from step 4 is written to slot 9 of the redundant headers.
+        ///    But writes to the redundant headers are done in batches of `headers_per_sector`!
+        ///    So if step 1 loaded slot 8's prepare header into `journal.headers`, slot 8's
+        ///    redundant header would be updated at the same time (in the same write) as slot 9.
+        /// 7! Immediately after step 6's write finishes, suppose the replica crashes (e.g. due to
+        ///    power failure.
+        /// 8! Journal recovery again — but now slot 8 is loaded *without* being marked faulty.
+        ///    So we may incorrectly nack slot 8's message.
+        ///
+        /// Therefore, recovery will never load a header into a slot *and* mark that slot faulty.
+        ///
+        ///
+        /// B) When replica_count=1, repairing broken/lost prepares over VSR is not an option,
+        /// so if a message is faulty the replica will abort.
+        ///
+        ///
+        /// Recovery decision table:
+        ///
+        ///   label                   @A  @B  @C  @D  @E  @F  @G  @H  @I  @J  @K  @L  @M  @N
+        ///   header valid             0   1   1   0   0   0   1   1   1   1   1   1   1   1
+        ///   header reserved          _   1   0   _   _   _   1   1   0   1   0   0   0   0
+        ///   prepare valid            0   0   0   1   1   1   1   1   1   1   1   1   1   1
+        ///   prepare reserved         _   _   _   1   0   0   0   0   1   1   0   0   0   0
+        ///   prepare.op is maximum    _   _   _   _   0   1   0   1   _   _   _   _   _   _
+        ///   match checksum           _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _  !1   0   0   0   1
+        ///   match op                 _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _  !1   <   >   1  !1
+        ///   match view               _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _   _  !1   _   _  !0  !1
+        ///   decision (replicas>1)  vsr vsr vsr vsr vsr fix vsr fix vsr nil fix vsr vsr eql
+        ///   decision (replicas=1)                  fix     fix
+        ///
+        /// Legend:
+        ///
+        ///    0  false
+        ///    1  true
+        ///   !0  assert false
+        ///   !1  assert true
+        ///    _  ignore
+        ///    <  header.op < prepare.op
+        ///    >  header.op > prepare.op
+        ///  eql  The header and prepare are identical; no repair necessary.
+        ///  nil  Reserved; dirty/faulty are clear, no repair necessary.
+        ///  fix  When replicas=1, use intact prepare. When replicas>1, use VSR `request_prepare`.
+        ///  vsr  Repair with VSR `request_prepare`.
+        ///
+        /// A "valid" header/prepare:
+        /// 1. has a valid checksum
+        /// 2. has the correct cluster
+        /// 3. is in the correct slot (op % slot_count)
+        /// 4. has command=reserved or command=prepare
+        fn recover_slots(self: *Self) void {
+            const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
+
+            assert(!self.recovered);
+            assert(self.recovering);
+            assert(self.reads.executing() == 0);
+            assert(self.writes.executing() == 0);
+            assert(self.dirty.count == slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.count == slot_count);
+
+            const prepare_op_max = std.math.max(
+                replica.op_checkpoint,
+                op_maximum_headers_untrusted(replica.cluster, self.headers),
+            );
+
+            var cases: [slot_count]*const Case = undefined;
+
+            for (self.headers) |_, index| {
+                const slot = Slot{ .index = index };
+                const header = header_ok(replica.cluster, slot, &self.headers_redundant[index]);
+                const prepare = header_ok(replica.cluster, slot, &self.headers[index]);
+
+                cases[index] = recovery_case(header, prepare, prepare_op_max);
+
+                // `prepare_checksums` improves the availability of `request_prepare` by being more
+                // flexible than `headers` regarding the prepares it references. It may hold a
+                // prepare whose redundant header is broken, as long as the prepare itself is valid.
+                if (prepare != null and prepare.?.command == .prepare) {
+                    assert(!self.prepare_inhabited[index]);
+                    self.prepare_inhabited[index] = true;
+                    self.prepare_checksums[index] = prepare.?.checksum;
+                }
+            }
+            assert(self.headers.len == cases.len);
+
+            // Refine cases @B and @C: Repair (truncate) a prepare if it was torn during a crash.
+            if (self.recover_torn_prepare(&cases)) |torn_slot| {
+                assert(cases[torn_slot.index].decision(replica.replica_count) == .vsr);
+                cases[torn_slot.index] = &case_cut;
+            }
+
+            for (cases) |case, index| self.recover_slot(Slot{ .index = index }, case);
+            assert(cases.len == slot_count);
+
+            log.debug("{}: recover_slots: dirty={} faulty={}", .{
+                self.replica,
+                self.dirty.count,
+                self.faulty.count,
+            });
+
+            self.recovered = true;
+            self.recovering = false;
+            self.assert_recovered();
+            // From here it's over to the Recovery protocol from VRR 2012.
+        }
+
+        /// Returns a slot that is safe to truncate.
+        //
+        /// Truncate any prepare that was torn while being appended to the log before a crash, when:
+        /// * the maximum valid op is the same in the prepare headers and redundant headers,
+        /// * in the slot following the maximum valid op:
+        ///   - the redundant header is valid,
+        ///   - the redundant header is reserved, and/or the op is at least a log cycle behind,
+        ///   - the prepare is corrupt, and
+        /// * there are no faults except for those between `op_checkpoint` and `op_max + 1`,
+        ///   so that we can be sure that the maximum valid op is in fact the maximum.
+        fn recover_torn_prepare(self: *const Self, cases: []const *const Case) ?Slot {
+            const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
+
+            assert(!self.recovered);
+            assert(self.recovering);
+            assert(self.dirty.count == slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.count == slot_count);
+
+            const op_max = op_maximum_headers_untrusted(replica.cluster, self.headers_redundant);
+            if (op_max != op_maximum_headers_untrusted(replica.cluster, self.headers)) return null;
+            if (op_max < replica.op_checkpoint) return null;
+            // We can't assume that the header at `op_max` is a prepare — an empty journal with a
+            // corrupt root prepare (op_max=0) will be repaired later.
+
+            const torn_op = op_max + 1;
+            const torn_slot = self.slot_for_op(torn_op);
+
+            const torn_prepare_untrusted = &self.headers[torn_slot.index];
+            if (torn_prepare_untrusted.valid_checksum()) return null;
+            // The prepare is at least corrupt, possibly torn, but not valid and simply misdirected.
+
+            const header_untrusted = &self.headers_redundant[torn_slot.index];
+            const header = header_ok(replica.cluster, torn_slot, header_untrusted) orelse return null;
+            // The redundant header is valid, also for the correct cluster and not misdirected.
+
+            if (header.command == .prepare) {
+                // The redundant header was already written, so the prepare is corrupt, not torn.
+                if (header.op == torn_op) return null;
+
+                assert(header.op < torn_op); // Since torn_op > op_max.
+                // The redundant header is from any previous log cycle.
+            } else {
+                assert(header.command == .reserved);
+
+                // This is the first log cycle.
+
+                // TODO Can we be more sure about this? What if op_max is clearly many cycles ahead?
+                // Any previous log cycle is then expected to have a prepare, not a reserved header,
+                // unless the prepare header was lost, in which case this slot may also not be torn.
+            }
+
+            const checkpoint_index = self.slot_for_op(replica.op_checkpoint).index;
+            if (checkpoint_index == torn_slot.index) {
+                // The checkpoint and the torn op are in the same slot.
+                assert(cases[checkpoint_index].decision(replica.replica_count) == .vsr);
+                assert(slot_count > 1);
+                assert(op_max >= replica.op_checkpoint);
+                assert(torn_op == op_max + 1);
+                assert(torn_op > replica.op_checkpoint);
+                return null;
+            }
+
+            const known_range = SlotRange{
+                .head = Slot{ .index = checkpoint_index },
+                .tail = torn_slot,
+            };
+
+            // We must be certain that the torn prepare really was being appended to the WAL.
+            // Return if any faults do not lie between the checkpoint and the torn prepare, such as:
+            //
+            //   (fault  [checkpoint..........torn]        fault)
+            //   (...torn]    fault     fault  [checkpoint......)
+            for (cases) |case, index| {
+                // Do not use `faulty.bit()` because the decisions have not been processed yet.
+                if (case.decision(replica.replica_count) == .vsr and
+                    !known_range.contains(Slot{ .index = index }))
+                {
+                    return null;
+                }
+            }
+
+            // The prepare is torn.
+            assert(!self.prepare_inhabited[torn_slot.index]);
+            assert(!torn_prepare_untrusted.valid_checksum());
+            assert(cases[torn_slot.index].decision(replica.replica_count) == .vsr);
+            return torn_slot;
+        }
+
+        fn recover_slot(self: *Self, slot: Slot, case: *const Case) void {
+            const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
+            const cluster = replica.cluster;
+
+            assert(!self.recovered);
+            assert(self.recovering);
+            assert(self.dirty.bit(slot));
+            assert(self.faulty.bit(slot));
+
+            const header = header_ok(cluster, slot, &self.headers_redundant[slot.index]);
+            const prepare = header_ok(cluster, slot, &self.headers[slot.index]);
+            const decision = case.decision(replica.replica_count);
+            switch (decision) {
+                .eql => {
+                    assert(header.?.command == .prepare);
+                    assert(prepare.?.command == .prepare);
+                    assert(header.?.checksum == prepare.?.checksum);
+                    assert(self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index]);
+                    assert(self.prepare_checksums[slot.index] == prepare.?.checksum);
+                    self.headers[slot.index] = header.?.*;
+                    self.dirty.clear(slot);
+                    self.faulty.clear(slot);
+                },
+                .nil => {
+                    assert(header.?.command == .reserved);
+                    assert(prepare.?.command == .reserved);
+                    assert(header.?.checksum == prepare.?.checksum);
+                    assert(header.?.checksum == Header.reserved(cluster, slot.index).checksum);
+                    assert(!self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index]);
+                    assert(self.prepare_checksums[slot.index] == 0);
+                    self.headers[slot.index] = header.?.*;
+                    self.dirty.clear(slot);
+                    self.faulty.clear(slot);
+                },
+                .fix => {
+                    // TODO Perhaps we should have 3 separate branches here for the different cases.
+                    // The header may be valid or invalid.
+                    // The header may be reserved or a prepare.
+                    assert(prepare.?.command == .prepare);
+                    assert(self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index]);
+                    assert(self.prepare_checksums[slot.index] == prepare.?.checksum);
+
+                    self.headers[slot.index] = prepare.?.*;
+                    self.faulty.clear(slot);
+                    if (replica.replica_count == 1) {
+                        // @E, @F, @G, @H, @K:
+                        self.dirty.clear(slot);
+                        // TODO Repair header on disk to restore durability.
+                    } else {
+                        // @F, @H, @K:
+                        // TODO Repair without retrieving remotely (i.e. don't set dirty or faulty).
+                        assert(self.dirty.bit(slot));
+                    }
+                },
+                .vsr => {
+                    self.headers[slot.index] = Header.reserved(cluster, slot.index);
+                    assert(self.dirty.bit(slot));
+                    assert(self.faulty.bit(slot));
+                },
+                .cut => {
+                    assert(header != null);
+                    assert(prepare == null);
+                    assert(!self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index]);
+                    assert(self.prepare_checksums[slot.index] == 0);
+                    self.headers[slot.index] = Header.reserved(cluster, slot.index);
+                    self.dirty.clear(slot);
+                    self.faulty.clear(slot);
+                },
+            }
+
+            switch (decision) {
+                .eql, .nil => {
+                    log.debug("{}: recover_slot: recovered slot={} label={s} decision={s}", .{
+                        self.replica,
+                        slot.index,
+                        case.label,
+                        @tagName(decision),
+                    });
+                },
+                .fix, .vsr, .cut => {
+                    log.warn("{}: recover_slot: recovered slot={} label={s} decision={s}", .{
+                        self.replica,
+                        slot.index,
+                        case.label,
+                        @tagName(decision),
+                    });
+                },
+            }
+        }
+
+        fn assert_recovered(self: *const Self) void {
+            const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
+
+            assert(self.recovered);
+            assert(!self.recovering);
+
+            assert(self.dirty.count <= slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.count <= slot_count);
+            assert(self.faulty.count <= self.dirty.count);
+
+            // Abort if all slots are faulty, since something is very wrong.
+            if (self.faulty.count == slot_count) @panic("WAL is completely corrupt");
+            if (self.faulty.count > 0 and replica.replica_count == 1) @panic("WAL is corrupt");
+
+            if (self.headers[0].op == 0 and self.headers[0].command == .prepare) {
+                assert(self.headers[0].checksum == Header.root_prepare(replica.cluster).checksum);
+                assert(!self.faulty.bit(Slot{ .index = 0 }));
+            }
+
+            for (self.headers) |*header, index| {
+                assert(header.valid_checksum());
+                assert(header.cluster == replica.cluster);
+                if (header.command == .reserved) {
+                    assert(header.op == index);
+                } else {
+                    assert(header.command == .prepare);
+                    assert(header.op % slot_count == index);
+                    assert(self.prepare_inhabited[index]);
+                    assert(self.prepare_checksums[index] == header.checksum);
+                    assert(!self.faulty.bit(Slot{ .index = index }));
+                }
+            }
         }
 
