We appreciated everyone’s continued interest in the BOS Platform and would like to share with you what we have done up to now, and also the plans for the future.
Below will provide a breakdown of the milestones with more information, however we acknowledge the current plan has deviated from previous plans to release the Genesis Block without the simple Trust Contracts functionality in October, and we have genuine reasons we believe the new approach will benefit the platform as further explained below.
Up to now, we have believe it is best to walk before you run; especially with a technology with so much uncertainty (although the Bitcoin whitepaper was released in 2008, the technology is still under constant improvement as evident from all the BIPs, especially the current BIP148 with so much uncertainty).
Stellar’s FBA consensus protocol benefits from the unique quorum consensus approach. The stability of the network may depend on the configuration of the quorums — whereby some cases, the entire network may be out of sync or in worst cases, operating in their own silos.
For our BOS Platform, we believe a structured quorum configuration will add to the performance and reliability of the Platform and have planned according to this. Due to the new concepts in this space causing uncertainty, we have decided to initially release the Platform in C++, testing various aspects (security, performance, reliability, agility), but also focusing the understanding on how quorum configurations will affect the network as a whole — whereby later we will move to a D language-based Platform to further the performance of the platform (don’t fear, we have a team currently working on the D Platform!). We have also taken into consideration the high interest of the community wanting to use the Platform, and wish this path of development satisfies the general community.
In parallel to protocol development, we have also identified and will conduct a project setting up a global community supporting the BOS Platform; this will have strong correlation to the quorum aspect of the Platform, and also the betterment of the token in general.
Although touched on in the above paragraphs, we aim to provide more information on the effect of quorum configurations in a later article — and we aim to have that sooner rather than later. In the meantime, please refer to a our draft concept of the community building piece here:
Private TestNet
The first of the major development milestones is the Private TestNet, which is in preparation of the BOS Platform TokenNet to be launched by end-September 2017. Testing of the BOS Platform commenced internally within the BOS team on July 25th, 2017 and will run for 5 weeks. It will test the Platform, the FBA Stellar Consensus Protocol written in C++.
There are 3 main categories of focus for the test: performance, security and of course quorum configuration, where all tests will be conducted by code. Below provides more detail in the actual testing parameters:
General Protocol Performance:
- Network latency based on quorums in different regions
- Different transaction amounts
- Different transaction values
- The latency, collision and error rates
- Network stress testing (consensus algorithm, transaction amounts, transaction values)
- Horizon server capacity
(Horizon is an API server for the Stellar ecosystem. It acts as the interface between stellar-core and applications that want to access the network)
Security:
- (We are currently engaging in a security consultancy for this aspect)
Quorum Configuration:
- A network with: Basic 1 quorum with 4 nodes 1 Horizon server
- A network with: 2 quorums in separate regions, consisting of 10 nodes each & Horizon server
- A network with: 2 quorums in separate regions, consisting of 50 nodes each & Horizon server
- A network with: 2 quorums in separate regions, consisting of 100 nodes each & Horizon server
- A network with: 3 quorums in separate regions, consisting of 10 nodes each & Horizon server
- A network with: 3 quorums in separate regions, consisting of 50 nodes each & Horizon server
- A network with: 3 quorums in separate regions, consisting of 100 nodes each & Horizon server
- A network with: 3 quorums in separate regions, consisting of different number of nodes per quorum & Horizon server
- Note: We will use Amazon Web Servers located in different regions globally to conduct the testing
Public TestNet
The Public TestNet allows for the general public to participate in the testing of the BOS Platform. This test will follow the same structure as the Private TestNet above.
Public TestNet is scheduled to commence by the end of August and will run for 4 weeks. We will provide more details on this as the date approaches, including how to participate and how to actually test the Platform — Please keep an eye out for the communications.
BOS Platform TokenNet
The BOS Platform TokenNet is scheduled to launch end of September 2017.
Alpha TokenNet aims to release the Platform in C++, a web-wallet, and have the BOS Platform on exchanges. We hope that the community will enjoy the freedom of moving completing transactions within the Platform and also exchange with external crypto-tokens.
There will be associated communications leading up to this milestone including more walkthroughs on how to run nodes, use the wallet, and etc.
Genesis TestNet
The Genesis TestNet will aim to test the Genesis BOS Platform, this is planned for mid-December.
Please read ahead to understand what the Genesis BOS Platform will deliver.
Genesis BOS Platform
The Genesis BOS Platform will be the release of the BOS Platform using the Stellar Consensus Protocol written in D, and all run off the BOS Platform’s Trust Contact. We will also be releasing:
- Trust Contracts
- mFBA Consensus Protocol in D
- Congress Budget
- Transaction Fees
- Freezing Rewards
- Block Confirmation Rewards
- Mobile Wallet
Genesis BOS Platform is targeting to be released in the beginning of 2018.
Nebula BOS Platform
In the not too distant future, we aim to deliver the Nebula BOS Platform, which will include everything in the Genesis Platform, including Proposals and the final Congress Network, and the Self-Evolving Governance System.
Applications
Supporting applications are also in development and more information will be provided later.
We hope this paints a picture of the path ahead for the BOS Platform for you and would like to reiterate our appreciation for your continued interest and support. We will be in contact soon about the community building activity and other information (and we will!); however in the meantime, please feel free to pop into our slack to bounce healthy conversations with us.
