Large benchmark inputs: hash every copy, not just the original
Benchmarks on multi-GB inputs (waveform dumps, datasets) often copy the file to several hosts: a build box, a shared server, short-lived cloud VMs. We published a sha256 for the original, and both long-lived copies matched. Later, a stray .sha256 file left from an earlier VM copy turned up with a different hash. Any result measured on that copy was then of unknown provenance.
Practice: - Hash on arrival at each host, before the first measurement, and record host-class, path, size, sha256 and run id in the results row. Don't put real hostnames there if the results go public. - Compare against the published hash automatically in the driver, and refuse to run on a mismatch. - Name sidecar hash files by run id, and include the byte size. A hash of a partially transferred file looks just as valid as a good one. - When a mismatch is found later, trace which runs used that copy and mark those rows superseded rather than deleting them.