         /// Removes entries from `op_min` (inclusive) onwards.
-        /// This is used after a view change to remove uncommitted entries discarded by the new leader.
+        /// Used after a view change to remove uncommitted entries discarded by the new leader.
         pub fn remove_entries_from(self: *Self, op_min: u64) void {
-            // TODO Snapshots
-            // TODO Optimize to jump directly to op:
+            const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
+
+            assert(self.recovered);
             assert(op_min > 0);
+
             log.debug("{}: remove_entries_from: op_min={}", .{ self.replica, op_min });
-            for (self.headers) |*header| {
-                if (header.op >= op_min and header.command == .prepare) {
-                    self.remove_entry(header);
+
+            for (self.headers) |*header, index| {
+                // We must remove the header regardless of whether it is a prepare or reserved,
+                // since a reserved header may have been marked faulty for case @G, and
+                // since the caller expects the WAL to be truncated, with clean slots.
+                if (header.op >= op_min) {
+                    // TODO Explore scenarios where the data on disk may resurface after a crash.
+                    const slot = self.slot_for_op(header.op);
+                    assert(slot.index == index);
+                    self.headers[slot.index] = Header.reserved(replica.cluster, slot.index);
+                    self.dirty.clear(slot);
+                    self.faulty.clear(slot);
+                    // Do not clear `prepare_inhabited`/`prepare_checksums`. The prepare is
+                    // untouched on disk, and may be useful later. Consider this scenario:
+                    //
+                    // 1. Op 4 is received; start writing it.
+                    // 2. Op 4's prepare is written (setting `prepare_checksums`), start writing
+                    //    the headers.
+                    // 3. View change. Op 4 is discarded by `remove_entries_from`.
+                    // 4. View change. Op 4 (the same one from before) is back, marked as dirty. But
+                    //    we don't start a write, because `journal.writing()` says it is already in
+                    //    progress.
+                    // 5. Op 4's header write finishes (`write_prepare_on_write_header`).
+                    //
+                    // If `remove_entries_from` cleared `prepare_checksums`,
+                    // `write_prepare_on_write_header` would clear `dirty`/`faulty` for a slot with
+                    // `prepare_inhabited=false`.
                 }
             }
-            self.assert_headers_reserved_from(op_min);
-            // TODO At startup we need to handle entries that may have been removed but now reappear.
-            // This is because we do not call `write_headers_between()` here.
         }
 
