Overview of the Initiative
A consortium of prominent Ethereum validators has embarked on an initiative to assess OptimumP2P, a cutting-edge memory layer designed to resolve specific challenges within the Ethereum network. Notable participants in this collaborative testing effort include Kiln, P2P.org, Everstake, Blockdaemon, Instones, Luganodes, and Ebunker, all of whom have come together to explore this innovative application of technology initially developed by MIT.
Understanding OptimumP2P
Muriel Médard, the co-founder and CEO of Optimum, explained in an interview with Decrypt that the core of this networking layer is based on conventional “gossip” methodologies. In the realm of blockchain, these protocols allow nodes to share vital information, such as newly verified blocks and transactions, across a decentralized network. This process occurs as a node relays data to several neighboring nodes, which in turn disseminate the information further until it reaches the entire network.
Médard elaborated on the intricacies of traditional gossip algorithms, noting that they operate on an essential compromise between efficiency and coverage. Despite advancements in its execution and consensus frameworks, Ethereum is hindered primarily by its networking mechanisms, which introduce significant latency and inefficient bandwidth usage as the volume of data transmitted increases.
Current Challenges and Solutions
Currently, Ethereum utilizes the Gossipsub protocol layered atop libp2p to manage data distribution among nodes. However, this system often sends redundant messages to multiple nodes, resulting in lower efficiency and slow propagation speeds. Médard highlighted that if nodes frequently share data with an excessive number of neighbors, they might redundantly receive the same message, wasting valuable time. Conversely, a limited outreach can result in missed opportunities to receive new updates.
OptimumP2P aims to alleviate these challenges by innovating the way information sharing occurs. Rather than simply relaying messages, it proposes a method of sharing mathematical equations. According to Médard, this approach enables nodes to focus exclusively on new information, encoded as equations, thus streamlining the gossiping process while reducing the risk associated with outdated messages.
Key Technology and Performance Metrics
The technology at the heart of OptimumP2P is Random Linear Network Coding, which cleverly combines data streams into compact encoded packets. Each packet is designed to contain just enough detail, allowing for the original information to be reconstructed once enough unique packets are gathered, even if some are lost during transmission.
Initial evaluations suggest that OptimumP2P significantly outperforms the existing systems, demonstrating a tenfold reduction in latency under heavy network loads, stable message handling capabilities up to 10MB compared to Gossipsub’s 4MB ceiling, and an impressive zero message loss rate during high-stress scenarios. As of now, the validators engaged in the OptimumP2P testnet represent about 14% of the total stakes in Ethereum, as reported by Rated Labs.
Future Implementation
Plans are underway to introduce OptimumP2P to Ethereum’s Hoodi testnet this summer, with hopes of extending its application to other Layer 1 networks following this initial rollout.
