Current and future state of SAFE Network

Features
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I have to admit I’m getting a bit confused about current and future features of the network, so I thought I’d start this topic, which hopefully will be useful to others as well.
In particular, I’m trying to understand what’s the status of the current network live on the shared vault (Vault Phase 2a?) And what is planned for the next phases.
In terms of routing, that’s relatively clear (if still current):

Phase 2a : we will have a small section of only elders (a few nodes) and test that.
phase 2b : We will then add more nodes to create a large section.
phase 3: Add farming algorithm (this may happen in parallel with above)
phase 4: Add more nodes to allow the network to split (sharding)

In terms of data type, that’s where I start getting confused; my understanding is (from @oetyng [RFC] Data Types Refinement :

The current types…

UnpublishedUnsequencedMutableData
UnpublishedSequencedMutableData

UnpublishedUnsequencedAppendOnlyData
PublishedUnsequencedAppendOnlyData
UnpublishedSequencedAppendOnlyData
PublishedSequencedAppendOnlyData

UnpublishedImmutableData
PublishedImmutableData

…thus become the following:

PrivateMap
PublicMap

PrivateSequence
PublicSequence

PrivateBlob
PublicBlob

And then comes consensus…PARSEC, CRDT/BLS, safecoin (AT2?)

So, I’d really appreciate if someone could help summarising as follows:

- Vault Phase 2a (current):

Shared Vault, Single section, Elders only
Data types implemented: not sure what data types are currently implemented??)
Consensus: PARSEC (is that right, everything currently goes through PARSEC??)
Safecoin implementation: PARSEC (??)

- Vault Phase 2b:

Single section, Elders+Adults (?)
Data types implemented: (?)
Consensus: (?)
Safecoin implementation: (?)

- Vault Phase 3:

Single section, Elders+Adults (?)
Data types implemented: (?)
Consensus: (?)
Safecoin implementation: (?) + farming

- Vault Phase 4:

Multiple sections, Elders+Adults (?)
Data types implemented: (?)
Consensus: (?)
Safecoin implementation: (?)

- FLEMMING (?):

Multiple sections, Elders+Adults + (?)
Data types implemented: (?)
Consensus: (?)
Safecoin implementation: (?)

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BTW, I read more about AT2 and the marriage with SAFE Network seems made in heaven… curious to see how that will integrate with the other consensus protocols. Looks like early days for it though, so not sure when that is planned to be implemented in the roadmap above; lots of questions…:thinking:

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Hey @stout77!

In general, the testnets 2a is as you say, though (at the mo) safecoin impl and data updates no longer go through parsec.

2b is focused on getting a larger vault and vaults from home.

Data type changes are happening in parallel, but not tied to anything in particular. Those changes will come when they come. The current aim is for adding CRDT data types to avoid the need for strict ordered consensus.

Safecoin/At2 changes are happening in parallel, and will come when they come.

Parsec consensus is still needed for many routing layer functions eg.

Otherwise generally on point (although @lionel.faber feel free to jump in if I’m wrong on the phasing! )

Re: AT2, it’s an avenue to remove ordered consensus for coin transfers. Basically removing the need for consensus at the network layer by putting the onus on the client initiating a transfer.

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