-        pub fn set_entry_as_dirty(self: *Self, header: *const Header) void {
-            log.debug("{}: set_entry_as_dirty: op={} checksum={}", .{
+        pub fn set_header_as_dirty(self: *Self, header: *const Header) void {
+            assert(self.recovered);
+            assert(header.command == .prepare);
+
+            log.debug("{}: set_header_as_dirty: op={} checksum={}", .{
                 self.replica,
                 header.op,
                 header.checksum,
             });
-            if (self.entry(header)) |existing| {
-                if (existing.checksum != header.checksum) {
-                    self.faulty.clear(header.op);
-                }
+            const slot = self.slot_for_header(header);
+
+            if (self.has(header)) {
+                assert(self.dirty.bit(slot));
+                // Do not clear any faulty bit for the same entry.
+            } else {
+                self.headers[slot.index] = header.*;
+                self.dirty.set(slot);
+                self.faulty.clear(slot);
             }
-            self.headers[header.op] = header.*;
-            self.dirty.set(header.op);
-            // Do not clear any faulty bit for the same entry.
         }
 
+        /// `write_prepare` uses `write_sectors` to prevent concurrent disk writes.
         pub fn write_prepare(
             self: *Self,
             callback: fn (self: *Replica, wrote: ?*Message, trigger: Write.Trigger) void,
@@ -819,17 +1462,23 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
         ) void {
             const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
 
+            assert(self.recovered);
             assert(message.header.command == .prepare);
             assert(message.header.size >= @sizeOf(Header));
             assert(message.header.size <= message.buffer.len);
+            assert(self.has(message.header));
 
             // The underlying header memory must be owned by the buffer and not by self.headers:
             // Otherwise, concurrent writes may modify the memory of the pointer while we write.
             assert(@ptrToInt(message.header) == @ptrToInt(message.buffer.ptr));
 
-            if (!self.dirty.bit(message.header.op)) {
+            const slot = self.slot_with_header(message.header).?;
+
+            if (!self.dirty.bit(slot)) {
                 // Any function that sets the faulty bit should also set the dirty bit:
-                assert(!self.faulty.bit(message.header.op));
+                assert(!self.faulty.bit(slot));
+                assert(self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index]);
+                assert(self.prepare_checksums[slot.index] == message.header.checksum);
                 self.write_prepare_debug(message.header, "skipping (clean)");
                 callback(replica, message, trigger);
                 return;
@@ -854,22 +1503,21 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             };
 
             // Slice the message to the nearest sector, we don't want to write the whole buffer:
-            const sectors = message.buffer[0..vsr.sector_ceil(message.header.size)];
-            assert(message.header.offset + sectors.len <= self.size_circular_buffer);
+            const buffer = message.buffer[0..vsr.sector_ceil(message.header.size)];
+            const offset = offset_logical(.prepares, slot);
 
             if (builtin.mode == .Debug) {
                 // Assert that any sector padding has already been zeroed:
-                var sum_of_sector_padding_bytes: u32 = 0;
-                for (sectors[message.header.size..]) |byte| sum_of_sector_padding_bytes += byte;
+                var sum_of_sector_padding_bytes: u8 = 0;
+                for (buffer[message.header.size..]) |byte| sum_of_sector_padding_bytes |= byte;
                 assert(sum_of_sector_padding_bytes == 0);
             }
 
-            self.write_sectors(
-                write_prepare_header,
-                write,
-                sectors,
-                self.offset_in_circular_buffer(message.header.offset),
-            );
+            self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index] = false;
+            self.prepare_checksums[slot.index] = 0;
+
+            assert_bounds(.prepares, offset, buffer.len);
+            self.write_sectors(write_prepare_header, write, buffer, offset);
         }
 
         /// Attempt to lock the in-memory sector containing the header being written.
@@ -877,8 +1525,13 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
         fn write_prepare_header(write: *Self.Write) void {
             const self = write.self;
             const message = write.message;
+            assert(self.recovered);
 
-            if (!self.has(message.header)) {
+            if (self.slot_with_op_and_checksum(message.header.op, message.header.checksum)) |slot| {
+                assert(!self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index]);
+                self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index] = true;
+                self.prepare_checksums[slot.index] = message.header.checksum;
+            } else {
                 self.write_prepare_debug(message.header, "entry changed while writing sectors");
                 self.write_prepare_release(write, null);
                 return;
@@ -887,14 +1540,19 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             assert(!write.header_sector_locked);
             assert(write.header_sector_next == null);
 
+            const write_offset = self.offset_logical_in_headers_for_message(message);
+
             var it = self.writes.iterate();
             while (it.next()) |other| {
                 if (other == write) continue;
                 if (!other.header_sector_locked) continue;
 
-                if (other.header_sector_same(write)) {
-                    write.header_sector_next = other.header_sector_next;
-                    other.header_sector_next = write;
+                const other_offset = self.offset_logical_in_headers_for_message(other.message);
+                if (other_offset == write_offset) {
+                    // The `other` and `write` target the same sector; append to the list.
+                    var tail = other;
+                    while (tail.header_sector_next) |next| tail = next;
+                    tail.header_sector_next = write;
                     return;
                 }
             }
@@ -904,6 +1562,7 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
         }
 
         fn write_prepare_on_lock_header_sector(self: *Self, write: *Write) void {
+            assert(self.recovered);
             assert(write.header_sector_locked);
 
             // TODO It's possible within this section that the header has since been replaced but we
@@ -912,13 +1571,65 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             // For this, we'll need to have a way to tweak write_prepare_release() to release locks.
             // At present, we don't return early here simply because it doesn't yet do that.
 
