Author: Markus Hinrichs
Editor: Randall Roland
Node operators, Antelope core developers, and community members meet each week to talk about the network and its development. The primary objective of each Node Operator Roundtable is:
“…to improve the Antelope protocol (specifically) for node operators.”
Roundtables occur every Wednesday. Visit the Telegram channel for information about joining. The EOS Network Foundation provides tutorials and documentation for those who want to learn the basics of operating an EOS node.
Below is a list of the roundtables contained within this bi-monthly summary:
December 13th: Leap 5.0 RC3 Is Live, and Stable Version Scheduled for January 2024, Network Handled Transaction Surge Well, History Solutions Scarcity, Substream Relevance, and Encouragement for BPs to Upgrade to the Latest Leap Versions
December 6th: Leap 5.0 RC3 Updates, Simplifying Node Operation VS Improved Documentation and more
Please be sure to look for additional meeting notes and comments on GitHub. Videos reside on the ENF’s YT.
December 13th: Leap 5.0 RC3 Is Live, and Stable Version Scheduled for January 2024, Transaction Surge: Network Performed Well, History Solutions Scarcity, Substream Relevance, BPs triggered to Upgrade
Leap 5.0 RC3 & Glimpse of 6.0:
Recent update release on Thursday with community engagement for non-BP node deployments.
ENF's confidence in stable releases with potential minor changes after the new year.
Coordination on testnets for protocol upgrades discussed among members.
Ongoing testing of EOSEVM and dfuse nodes for compatibility with 5.0.
Leap 6.0 Preparation:
ENF planning to communicate about the impending 6.0 upgrade, bringing Instant Finality in January.
Exploring modifications in Merkel root calculations for instant finality.
Community Topics — History Solutions:
Concerns were raised about the scarcity of Hyperion Nodes from EOSUSA and the limited availability of history solutions.
Issues highlighted around Alcor's IBC solution relying on history solutions, leading to technical disruptions during node crashes.
Discussion on the importance of block hashes over block content for IBC purposes and upcoming changes in merkle route calculations for 6.0.
Discussion on the minimum service requirements for supporting IBC functionalities.
Suggestions made for services providing digested data instead of raw data to alleviate the load on nodes.
Challenges with History Solutions:
Lack of incentives, cost, and complexities cited as reasons behind the scarcity of history solutions.
Debate on what type of history to retain, varying from use case to use case.
Advocacy for substreams and custom solutions to manage history needs.
EOS Nation's Efforts:
EOS Nation's promotion of substreams across Antelope chains, making them compatible with Ethereum and Cosmos, with plans for EOSEVM substreams.
Transaction Volume Surge due to Inscriptions:
Insights into the origin of NFTs and recent high-volume inscription events, generating around 18 million transactions within 24 hours.
Network performance during the event, with some RPC issues noted for EOSEVM.
“The network held up really well. There were some forks. Upland complained that some transactions did not go through due to a queue.” Mathew Darwin
Impact of inscription events prompting upgrades for Node Operators, emphasizing the increased use of NET and its potential consequences on network architecture and bandwidth usage.
NET Pricing & Infrastructure Upgrades:
Discussion prompted around NET pricing, the need for more EVM nodes, and the potential long-term costs of handling increased data flow.
Reflection on the recent surge in NET usage, altering the focus from CPU to NET for data processing.
Concluding Reflection:
Kevin Heifner emphasized the weekend's events as an exhilarating and valuable exercise. It not only showcased the network's resilience but also pinpointed potential areas for enhancing network infrastructure and spurred discussions on pricing for NET. Additionally, it prompted BPs still using Leap 3.x to initiate upgrades to the more efficient releases 4 and 5 in the near future.
December 6th: Leap 5.0 RC3 Updates, Simplifying Node Operation VS Improved Documentation and more
Release Preparation (5.0 Update):
Transition status towards the 5.0 update, with discussions about a failing test and RC3's expected availability by December 7.
Addressed potential unforeseen issues and the likelihood of stable releases with signed binaries.
Enhancements in RC3:
Outlined improvements from RC2 to RC3, encompassing bug fixes, performance enhancements, memory optimization, and operational streamlining in the build process.
Emphasized stability, tests, and functionality equivalence with more refinement in RC3.
Stable Release Outlook:
Highlighted EOS Nation's testing of RC3 on non-block-producing nodes.
Aimed for a stable release promotion by the first week of January, potentially including signed binary releases.
Michael's Insights on Documentation:
Emphasized the significance of comprehensive documentation for Node Ops, highlighting potential issues during version jumps due to missing documentation.
Pointed out the need for a broader understanding among those not involved in development discussions to prevent knowledge gaps.
Yves la Rose’s Proposal of an Easy-Mode Node Operation:
Addressed the complexity of node configurations, suggesting that most users desire simplified, executable files and auto-upgrades.
Explored the idea of an “easy mode” or an official Docker image, as well as a managing software for auto-configurations and upgrades to reduce barriers to entry for users.