🔗The Data Center Problem: Cost & Proximity

The centralized data centers that power today’s Internet are located “strategically” mainly in North America, Europe, and select parts of Asia. For populations living in these regions, Internet is accessible and generally relatively affordable. But the further you travel from these data centers, the less available and more expensive the internet becomes. Internet access is mostly an issue Sub-saharan Africa, throughout Asia, and some parts of South America.

Of course some data centers can be and are being built in and near developing and remote regions, but for reasons including cost and audience, this hasn’t been a huge priority to date. Beyond that, the data center model as a whole simply cannot scale to meet the future demands of the internet nor is it sustainable for our planet, so this is not the right option.

🔗The Internet Shutdown Problem: Control & Manipulation

Lack of internet access isn’t always just an availability or affordability problem. Today’s internet can be limited or even shut down at any point, by the right people. Take a quick look at NetBlocks.org, an organization that reports on global internet disruptions or outages. Typically governments are enacting these measures during times of unrest or protest or  important political moments. Even in the United States, the Executive Branch of the government has the power to shut down the internet in a case of a national emergency.

Cutting the internet or restricting certain services based on region (a common practice as well) is not only not right, it’s dangerous. People rely on the internet for information and communication and no government or entity should have the ability to shut the internet down at their discretion.

🔗The ThreeFold Solution: Fair & Neutral Internet for All

In 2016, the United Nations declared internet access to be a human right, yet today if you are reading this post, you are privileged. All humans deserve access to the internet and ThreeFold has the solution.

With the ThreeFold model, nodes can be set up anywhere in the world where an existing internet connection and electricity are present. By putting physical infrastructure at the edge (close to users), greater levels of access can be reached.

Further, the ThreeFold Grid cannot be shut down or manipulated. It is a neutral internet owned by the people, where autonomous technology heals and runs itself and requires minimal human intervention.

Today we are working with partners in the clean energy and network / connectivity to build the solutions that are needed to provide fair and uninterrupted internet access with all corners of the world.

Of course we will need new safe, secure, and private solutions for people to collaborate online. Many of these are already live and deployable via ThreeFold Now Community Solutions. We are working with partners in the education space as well to build toolsets for students to enrich their lives.

We need a more inclusive internet, and that is what we are building.

🔗What is Peer-to-Peer?

Peer-to-peer (P2P) is a term that originated from the distributed computer application architecture where tasks and workloads are shared between peers, popularized by Napster, a revolutionary file storing system from the late 1990s.

The concept inspired new structures and philosophies in many areas of human interaction. P2P systems and groups are typically critical of authoritarian and centralized social structures and believe in equality, meritocracy, flat systems, participatory & circular economies, as the concept represents a concrete pathway to these outcomes or visions.

P2P systems are network, not linear or ‘pyramidal’ hierarchies (though they may share some elements). They are ‘distributed’, though they may have elements of ‘centralization’ and ‘decentralization.’ And intelligence is not located at any center, but everywhere within the system.

🔗How does ThreeFold relate to peer-to-peer?

ThreeFold’s Peer-to-Peer (P2P) computing network is a distributed architecture that splits tasks and workloads between its peers, ThreeFold Farmers. Farmers are equal participants in the network and together they form a peer-to-peer network of nodes, the ThreeFold Grid.

Farmers make their resources, such as processing power, disk storage or network bandwidth, directly available to other network participants, without the need for central coordination by servers or stable hosts. Farmers are both suppliers and consumers of resources, in contrast to the traditional client-server model in which the consumption and supply of resources is divided.

In the near future, ThreeFold will create Digital Twin, which will go beyond the era of peers doing similar things while sharing resources. It will actually enable much more than that. Digital Twin will create a complete new digital world with diverse peers that can bring in unique resources and capabilities to a virtual community on the ThreeFold Grid. This will empower the network of peers to engage in greater tasks beyond those that can be accomplished by individual peers, and are beneficial to all the peers.

🔗Why did ThreeFold choose peer-to-peer? 