+            const replica = @fieldParentPtr(Replica, "journal", self);
             const message = write.message;
-            const offset = write_prepare_header_offset(write.message);
-            std.mem.copy(
-                u8,
-                write.header_sector(self),
-                std.mem.sliceAsBytes(self.headers)[offset..][0..config.sector_size],
-            );
+            const slot_of_message = self.slot_for_header(message.header);
+            const slot_first = Slot{
+                .index = @divFloor(slot_of_message.index, headers_per_sector) * headers_per_sector,
+            };
+
+            const offset = offset_logical(.headers, slot_of_message);
+            assert(offset % config.sector_size == 0);
+
+            const buffer: []u8 = write.header_sector(self);
+            const buffer_headers = std.mem.bytesAsSlice(Header, buffer);
+            assert(buffer_headers.len == headers_per_sector);
+
+            var i: usize = 0;
+            while (i < headers_per_sector) : (i += 1) {
+                const slot = Slot{ .index = slot_first.index + i };
+
+                if (self.faulty.bit(slot)) {
+                    // Redundant faulty headers are deliberately written as invalid.
+                    // This ensures that faulty headers are still faulty when they are read back
+                    // from disk during recovery. This prevents faulty entries from changing to
+                    // reserved (and clean) after a crash and restart (e.g. accidentally converting
+                    // a case `@D` to a `@J` after a restart).
+                    buffer_headers[i] = .{
+                        .checksum = 0,
+                        .cluster = replica.cluster,
+                        .command = .reserved,
+                    };
+                    assert(!buffer_headers[i].valid_checksum());
+                } else if (message.header.op < slot_count and
+                    !self.prepare_inhabited[slot.index] and
+                    message.header.command == .prepare and
+                    self.dirty.bit(slot))
+                {
+                    // When:
+                    // * this is the first wrap of the WAL, and
+                    // * this prepare slot is not inhabited (never has been), and
+                    // * this prepare slot is a dirty prepare,
+                    // write a reserved header instead of the in-memory prepare header.
+                    //
+                    // This can be triggered by the follow sequence of events:
+                    // 1. Ops 6 and 7 arrive.
+                    // 2. The write of prepare 7 finishes (before prepare 6).
+                    // 3. Op 7 continues on to write the redundant headers.
+                    //    Because prepare 6 is not yet written, header 6 is written as reserved.
+                    // 4. (If at this point the replica crashes & restarts, slot 6 is in case `@J`
+                    //    (decision=nil) which can be locally repaired. In contrast, if op 6's
+                    //    header was written in step 3, it would be case `@I`, which requires
+                    //    remote repair.
+                    //
+                    // * When `replica_count=1`, case `@I`, is not recoverable.
+                    // * When `replica_count>1` this marginally improves availability by enabling
+                    //   local repair.
+                    buffer_headers[i] = Header.reserved(replica.cluster, slot.index);
+                } else {
+                    buffer_headers[i] = self.headers[slot.index];
+                }
+            }
 
             log.debug("{}: write_header: op={} sectors[{}..{}]", .{
                 self.replica,
@@ -927,35 +1638,12 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 offset + config.sector_size,
             });
 
-            // TODO Snapshots
-            if (self.write_prepare_header_once(message.header)) {
-                const version = self.write_headers_increment_version();
-                self.write_prepare_header_to_version(write, write_prepare_on_write_header, version, write.header_sector(self), offset);
-            } else {
-                // Versions must be incremented upfront:
-                // If we don't increment upfront we could end up writing to the same copy twice.
-                // We would then lose the redundancy required to locate headers or even overwrite all copies.
-                const version = self.write_headers_increment_version();
-                _ = self.write_headers_increment_version();
-                switch (version) {
-                    0 => self.write_prepare_header_to_version(write, write_prepare_on_write_header_version_0, 0, write.header_sector(self), offset),
-                    1 => self.write_prepare_header_to_version(write, write_prepare_on_write_header_version_1, 1, write.header_sector(self), offset),
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        fn write_prepare_on_write_header_version_0(write: *Self.Write) void {
-            const self = write.self;
-            const offset = write_prepare_header_offset(write.message);
-            // Pass the opposite version bit from the one we just finished writing.
-            self.write_prepare_header_to_version(write, write_prepare_on_write_header, 1, write.header_sector(self), offset);
-        }
+            // Memory must not be owned by self.headers as these may be modified concurrently:
+            assert(@ptrToInt(buffer.ptr) < @ptrToInt(self.headers.ptr) or
+                @ptrToInt(buffer.ptr) > @ptrToInt(self.headers.ptr) + headers_size);
 
-        fn write_prepare_on_write_header_version_1(write: *Self.Write) void {
-            const self = write.self;
-            const offset = write_prepare_header_offset(write.message);
-            // Pass the opposite version bit from the one we just finished writing.
-            self.write_prepare_header_to_version(write, write_prepare_on_write_header, 0, write.header_sector(self), offset);
+            assert_bounds(.headers, offset, buffer.len);
+            self.write_sectors(write_prepare_on_write_header, write, buffer, offset);
         }
 
         fn write_prepare_on_write_header(write: *Self.Write) void {
@@ -973,9 +1661,10 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
 
             self.write_prepare_debug(message.header, "complete, marking clean");
             // TODO Snapshots
-            assert(self.has(message.header));
-            self.dirty.clear(message.header.op);
-            self.faulty.clear(message.header.op);
+
+            const slot = self.slot_with_header(message.header).?;
+            self.dirty.clear(slot);
+            self.faulty.clear(slot);
 
             self.write_prepare_release(write, message);
         }
@@ -1006,119 +1695,62 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
             self.writes.release(write);
         }
 
-        fn write_prepare_debug(self: *Self, header: *const Header, status: []const u8) void {
-            log.debug("{}: write: view={} op={} offset={} len={}: {} {s}", .{
+        fn write_prepare_debug(self: *const Self, header: *const Header, status: []const u8) void {
+            log.debug("{}: write: view={} op={} len={}: {} {s}", .{
                 self.replica,
                 header.view,
                 header.op,
-                header.offset,
                 header.size,
                 header.checksum,
                 status,
             });
         }
 
