Community Update 117

Owned by Rao Bhamidipati
Last updated: Apr 29, 2020

General

  • Release
    • Node version 0.9.24 is the current release - second update post-mainnet - Housekeeping changes and meeting requirements of exchanges for reporting state and transaction history RNode-0.9.24 release plan
    • RNode 0.9.24 changes impact only the observer/read only node. We've set up an 'exchanges only' read only node for exclusive use by the exchanges.
    • Testnet is currently running rnode version 0.9.24  

    • Mainnet is running RNode-0.9.23. Updating mainnet oberver nodes to 0.9.24

    • Getting ready for RNode 0.9.25 which will also primarily be impacting observer/read only nodes.
    • Current philosophy is to minimize updates/disruptions to validator nodes while enabling improved observer node functionality - this was not high priority in getting to the mainnet. So catching up.
    • Focus is to make sure that the network can handle the anticipated volume from the exchanges and that exchanges can have responsive monitoring and customer service.
  • Sprint 51 in progress
    • Main Focus: hardening the mainnet, improve performance, make usability improvements including configuration, Work on Last Finalized State, API improvements for functionality needed by exchanges.
    • Current Work In Progress 
      • Initial performance improvements in 'transaction history' functionality of 0.9.24 completed - will be released in 0.9.25.  Tomislav will speak about how this is accomplished, and the progress in Last Finalized State work.
      • Complete - Configuration changes to make node deployments easier and cleaner - Nutzipper will present highlights. 
      • Ongoing - Improvements to last finalized state initial draft PR issued https://github.com/rchain/rchain/pull/2913  but quite a bit of work involved still. The PR and the branch are structured so that multiple people can collaborate/ work on different parts of the feature at the same time. The scope of this work enables (a) faster catchup by new nodes - you can start from the last finalized state - this is a differentiator for RChain (b) offloading older data and differentiated storage and retrieval strategies for the same (c) allows for a leaner / less bloated node. Tomislav continuing to work and test this.  Nutzipper and Will beginning to help to accelerate delivery. Having to pick between refactoring and work-arounds in various parts. This change touches most parts of the codebase. Trying to get a more modular and future-beneficial approach.
      • In Review and close to being merged - Creating a node.js API for exchanges that need it. PR ready and being reviewed, at the stage of final changes. 
      • Ongoing - Gurinder is augmenting and rationalizing monitoring of mainnet and other nets, including distributing monitoring over multiple cloud providers, for resilience and to meet exchange needs
      • Starting a focus on documentation inventory, requirements, gaps, and a way to address them. Initially starting with documentation for exchanges on best practices to get started and using the API and tools.
      • Tuesday TeachOuts by Tomislav (Tuesday 10 AM Eastern) in Jimscarver's zoom room https://zoom.us/j/6853551826 
    • Current Backlog (partial)
      • Improve merging in system deploys
      • Improve Triemerge
      • Improve multi-parent Casper enablement
      • Implement sharding capabilities
      • Improve logging to be able to learn what API calls are being used, so they can be related to resource use and performance etc
      • Rholang 1.1 to improve syntax and user experience / learning curve
  • Tech-Governance meetings on Thursdays 10 AM Eastern, 7 Am Pacific 

Mercury requirements and acceptance criteria

Blockers to Mainnet

  • NA

Risks to code completion for Mercury

  •  

Developer website

Date