Everything starts (or should start) from the why, and the ThreeFold story started a long time ago. Before the inception of ThreeFold, many of the co-founders of the project used to work with the largest IT & Cloud actors. Throughout their experience working in the Industry, they realized that the complexity of the technology and the centralization of knowledge & power led to an inefficient, unsustainable, not scalable and unequally distributed infrastructure. So they decided to redesign the whole Internet and cloud infrastructure bottom-up with the vision of shaping a global internet economy that can scale anywhere efficiently, cost efficiently and sustainably. 

🔗Why does the world needs peer-to-peer? 

By developing the technology, the conviction that peer-to-peer was the best solution for humanity and the planet strengthened itself. Why? Well, put simply, a peer-to-peer system removes all forms of intermediaries, unnecessary steps and complexity from the picture. Therefore, it simplifies the architecture in an incredible way. The benefits are many but here are the most popular benefits:

• Privacy: Our peer-to-peer environment means no middlemen or intermediaries, meaning data travels directly between peers and stored on the nodes of their choice rather than being sent through and stored by a third party.
• Security: Data stored in data centers is susceptible to security breaches. In bypassing data centers and exchanging data directly between peers, we can achieve much greater security as it reduces code and back doors significantly. 
• Scalability: In a many-to-many system, scale is essentially unlimited. There is simply no bottleneck. And hardware (nodes) can be added at ease compared to current data center model.
• Cost-efficiency & Sustainability: End-to-end (direct) connection between peers means a more efficient path for data and less energy is needed. Less energy means less cost, and less harm to our planet.

🔗In 2021 the world is going peer-to-peer! 

We’re now in 4 years into the project, and it is clear that ThreeFold holds the most advanced technology and is probably the only tech company in the world that can achieve a peer-to-peer network & digital world as envisioned by the concept authors. The ThreeFold Grid is running and already at it’s 2.4 version and 2021 will bring various commercial opportunities for the public to partake in the peer-to-peer network, from hosting IT workloads to experiencing P2P end-user solutions. In other words, in 2021, the world will be able to go peer-to-peer.

🔗Simplicity is the key to unlock a better future

Over time, integration suites, middleware solutions, and enterprise service busses have been invented and implemented to cover integration challenges within the current internet. This has further complicated IT architectures, resulting in a loss of actual end user workload performance.

ThreeFold reworked the whole approach to IT architectures and eliminated the layers of complexity. The result is a cloud stack that presents minimal overhead and that requires less hardware – reducing heat generation and eventually cooling requirements. By reducing the need for power, the net result is an energy-efficient Internet grid.

🔗Improving resilience and efficiency through Self-Healing IT

Keeping systems up and running is a major requirement in modern day IT. Leading vendors earn most of their margin by selling maintenance contracts, performance guarantees, and professional services. Their business models bring no incentive to make things simple and efficient for consumers.

Creating a self-healing environment requires only minimal manual intervention to replace broken hardware components. Broken hardware components are inevitable, and the Zero-OS distributed node architecture deals with such failures by turning off broken components and provisioning unused capacity. By removing the need to ship broken parts back and forth, and linking to the corresponding installation knowledge (engineers), a lower carbon footprint can be achieved.

🔗“No painkiller” approach. We tackle the root issue

If a specific piece of software or hardware is not delivering the required performance or reliability, we should analyze the core design/algorithm and its usage of soft/hard components to determine the root causes of persistent issues to be solved.

Currently, most storage vendors follow the path of least resistance when trying to improve on performance. Their solution for meeting performance targets is to use faster components (CPU, memory, network card, proprietary acceleration) rather than looking at the core algorithms that drive the utilization of those components. Swapping components for faster ones perpetuates a cycle of cutting corners and focuses reliance on innovation from hardware component providers rather than solving the more fundamental and underlying issues. That’s a “painkiller” approach.