-        pub fn offset_in_circular_buffer(self: *Self, offset: u64) u64 {
-            assert(offset < self.size_circular_buffer);
-            return self.size_headers + offset;
-        }
-
-        fn offset_in_headers_version(self: *Self, offset: u64, version: u1) u64 {
-            assert(offset < self.size_headers);
-            return switch (version) {
-                0 => offset,
-                1 => self.size_headers + self.size_circular_buffer + offset,
-            };
-        }
-
-        fn write_prepare_header_offset(message: *Message) u64 {
-            comptime assert(config.sector_size % @sizeOf(Header) == 0);
-            return vsr.sector_floor(message.header.op * @sizeOf(Header));
-        }
-
-        fn write_headers_increment_version(self: *Self) u1 {
-            self.headers_version +%= 1;
-            return self.headers_version;
+        fn assert_bounds(ring: Ring, offset: u64, size: u64) void {
+            switch (ring) {
+                .headers => assert(offset + size <= headers_size),
+                .prepares => {
+                    assert(offset >= headers_size);
+                    assert(offset + size <= headers_size + prepares_size);
+                },
+            }
         }
 
-        /// Since we allow gaps in the journal, we may have to write our headers twice.
-        /// If a dirty header is being written as reserved (empty) then write twice to make this clear.
-        /// If a dirty header has no previous clean chained entry to give its offset then write twice.
-        /// Otherwise, we only need to write the headers once because their other copy can be located in
-        /// the body of the journal (using the previous entry's offset and size).
-        fn write_prepare_header_once(self: *Self, header: *const Header) bool {
-            // TODO Optimize this to decide whether to write once or twice once we add support to
-            // recover from either header version at startup.
-            const always_write_twice = true;
-            if (always_write_twice) return false;
-
-            // TODO Snapshots
-            if (header.command == .reserved) {
-                log.debug("{}: write_prepare_header_once: dirty reserved header", .{
-                    self.replica,
-                });
-                return false;
+        fn offset_logical(ring: Ring, slot: Slot) u64 {
+            assert(slot.index < slot_count);
+
+            switch (ring) {
+                .headers => {
+                    comptime assert(config.sector_size % @sizeOf(Header) == 0);
+                    const offset = vsr.sector_floor(slot.index * @sizeOf(Header));
+                    assert(offset < headers_size);
+                    return offset;
+                },
+                .prepares => {
+                    const offset = config.message_size_max * slot.index;
+                    assert(offset < prepares_size);
+                    return offset + config.journal_size_headers;
+                },
             }
-            if (self.previous_entry(header)) |previous| {
-                assert(previous.command == .prepare);
-                if (previous.checksum != header.parent) {
-                    log.debug("{}: write_headers_once: no hash chain", .{self.replica});
-                    return false;
-                }
-                // TODO Add is_dirty(header)
-                // TODO Snapshots
-                if (self.dirty.bit(previous.op)) {
-                    log.debug("{}: write_prepare_header_once: previous entry is dirty", .{
-                        self.replica,
-                    });
-                    return false;
-                }
-            } else {
-                log.debug("{}: write_prepare_header_once: no previous entry", .{self.replica});
-                return false;
-            }
-            return true;
         }
 
-        fn write_prepare_header_to_version(
-            self: *Self,
-            write: *Self.Write,
-            callback: fn (completion: *Self.Write) void,
-            version: u1,
-            buffer: []const u8,
-            offset: u64,
-        ) void {
-            log.debug("{}: write_prepare_header_to_version: version={} offset={} len={}", .{
-                self.replica,
-                version,
-                offset,
-                buffer.len,
-            });
-            assert(offset + buffer.len <= self.size_headers);
-            // Memory must not be owned by self.headers as self.headers may be modified concurrently:
-            assert(@ptrToInt(buffer.ptr) < @ptrToInt(self.headers.ptr) or
-                @ptrToInt(buffer.ptr) > @ptrToInt(self.headers.ptr) + self.size_headers);
-
-            self.write_sectors(
-                callback,
-                write,
-                buffer,
-                self.offset_in_headers_version(offset, version),
-            );
+        fn offset_logical_in_headers_for_message(self: *const Self, message: *Message) u64 {
+            return offset_logical(.headers, self.slot_for_header(message.header));
         }
 
+        // TODO Add a `Ring` argument, and make the offset relative to that.
         fn write_sectors(
             self: *Self,
             callback: fn (write: *Self.Write) void,
             write: *Self.Write,
             buffer: []const u8,
-            offset: u64,
+            offset_in_wal: u64,
         ) void {
             write.range = .{
                 .callback = callback,
                 .completion = undefined,
                 .buffer = buffer,
-                .offset = offset,
+                .offset = offset_in_wal,
                 .locked = false,
             };
             self.lock_sectors(write);
@@ -1136,8 +1768,9 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 if (!other.range.locked) continue;
 
                 if (other.range.overlaps(&write.range)) {
-                    write.range.next = other.range.next;
-                    other.range.next = &write.range;
+                    var tail = &other.range;
+                    while (tail.next) |next| tail = next;
+                    tail.next = &write.range;
                     return;
                 }
             }
@@ -1153,10 +1786,11 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 write_sectors_on_write,
                 &write.range.completion,
                 write.range.buffer,
+                .wal,
                 write.range.offset,
             );
-            // We rely on the Storage.write_sectors() implementation being either always synchronous,
-            // in which case writes never actually need to be queued, or always always asynchronous,
+            // We rely on the Storage.write_sectors() implementation being always synchronous,
+            // in which case writes never actually need to be queued, or always asynchronous,
             // in which case write_sectors_on_write() doesn't have to handle lock_sectors()
             // synchronously completing a write and making a nested write_sectors_on_write() call.
             //
@@ -1193,7 +1827,7 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 self.lock_sectors(@fieldParentPtr(Self.Write, "range", waiting));
             }
 
-            // The callback may set range, so we can't set range to undefined after running the callback.
+            // The callback may set range, so we can't set range to undefined after the callback.
             const callback = range.callback;
             range.* = undefined;
             callback(write);
@@ -1208,7 +1842,7 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
                 // However, we compare against the 64-bit op first, since it's a cheap machine word.
                 if (write.message.header.op == op and write.message.header.checksum == checksum) {
                     // If we truly are writing, then the dirty bit must be set:
-                    assert(self.dirty.bit(op));
+                    assert(self.dirty.bit(self.slot_for_op(op)));
                     return true;
                 }
             }
@@ -1219,147 +1853,428 @@ pub fn Journal(comptime Replica: type, comptime Storage: type) type {
 
 // TODO Snapshots
 pub const BitSet = struct {
-    bits: []bool,
+    bits: std.DynamicBitSetUnmanaged,
 
     /// The number of bits set (updated incrementally as bits are set or cleared):
-    len: u64 = 0,
+    count: u64 = 0,
 
