easy way to achieve this, is to have a 'speed test mechanism' built into an implementation.
knowing in the code you can see the time your node asks for a new block. and when it validates the block it knows the time of that.
so it can use these two milestones to set a 'score'.
EG
if a block can be requested and validated in under say 120seconds. (2minutes) where over say 2016 blocks= target 241920score.
if the node can get a score BELOW(meaning faster than) 241920 over a 2016 block period. then it can easily handle block validation
this score can be part of the nodes user agent/metadata. thus easy to get stats of the network. to see what is capable by the nodes
Whatever you want, but it should be automated.
I would love to see an automated code, with automatic regulation functions.
Decentralization is not enough to remove the middleman. We need to remove all human interaction, and make it 100% automated.
Otherwise we get corrupted by human flaws (greed, malice, stupidity,etc..)