Zero-OS was designed to solve root problem issues by design. While still using high-performance hardware components on the ThreeFold Grid, the algorithm of Zero-OS maximizes utilization possibilities. This enables greater performance and sustainability. Some key examples how this is achieved:

🔗Eliminating unnecessary elements from standard architectures

Virtualization adds a layer of software between the actual end-user workload and physical hardware. It also allows for multiple workloads to run on the same hardware by using excess capacity. There is definitely merit in building a virtualization solution. Building an effective virtualization solution that does not require abundant context switching is key and this is why Zero-OS has been developed. Zero-OS uses a minimal Linux kernel that allows for a number of user spaces to co-exist. In these user spaces, containerized versions of software can be run, eliminating the need for hypervisors, virtual OS to fuel the virtual machines, and guest operating systems. This also minimizes the required overhead for the host OS.

🔗Minimizing network connections usage

Supercomputing delivered many new technologies. But, not all of them are usable solutions for everyday workloads. One technology invented to make supercomputers performant is the use of Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). RDMA allowed physical CPU boards (containing both CPUs and memory) to access other CPU boards in memory stored data over a dedicated channel. This eliminated the need to transport data between CPU nodes over network connections (or other mainstream means to exchange data). The result was a considerable reduction in overhead created when allowing distributed end user workloads to operate over multiple physical cores. The leading server and storage solutions brands have never considered nor implemented such mechanisms. This resulted in an increased need for faster networks - increasing complexity, costs, efforts and resources needed to operate solutions.

RDMA is only used in certified farms and requires involvement of TFTech.

🔗Minimizing disk usage

The storage solution uses slow and big (the bigger the better) HDD disks which drive in rack density. As they spin slower they consume less power and need less cooling. But then, how can you deal with read/write intensive workloads? The storage algorithm uses a SSD cache to acknowledge Inputs/Outputs coming from the applications, fills the erasure coded data blocks in large (up to 64MB) storage containers and writes the big chunks of data on the big and slow HHDs. If you are familiar with HDD disks, you know they like to be streamed on instead of having a lot of small bits written in a scratchy way.

Continuous innovation in all of these areas are leading to an efficient technology stack.

🔗So, ThreeFold is building a new internet. Why?

We strongly believe that a new internet is needed for our planet and for humanity. “If not now, when? If not us, who?”

What it boils down to is that currently the internet is only available to about 1/2 of the world (meaning billions are being left behind), it is centralized (a handful of large corporations own and profit off of our data), and it uses up to 10% of the world’s energy consumption. So, we’re building a new (peer-to-peer) internet that empowers equality (access), autonomy (data ownership, for example), and sustainability (reduces energy consumption). These values drive us forward.

🔗How does it work?

Everything on the internet – websites, apps, photos, videos, etc – uses up capacity and is stored in huge data centers owned by big companies, mainly in North America, Europe, and some in Asia. In our solution, centralized data centers are replaced with a grid of “nodes” distributed around the world.

These nodes are owned by ThreeFold Farmers – but only the physical hardware – the data inside of the nodes belongs to the people or organizations who put it there. So, “farmers” plug in hardware and start to create capacity that can be used by people.

Farmers come in all shapes and sizes. Some farmers run small data centers while others simply run a node out of their living room.

When Farmers connect active hardware (add capacity) to the ThreeFold Grid, ThreeFold Tokens are created. Farmers can then sell those tokens to people who want to use capacity (e.g. a developer that wants to build or host a website, or a person who wants to store some photos). More on tokens down below.

🔗Seems quite lofty. How will you build it?

It’s true that rebuilding the internet is not so simple. But a lot of infrastructure has already been built and the technology is quite advanced. Over the past 2+ years (as of May 2020), independent ThreeFold Farmers have already plugged in more than 40,000,000 GigaBytes worth of storage and 15,000 CPU Cores across 21+ countries. That might not mean a lot to non-technical folks but it is quite a significant amount.

🔗21+ countries? What happened to equality?

As far along as we are, we still have work to do. One of our biggest goals in the near future is to expand the grid to Africa, South America, and parts of Asia where currently the Internet is too expensive or not available. Currently, we farming is incentivized around these key geographies.