-    fn init(allocator: Allocator, count: u64) !BitSet {
-        const bits = try allocator.alloc(bool, count);
-        errdefer allocator.free(bits);
-        std.mem.set(bool, bits, false);
+    fn init(allocator: Allocator, count: usize) !BitSet {
+        const bits = try std.DynamicBitSetUnmanaged.initEmpty(allocator, count);
+        errdefer bits.deinit(allocator);
 
         return BitSet{ .bits = bits };
     }
 
     fn deinit(self: *BitSet, allocator: Allocator) void {
-        allocator.free(self.bits);
+        self.bits.deinit(allocator);
     }
 
-    /// Clear the bit for an op (idempotent):
-    pub fn clear(self: *BitSet, op: u64) void {
-        if (self.bits[op]) {
-            self.bits[op] = false;
-            self.len -= 1;
+    /// Clear the bit for a slot (idempotent):
+    pub fn clear(self: *BitSet, slot: Slot) void {
+        if (self.bits.isSet(slot.index)) {
+            self.bits.unset(slot.index);
+            self.count -= 1;
         }
     }
 
-    /// Whether the bit for an op is set:
-    pub fn bit(self: *BitSet, op: u64) bool {
-        return self.bits[op];
+    /// Whether the bit for a slot is set:
+    pub fn bit(self: *const BitSet, slot: Slot) bool {
+        return self.bits.isSet(slot.index);
     }
 
-    /// Set the bit for an op (idempotent):
-    pub fn set(self: *BitSet, op: u64) void {
-        if (!self.bits[op]) {
-            self.bits[op] = true;
-            self.len += 1;
-            assert(self.len <= self.bits.len);
+    /// Set the bit for a slot (idempotent):
+    pub fn set(self: *BitSet, slot: Slot) void {
+        if (!self.bits.isSet(slot.index)) {
+            self.bits.set(slot.index);
+            self.count += 1;
+            assert(self.count <= self.bits.bit_length);
         }
     }
 };
 
-/// Take a u6 to limit to 64 items max (2^6 = 64)
-pub fn IOPS(comptime T: type, comptime size: u6) type {
-    const Map = std.meta.Int(.unsigned, size);
-    const MapLog2 = math.Log2Int(Map);
-    return struct {
-        const Self = @This();
+/// @B and @C:
+/// This prepare header is corrupt.
+/// We may have a valid redundant header, but need to recover the full message.
+///
+/// Case @B may be caused by crashing while writing the prepare (torn write).
+///
+/// @E:
+/// Valid prepare, corrupt header. One of:
+///
+/// 1. The replica crashed while writing the redundant header (torn write).
+/// 2. The read to the header is corrupt or misdirected.
+/// 3. Multiple faults, for example: the redundant header read is corrupt, and the prepare read is
+///    misdirected.
+///
+///
+/// @F and @H:
+/// The replica is recovering from a crash after writing the prepare, but before writing the
+/// redundant header.
+///
+///
+/// @G:
+/// One of:
+///
+/// * A misdirected read to a reserved header.
+/// * The redundant header's write was lost or misdirected.
+///
+/// For multi-replica clusters, don't repair locally to prevent data loss in case of 2 lost writes.
+///
+///
+/// @I:
+/// The redundant header is present & valid, but the corresponding prepare was a lost or misdirected
+/// read or write.
+///
+///
+/// @J:
+/// This slot is legitimately reserved — this may be the first fill of the log.
+///
+///
+/// @K and @L:
+/// When the redundant header & prepare header are both valid but distinct ops, always pick the
+/// higher op.
+///
+/// For example, consider slot_count=10, the op to the left is 12, the op to the right is 14, and
+/// the tiebreak is between an op=3 and op=13. Choosing op=13 over op=3 is safe because the op=3
+/// must be from a previous wrap — it is too far back (>pipeline) to have been replaced by a view
+/// change.
+///
+/// The length of the prepare pipeline is the upper bound on how many ops can be reordered during a
+/// view change.
+///
+/// @K:
+/// When the higher op belongs to the prepare, repair locally.
+/// The most likely cause for this case is that the log wrapped, but the redundant header write was
+/// lost.
+///
+/// @L:
+/// When the higher op belongs to the header, mark faulty.
+///
+///
+/// @M:
+/// The message was rewritten due to a view change.
+/// A single-replica cluster doesn't ever change views.
+///
+///
+/// @N:
+/// The redundant header matches the message's header.
+/// This is the usual case: both the prepare and header are correct and equivalent.
+const recovery_cases = table: {
+    const __ = Matcher.any;
+    const _0 = Matcher.is_false;
+    const _1 = Matcher.is_true;
+    // The replica will abort if any of these checks fail:
+    const a0 = Matcher.assert_is_false;
+    const a1 = Matcher.assert_is_true;
+
+    break :table [_]Case{
+        // Legend:
+        //
+        //    R>1  replica_count > 1
+        //    R=1  replica_count = 1
+        //     ok  valid checksum ∧ valid cluster ∧ valid slot ∧ valid command
+        //    nil  command == reserved
+        //     ✓∑  header.checksum == prepare.checksum
+        //    op⌈  prepare.op is maximum of all prepare.ops
+        //    op=  header.op == prepare.op
+        //    op<  header.op <  prepare.op
+        //   view  header.view == prepare.view
+        //
+        //        Label  Decision      Header  Prepare Compare
+        //               R>1   R=1     ok  nil ok  nil op⌈ ✓∑  op= op< view
+        Case.init("@A", .vsr, .vsr, .{ _0, __, _0, __, __, __, __, __, __ }),
+        Case.init("@B", .vsr, .vsr, .{ _1, _1, _0, __, __, __, __, __, __ }),
+        Case.init("@C", .vsr, .vsr, .{ _1, _0, _0, __, __, __, __, __, __ }),
+        Case.init("@D", .vsr, .vsr, .{ _0, __, _1, _1, __, __, __, __, __ }),
+        Case.init("@E", .vsr, .fix, .{ _0, __, _1, _0, _0, __, __, __, __ }),
+        Case.init("@F", .fix, .fix, .{ _0, __, _1, _0, _1, __, __, __, __ }),
+        Case.init("@G", .vsr, .fix, .{ _1, _1, _1, _0, _0, __, __, __, __ }),
+        Case.init("@H", .fix, .fix, .{ _1, _1, _1, _0, _1, __, __, __, __ }),
+        Case.init("@I", .vsr, .vsr, .{ _1, _0, _1, _1, __, __, __, __, __ }),
+        Case.init("@J", .nil, .nil, .{ _1, _1, _1, _1, __, a1, a1, a0, a1 }), // normal path: reserved
+        Case.init("@K", .fix, .fix, .{ _1, _0, _1, _0, __, _0, _0, _1, __ }), // header.op < prepare.op
+        Case.init("@L", .vsr, .vsr, .{ _1, _0, _1, _0, __, _0, _0, _0, __ }), // header.op > prepare.op
+        Case.init("@M", .vsr, .vsr, .{ _1, _0, _1, _0, __, _0, _1, a0, a0 }),
+        Case.init("@N", .eql, .eql, .{ _1, _0, _1, _0, __, _1, a1, a0, a1 }), // normal path: prepare
+    };
+};
 
