Basic questions - consensus algorithm, permission model, DAO-controlled network

Developers
1

Hi everyone,
I have some questions.

  • Are NNS and non-NNS subnets the same consensus algorithm?
  • Are both subnets permission model by Internet Computer Association?
  • Are both subnets DAO-controlled networks?
  • Is the permission model the reason why the current consensus algorithm was adopted?
  • What is the name of the consensus algorithm? No Name? DAO-controlled network?

References
The Internet Computer for Geeks

The IC’s permission model is a hybrid model, obtaining the efficiency of a permissioned protocol while offering many of the benefits of a decentralized PoS protocol. This hybrid model is called a DAO-controlled network

The IC’s permission model is a hybrid model, obtaining the efficiency of a permissioned protocol while offering many of the benefits of a decentralized PoS protocol.

each subnet runs a permissioned consensus protocol

The IC’s DAO is called the network nervous system (NNS), and is based on a PoS

What is the Internet Computer?

The IC is neither a proof-of-work, nor a proof-of-stake network, but a so-called DAO-controlled network, where the NNS DAO manages subnet node membership.”

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Yes, the replicas (nodes) all run the same consensus algorithm, no matter the subnet type.

No, the ICA has no influence on any permission model. Assuming ‘subnet permission’ equals ‘authorizing a node to participate in consensus for a certain subnet’, then it is correct to say that subnet permissions are granted by the NNS through proposals, e.g. this one.

Correction: “Are both types of subnets DAO-controlled?” There is only one NNS subnet right now, but many non-NNS subnets (34 as of right now, source here).
Yes, all subnets are controlled by the NNS-DAO.

I’m not 100% sure about the other questions, let me ask the right people.

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Thank you for your response !

Does a company need permission from ICA to become a Node Provider and then permission from NNS?
Is it centralized by ICA?

References
How To Become An Internet Computer Node Operator: Beginner’s Guide

The Internet Computer Association (ICA) has implemented a queuing mechanism to manage the ongoing requests from node providers seeking to offer the capacity to the network.

5

The following are ongoing

  • Is the permission model the reason why the current consensus algorithm was adopted?
  • What is the name of the consensus algorithm? No Name? DAO-controlled network?
6

No, the information you reference is outdated (and only partially true back when it was written). A node provider only requires approval by the NNS. The ICA has no say in this. Further reading:

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Is it possible to have more than 1 NNS subnet?

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I’m not aware of any reasons why it wouldn’t be possible. But I also don’t see a reason to have one, at least for now. I guess if there was too much going on in the NNS for the subnet to keep up it could be split into two.

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Hi @tokuryoo! Did you already take a look at the paper about the IC’s consensus mechanism? This has some comparison with other consensus protocols.

We simply call the protocol “Internet Computer Consensus (ICC)” in the paper.

1 Like
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We need a cooler name for the protocol. Something like Dfinitive 1, Dfinitive 2 maybe.

11

I understood. Thank you very much.

12

Thank you for your response ! Thank you very much.

Did you already take a look at the paper 3 about the IC’s consensus mechanism?

I didn’t. It looks difficult and I would like to read it little by little.

13

The following are ongoing

Is the permission model the reason why the current consensus algorithm was adopted?

I change the question.
Did Dfinity adopt Internet Computer Consensus because of the approval of nodes by NNS? Compared to PBFT, what is the level of trust required for a node?

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