Stratum is Here!

albena.chain · July 5, 2019, 9:54am

Hello everyone,

We are happy to share that the Stratum support was included in yesterday’s release! Check it out here:

aeternity/aeternity/blob/master/docs/stratum.md

Introduction
==========

Please note that this application is in **alpha** state.

By setting the configuration value `stratum > enabled` to `true`, the node starts Aestratum app.
Aestratum app is an implementation of server side part of the stratum protocol suited for Aeternity network [https://github.com/aeternity/protocol/blob/master/STRATUM.md].
The purpose of the protocol is to formalize the coordination of information exchange between pool server and pool clients.

Aestratum app is part of the Aeternity node, but in the future we may move this functionality to a separate executable.
Enabling stratum server causes that the node doesn't mine the solutions for proof of work locally, but allows user to form mining pools and act as a pool operator.
For providing the pool to individual miners, a pool operator can specifying the percentage of the reward they withhold from mined block rewards.

An Aestratum client [https://github.com/aeternity/aestratum_client] connects to operator pool node (Stratum server), and solves cryptographic puzzles.
The server sends jobs to clients, they try to solve them and send their results (called shares) back. The server keeps targets for each client in line with its computational power and distributes rewards accordingly.
When miner finds the result artefacts of the Cuckoo Cycle algorithm - nonce and proof of work, the miner is awarded a share in a mining epoch happening between two subsequent key blocks of the chain.
A share can be understood as a smallest unit of eligible right to be paid out if the share was created in the mining epoch to be rewarded.
If the difficulty of the solution matches the difficulty of the main network, we can combine the block candidate with the computed nonce and proof of work, construct a next block and publish it.

If the network accepts our new block, the node which constructed that next block will receive a mining reward. This reward will be used for paying out the participants which submitted shares during mining epochs.

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It is a special mode of a full node that turns off mining and turns on stratum server!

Bear in mind that it’s a development version that you can use to try out the functionality but bugs are always a possibility.

We will highly appreciate your opinions, reviews, and feedback!

Please use the Github issues section to report any bugs!

Thanks in advance,
Albena

_dog · July 9, 2019, 12:08pm

Nice to hear.
I found this article on stratum vulnerabilities. If any devs are interested…

https://medium.com/novamining/in-depth-analysis-on-stratum-protocol-and-its-known-vulnerabilities-3ef139495608

_dog · July 9, 2019, 6:06pm

Thank you.

Is this working for the main net now? (we can make pools with this now?)
Where is the configuration yaml file to enable Stratum?
Will more documentation come out?

master · July 9, 2019, 10:25pm

Visit the link in the first post.

_dog · July 10, 2019, 9:38am

Thanks. I did search the repo… I have yet to install a node. Maybe, the config file (“aeternity.yaml”) is generated after being installed.

michalzee · July 10, 2019, 2:04pm

@_dog example config is in docs in the link above. Make sure you put your beneficiary etc.

emin.chain · July 12, 2019, 11:58am

If you check todays (Week 28) development update, please follow the advice from Michal and request features or ask questions here in the forum. The core team will follow up on this.

albena.chain · July 12, 2019, 12:34pm

Here’s the video Emin is referring to:

Best,
Albena

_dog · July 19, 2019, 7:40pm

thanks

_dog · July 21, 2019, 6:55pm

If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask a few questions. I think you are the main developer for this feature (if I’m not mistaken).

Is it really that easy to run a pool? Setup the config file, and launch the node?
What happens if the stratum server goes offline for a few minutes? Impact on connected clients… and how do they re-connect (manually or automatically?)
Assuming there is a database: What database and what data is stored in the database? And what credentials are needed to log into the database? (this would be helpful for making a dashboard or front end UI)

Thank you for any help.

michalzee · July 22, 2019, 7:18am

@_dog

as of running our software it is comparable with running a full node. Actually, coordination server is build-in full node and enabled by config. So, yes, setup and launch. It covers maintenance of rewards etc, so all is in, but still running a pool needs a thought about security and monitoring. We provided business logic. That said, it is our first iteration over pool system. Next step, for us, is to separate it.
Currently we re-use the database available in full node. Full node runs as a erlang daemon, so you can attach to the console and query database as you wish. It is not suitable for dashboards etc. Erlang setup assumes it is in safe zone. For dashboards, we intended to extend HTTP endpoints that run on external interface. Later on when stratum is separate, it will be easy to migrate HTTP API as well.