-        items: [size]T = undefined,
-        /// 1 bits are free items
-        free: Map = math.maxInt(Map),
+const case_cut = Case{
+    .label = "@Truncate",
+    .decision_multiple = .cut,
+    .decision_single = .cut,
+    .pattern = undefined,
+};
 
-        pub fn acquire(self: *Self) ?*T {
-            const i = @ctz(Map, self.free);
-            assert(i <= @bitSizeOf(Map));
-            if (i == @bitSizeOf(Map)) return null;
-            self.free &= ~(@as(Map, 1) << @intCast(MapLog2, i));
-            return &self.items[i];
-        }
+const RecoveryDecision = enum {
+    /// The header and prepare are identical; no repair necessary.
+    eql,
+    /// Reserved; dirty/faulty are clear, no repair necessary.
+    nil,
+    /// If replica_count>1: Repair with VSR `request_prepare`. Mark dirty, clear faulty.
+    /// If replica_count=1: Use intact prepare. Clear dirty, clear faulty.
+    /// (Don't set faulty, because we have the valid message.)
+    fix,
+    /// If replica_count>1: Repair with VSR `request_prepare`. Mark dirty, mark faulty.
+    /// If replica_count=1: Fail; cannot recover safely.
+    vsr,
+    /// Truncate the op, setting it to reserved. Dirty/faulty are clear.
+    cut,
+};
 
-        pub fn release(self: *Self, item: *T) void {
-            item.* = undefined;
-            const i = (@ptrToInt(item) - @ptrToInt(&self.items)) / @sizeOf(T);
-            assert(self.free & (@as(Map, 1) << @intCast(MapLog2, i)) == 0);
-            self.free |= (@as(Map, 1) << @intCast(MapLog2, i));
-        }
+const Matcher = enum { any, is_false, is_true, assert_is_false, assert_is_true };
+
+const Case = struct {
+    label: []const u8,
+    /// Decision when replica_count>1.
+    decision_multiple: RecoveryDecision,
+    /// Decision when replica_count=1.
+    decision_single: RecoveryDecision,
+    /// 0: header_ok(header)
+    /// 1: header.command == reserved
+    /// 2: header_ok(prepare) ∧ valid_checksum_body
+    /// 3: prepare.command == reserved
+    /// 4: prepare.op is maximum of all prepare.ops
+    /// 5: header.checksum == prepare.checksum
+    /// 6: header.op == prepare.op
+    /// 7: header.op < prepare.op
+    /// 8: header.view == prepare.view
+    pattern: [9]Matcher,
+
+    fn init(
+        label: []const u8,
+        decision_multiple: RecoveryDecision,
+        decision_single: RecoveryDecision,
+        pattern: [9]Matcher,
+    ) Case {
+        return .{
+            .label = label,
+            .decision_multiple = decision_multiple,
+            .decision_single = decision_single,
+            .pattern = pattern,
+        };
+    }
 
-        /// Returns true if there is at least one IOP available
-        pub fn available(self: *const Self) math.Log2IntCeil(Map) {
-            return @popCount(Map, self.free);
+    fn check(self: *const Case, parameters: [9]bool) !bool {
+        for (parameters) |b, i| {
+            switch (self.pattern[i]) {
+                .any => {},
+                .is_false => if (b) return false,
+                .is_true => if (!b) return false,
+                .assert_is_false => if (b) return error.ExpectFalse,
+                .assert_is_true => if (!b) return error.ExpectTrue,
+            }
         }
+        return true;
+    }
 
-        /// Returns true if there is at least one IOP in use
-        pub fn executing(self: *const Self) math.Log2IntCeil(Map) {
-            return @popCount(Map, math.maxInt(Map)) - @popCount(Map, self.free);
+    fn decision(self: *const Case, replica_count: u8) RecoveryDecision {
+        assert(replica_count > 0);
+        if (replica_count == 1) {
+            return self.decision_single;
+        } else {
+            return self.decision_multiple;
         }
+    }
+};
 
-        pub const Iterator = struct {
-            iops: *Self,
-            /// On iteration start this is a copy of the free map, but
-            /// inverted so we can use @ctz() to find occupied instead of free slots.
-            unseen: Map,
+fn recovery_case(header: ?*const Header, prepare: ?*const Header, prepare_op_max: u64) *const Case {
+    const h_ok = header != null;
+    const p_ok = prepare != null;
+
+    if (h_ok) assert(header.?.invalid() == null);
+    if (p_ok) assert(prepare.?.invalid() == null);
+
+    const parameters = .{
+        h_ok,
+        if (h_ok) header.?.command == .reserved else false,
+        p_ok,
+        if (p_ok) prepare.?.command == .reserved else false,
+        if (p_ok) prepare.?.op == prepare_op_max else false,
+        if (h_ok and p_ok) header.?.checksum == prepare.?.checksum else false,
+        if (h_ok and p_ok) header.?.op == prepare.?.op else false,
+        if (h_ok and p_ok) header.?.op < prepare.?.op else false,
+        if (h_ok and p_ok) header.?.view == prepare.?.view else false,
+    };
 
-            pub fn next(iterator: *Iterator) ?*T {
-                const i = @ctz(Map, iterator.unseen);
-                assert(i <= @bitSizeOf(Map));
-                if (i == @bitSizeOf(Map)) return null;
-                // Set this bit of unseen to 1 to indicate this slot has been seen.
-                iterator.unseen &= ~(@as(Map, 1) << @intCast(MapLog2, i));
-                return &iterator.iops.items[i];
-            }
+    var result: ?*const Case = null;
+    for (recovery_cases) |*case| {
+        const match = case.check(parameters) catch {
+            log.err("recovery_case: impossible state: case={s} parameters={any}", .{
+                case.label,
+                parameters,
+            });
+            unreachable;
         };
-
-        pub fn iterate(self: *Self) Iterator {
-            return .{ .iops = self, .unseen = ~self.free };
+        if (match) {
+            assert(result == null);
+            result = case;
         }
+    }
+    // The recovery table is exhaustive.
+    // Every combination of parameters matches exactly one case.
+    return result.?;
+}
+
+/// Returns the header, only if the header:
+/// * has a valid checksum, and
+/// * has the expected cluster, and
+/// * has an expected command, and
+/// * resides in the correct slot.
+fn header_ok(cluster: u32, slot: Slot, header: *const Header) ?*const Header {
+    // We must first validate the header checksum before accessing any fields.
+    // Otherwise, we may hit undefined data or an out-of-bounds enum and cause a runtime crash.
+    if (!header.valid_checksum()) return null;
+
+    // A header with the wrong cluster, or in the wrong slot, may indicate a misdirected read/write.
+    // All journalled headers should be reserved or else prepares.
+    // A misdirected read/write to or from another storage zone may return the wrong message.
+    const valid_cluster_command_and_slot = switch (header.command) {
+        .prepare => header.cluster == cluster and slot.index == header.op % slot_count,
+        .reserved => header.cluster == cluster and slot.index == header.op,
+        else => false,
     };
+
+    // Do not check the checksum here, because that would run only after the other field accesses.
+    return if (valid_cluster_command_and_slot) header else null;
 }
 