🔗And what do you mean by peer-to-peer?

Peer-to-peer means no middlemen – direct exchange of information and/or value between equal participants. Peer-to-peer means decentralization – breaking away from pyramid-based systems, greed-based systems – and putting people back in the center of their own (digital) lives.

🔗So how can I access / use your internet today? What can I do on it?

By June, some of the first experiences will be live. This includes file storage and communication tools and a virtual browser, all with the advantages of being more sustainable for our planet and with full control of your own data. And over time, more and more experiences will come to this internet. We’ll be updating here and on our communication platforms as they come. But don’t worry, as a user it doesn’t change much – no coding required. :)

🔗Will [enter website or app here] be available on your internet?

There are some tremendous reasons for a website or app to use our internet, but that will really be up to the website or the app. In the end, we are providing a responsible solution for responsible people and organizations. We would love to host anybody who believes in what we are doing!

🔗How are you making sure it’s safe?

Hacking has become a part of life and is almost impossible to avoid in the current systems – they are too complex and require too many people to operate. This results in less security which results in lots of security breaches. We took a look at the existing Internet (seven layers) and simplified it down to three layers. By simplifying the architecture and instead creating technology that is self-driving & self-healing, we removed the human requirement and therefore vastly minimized the possibility for hacking or human error. Then we also developed a storage algorithm which makes it such that if some of the information gets lost or stolen (somehow) or if some hardware goes down, it is all retrievable. Long story short, we flipped the existing system on its head.

🔗What about the data ownership part?

That has a bit to do with the security as well. Since you own your data, you decide who gets access. Which means your data isn’t just out “there” for the taking. Basically, we put you at the center of your digital life, where the applications and experiences you use serve you, not the other way around.

🔗And how is it better for the planet?

There are a few reasons for us being more sustainable. Data centers are super unsustainable, so the simple (but incomplete) answer is “no more huge data centers.” But if you want more detail:

• We use up to 3x less hardware for the same output, and using hardware at least 2x longer while maintaining good performance
• Having capacity everywhere, local to where users are – this reduces network requirements (and can even improve security)
• Using new algorithms (e.g. the one mentioned above for storage) which have dramatic efficiency improvement
• Re-using hardware where possible – let’s not throw away

🔗How much will it cost?

In the end we want to provide sustainable access to the internet and all of its solutions for less than a dollar per month per person but for now the cost will depend on what you choose to do. Certain experiences will cost money. Storing photos or videos, for example. But all at a fair price.

🔗Speaking of money – so what’s up with the ThreeFold Token?

As we mentioned above, tokens are generated when ThreeFold Farmers adds capacity to the ThreeFold Grid.

Essentially, the ThreeFold Token is the medium of exchange on the new internet. So, if a developer wants to build something (e.g. a website or an app) or a user wants to store something (e.g. photos), he/she/they use(s) ThreeFold Tokens.

🔗Need more answers?

We hope that helps explains things. Obviously there is a whole wiki to dive in to. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, please ask us on our forum!

Photo by Nong Vang on Unsplash.

🔗So what are farmers?

Simply put: Farmers are people that add capacity to the ThreeFold Grid for anyone to use.

🔗What is this “capacity”?

Capacity is the raw building blocks needed for any internet grid: CPU (processors), Hard Drives, Solid-state drives, memory, etc. Capacity can then be rented by developers and engineers that would like to run their applications on the ThreeFold Grid.

🔗What is in it for me?

As mentioned in the previous paragraph, capacity is rented. This means people that put capacity on the ThreeFold Grid are getting paid by anybody that uses their capacity. But there is more, ThreeFold also incentivizes farmers to add capacity by giving them tokens simply for adding the capacity to the ThreeFold Grid. The amount they receive depends on the specifications of the capacity they put online (how much, how powerful, etc). These tokens are then gradually released over the course of 60 months. So in short, you get paid to do this.

🔗What else?

