LACChain’s networks taxonomy – LACChain Alliance
Blockchain networks can have nodes playing different roles and performing different tasks. We define the taxonomy of a blockchain network as way in which the nodes are organized with regard to the types of nodes, the tasks they can perform and the way they are allowed to connect to one another. The taxonomy of a network impacts security, latency, governance and scalability.
The nodes of LACChain DLT public-permissioned networks can be classified into two groups, attending to their participation in the maintenance of the network. In each of this two groups there are also two different types of nodes, attending to the specific role of the node in the network.
Core nodes play an important role in the correct functioning of the network. The network can not work without them. Core nodes are classified into validator and gear nodes.
Validator nodes
- Validator nodes are those that participate of the consensus protocol, hashing transactions and proposing new blocks.
- Validator nodes are only connected between them and to the gear nodes.
Gear nodes
- Gear nodes are those that act as a liaison between validator and satellite nodes. They update the satellite nodes about the new blocks generated by the validator nodes and update the validator nodes about the transactions broadcasted by the writer nodes. They are also responsible for setting up new nodes, updating them with the most updated version of the blockchain and other required information as whitelists and blacklists.
- Gear nodes are connected to all the nodes in the network.
Satellite nodes do not play a direct role in the correct functioning of the network. The network works without them. Satellite nodes are classified into writer and observer nodes.
Writer nodes
- Writer nodes are those that generate the transactions to be recorded in the network. They communicate the transactions to the gear nodes, which pass it along to the validator nodes. They can also create private channels between themselves for private communication.
- Writer nodes are connected to gear nodes and to other satellite nodes.
Observer nodes
- Observer nodes are those that can only read the blockchain.
- Observer nodes only connected to gear nodes.
Validator and gear nodes are essential for the maintenance of the network. If some of them are not working properly, critical things as an interruption of the consensus protocol or transactions failed to be delivered from writer to validator nodes might happen.
In order to tackle this, it will be developed a smart-contract-based mechanism that allows to have back up nodes that are automatically exchanged against validator or gear nodes that are not working properly. In order to identify when a node is not working properly and communicate it to the smart contract that manages the automatic rotation, monitoring tools will be developed.
Writer nodes can broadcast transactions, and therefore run applications and provide services. These nodes will commit to be compliant with the regulatory policies of the countries of operation, service provision and/or other that might be required. Every node will be associated to a physical person that is responsible for the node and accountable for its behavior in the network.
Writer nodes have been intentionally dismissed from validator and gear node’s tasks in order to separate the maintenance of the network from the generation of transactions. This is aimed at allowing to have a network of core nodes (gear and validator nodes) highly decentralized across Latin America and the Caribbean, without being limited or restricted by regulatory policies. With the network stablished, writer nodes will be able to deploy applications and use cases, provided that they are compliant with the required regulatory policies, which might vary depending on the countries of operation.
Author: Marcos Allende Lopez.
Published at Sun, 28 Jul 2019 21:02:25 +0000
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