-test {
-    const testing = std.testing;
-    var iops = IOPS(u32, 4){};
+test "recovery_cases" {
+    // Verify that every pattern matches exactly one case.
+    //
+    // Every possible combination of parameters must either:
+    // * have a matching case
+    // * have a case that fails (which would result in a panic).
+    var i: usize = 0;
+    while (i <= std.math.maxInt(u8)) : (i += 1) {
+        var parameters: [9]bool = undefined;
+        comptime var j: usize = 0;
+        inline while (j < parameters.len) : (j += 1) {
+            parameters[j] = i & (1 << j) != 0;
+        }
 
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 4), iops.available());
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 0), iops.executing());
+        var case_match: ?*const Case = null;
+        for (recovery_cases) |*case| {
+            if (case.check(parameters) catch true) {
+                try std.testing.expectEqual(case_match, null);
+                case_match = case;
+            }
+        }
+        if (case_match == null) @panic("no matching case");
+    }
+}
 
-    var one = iops.acquire().?;
+/// Format part of a new WAL, writing to `target`.
+///
+/// `offset_logical` is relative to the beginning of the WAL.
+/// Returns the number of bytes written to `target`.
+pub fn format_journal(cluster: u32, offset_logical: u64, target: []u8) usize {
+    assert(offset_logical <= config.journal_size_max);
+    assert(offset_logical % config.sector_size == 0);
+    assert(target.len > 0);
+    assert(target.len % config.sector_size == 0);
+
+    const sector_max = @divExact(config.journal_size_max, config.sector_size);
+    var sectors = std.mem.bytesAsSlice([config.sector_size]u8, target);
+    for (sectors) |*sector_data, i| {
+        const sector = @divExact(offset_logical, config.sector_size) + i;
+        if (sector == sector_max) {
+            if (i == 0) {
+                assert(offset_logical == config.journal_size_max);
+            }
+            return i * config.sector_size;
+        } else {
+            format_journal_sector(cluster, sector, sector_data);
+        }
+    }
+    return target.len;
+}
 
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 3), iops.available());
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 1), iops.executing());
+fn format_journal_sector(cluster: u32, sector: usize, sector_data: *[config.sector_size]u8) void {
+    assert(sector < @divExact(config.journal_size_max, config.sector_size));
 
-    var two = iops.acquire().?;
-    var three = iops.acquire().?;
+    var sector_headers = std.mem.bytesAsSlice(Header, sector_data);
 
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 1), iops.available());
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 3), iops.executing());
+    if (sector * headers_per_sector < slot_count) {
+        for (sector_headers) |*header, i| {
+            const slot = sector * headers_per_sector + i;
+            if (sector == 0 and i == 0) {
+                header.* = Header.root_prepare(cluster);
+                assert(header.op == 0);
+                assert(header.command == .prepare);
+                assert(header.operation == .root);
+            } else {
+                header.* = Header.reserved(cluster, slot);
+            }
+        }
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const sectors_per_message = @divExact(config.message_size_max, config.sector_size);
+    const sector_in_prepares = sector - @divExact(slot_count, headers_per_sector);
+    const message_slot = @divFloor(sector_in_prepares, sectors_per_message);
+    assert(message_slot < slot_count);
+
+    std.mem.set(u8, sector_data, 0);
+    if (sector_in_prepares % sectors_per_message == 0) {
+        // The header goes in the first sector of the message.
+        if (message_slot == 0) {
+            sector_headers[0] = Header.root_prepare(cluster);
+        } else {
+            sector_headers[0] = Header.reserved(cluster, message_slot);
+        }
+    }
+}
 
-    var four = iops.acquire().?;
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(?*u32, null), iops.acquire());
+test "format_journal" {
+    const cluster = 123;
+    const write_sizes = [_]usize{
+        config.sector_size,
+        config.sector_size * 2,
+        config.sector_size * 3,
+        config.journal_size_max,
+    };
 
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 0), iops.available());
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 4), iops.executing());
+    for (write_sizes) |write_size_max| {
+        var wal_data = try std.testing.allocator.alloc(u8, config.journal_size_max);
+        defer std.testing.allocator.free(wal_data);
 
-    iops.release(two);
+        var write_data = try std.testing.allocator.alloc(u8, write_size_max);
+        defer std.testing.allocator.free(write_data);
 
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 1), iops.available());
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 3), iops.executing());
+        var headers_ring = std.mem.bytesAsSlice(Header, @alignCast(@alignOf(Header), wal_data[0..config.journal_size_headers]));
+        var prepare_ring = std.mem.bytesAsSlice([config.message_size_max]u8, wal_data[config.journal_size_headers..]);
+        try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, config.journal_slot_count), headers_ring.len);
+        try std.testing.expectEqual(@as(usize, config.journal_slot_count), prepare_ring.len);
 
-    // there is only one slot free, so we will get the same pointer back.
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(?*u32, two), iops.acquire());
+        var offset: u64 = 0;
+        while (true) {
+            const write_size = format_journal(cluster, offset, write_data);
+            if (write_size == 0) break;
+            std.mem.copy(u8, wal_data[offset..][0..write_size], write_data[0..write_size]);
+            offset += write_size;
+        }
 
-    iops.release(four);
-    iops.release(two);
-    iops.release(one);
-    iops.release(three);
+        for (headers_ring) |*header, slot| {
+            try std.testing.expect(header.valid_checksum());
+            try std.testing.expect(header.valid_checksum_body(&[0]u8{}));
+            try std.testing.expectEqual(header.invalid(), null);
+            try std.testing.expectEqual(header.cluster, cluster);
+            try std.testing.expectEqual(header.op, slot);
+            try std.testing.expectEqual(header.size, @sizeOf(Header));
+            if (slot == 0) {
+                try std.testing.expectEqual(header.command, .prepare);
+                try std.testing.expectEqual(header.operation, .root);
+            } else {
+                try std.testing.expectEqual(header.command, .reserved);
+            }
 
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 4), iops.available());
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(u4, 0), iops.executing());
+            const prepare_bytes = prepare_ring[slot];
+            const prepare_header = std.mem.bytesAsValue(Header, prepare_bytes[0..@sizeOf(Header)]);
+            const prepare_body = prepare_bytes[@sizeOf(Header)..];
 
-    one = iops.acquire().?;
-    two = iops.acquire().?;
-    three = iops.acquire().?;
-    four = iops.acquire().?;
-    try testing.expectEqual(@as(?*u32, null), iops.acquire());
+            try std.testing.expectEqual(header.*, prepare_header.*);
+            for (prepare_body) |byte| try std.testing.expectEqual(byte, 0);
+        }
+    }
 }