Capacity for the ThreeFold Grid can be added in all shapes and sizes. It could be a small box no larger than a modem that you put in your office or home, or could be a fully-fledged data center node. The idea is that the grid becomes spread out as much as it can be, as this has some huge benefits for all users and the environment.

1. Less power waste: Less energy is needed to cool all these smaller nodes that are far away from each other, than putting the same resources in a giant room together and having them sit on top off, and beside each other (this is what happens now in large scale data centers).

2. Less bandwidth waste: The closer the capacity is to the end-user, the less unnecessary miles it has to travel. (e.g. a text message in a messaging app might travel from the Netherlands to a data center in America to then forward it to the person living down the street). When concentrating on decentralization and having nodes everywhere in the world this problem resolves itself. And data will take the shortest route possible.

3. More Privacy: This decentralized approach makes it so that there is no “all-seeing eye” within the network – unlike the current setup where tech giants basically own all their users’ data by putting it in their own data centers.

4. More Accessibility: Due to the fact that these resources can be added in small form-factors, it makes it possible to now put internet resources anywhere in the world where there’s a network to plug into (cables in the ground). And this makes it that now people that have limited-to-no funds have access to what the UN declared a human right: the internet. ut more than that, education, connection, entertainment, all the internet brought the western world over the past decade.
   
   

To find out more about how you can become a farmer, please visit ThreeFold’s website www.threefold.io. Our wiki or register to for first access to our next batch of 3Node here: https://pre-register.threefold.io/. We are currently collecting interest for all types of nodes that anyone can host in their home, office, or anywhere else with a power outlet and internet connection.

🔗Values-First

At ThreeFold, we are driven by three main values:

• Equality is the foundation for a fair world where everyone is given the opportunity to be empowered and to achieve their full potential.
• Freedom of thought, opinion, creativity and faith are fundamentals to achieve peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential.
• Sustainability ensures the future of life on earth. It is about adopting the behavior and mindset to minimize our footprint.
  
  Let’s take a deeper look.

🔗Internet Access | A Human Right

In 2016, the United Nations officially declared Internet access to be a human right. The right to internet access aims to protect people’s freedom of expression and opinion, as well as other fundamentals such as access to knowledge and information.

Yet as of today, about 48% of humanity remains unconnected to the Internet, creating huge inequalities in the access to information and knowledge. It is important that the right steps are taken to improve the relationship between governments and citizens and to uphold all human rights.

To make the new internet accessible and equal to all, ThreeFold built with ThreeFold Farmers an infrastructure that is affordable to all and collectively owned by the network peers. To ensure a fair and equal distribution of the internet to everyone, fully sponsored capacity will be deployed in remote regions of our world.

🔗Digital Freedom | For Everyone

The Internet evolved to become the world’s largest database of information and knowledge, opening up exponential growth on personal, organizational and economic levels. Yet it is owned by large international companies that exploits users data.

The current approach of many governments and countries is to cut the Internet into pieces by limiting its accessibility and enforcing regulations. We need an internet that protects our digital freedom and fair access to global information for everyone, everywhere.

ThreeFold is a peer-to-peer internet — owned by the users. All the technology of this new internet is open-source and the whole experience is built around the fundamentals of a peer-to-peer network. On this new internet, everyone owns their data and experiences — digital freedom.

🔗A Green Internet | For Our Planet

The current internet consumes about 10% of global energy production. With the imminent boom of emerging technologies such as Blockchain, Internet of Things, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence and 5G, the Internet’s energy consumption is expected to increase exponentially.

The current industry solutions focuses on increasing the use of renewable energies to power data centers. However this is not a viable solution as data centers consume enormous amounts of energy. Therefore, a new solution that can drastically reduce the global internet’s energy consumption is needed.

ThreeFold is the first true peer-to-peer Internet. It uses pioneering technologies that remove the need for centralized and power-hungry data centers, consumes 90% less energy, and uses 90% less international fibre network capacity.

If not now, when? If not us, who?

Photo by Yannis H on Unsplash.