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The Algorand network is one of the not-so-many carbon-negative blockchain networks in existence. In essence, running the Algorand network comes at almost zero electricity cost, thus qualifying it to pass as a green blockchain. Bitcoin’s environmental impact is no longer news, and this problem has made several stakeholders look to more eco-friendly alternatives. A proof-of-stake network like Algorand’s is held together by nodes that ensures decentralisation, distribution and security across the network.
There are two types of nodes in the Algorand network ecosystem: relay nodes and non-relay nodes. It is a challenging task for a network to achieve decentralisation and scalability. Some networks choose to pick one over the other, such that scalability gives way to devolution and vice versa. Algorand’s expansion to the global scale meant that the network had to preserve its decentralisation and, at the same time, strive to ensure transactions were processed as quickly as possible. The network’s two kinds of nodes serve different purposes simultaneously, effectively bridging the gap between decentralisation and scalability. Non-relay nodes only connect to relay nodes and can also participate in consensus. Non-relay nodes may connect to several relay nodes but may never connect to another non-relay node, and they have voting rights for governance.
Relay Nodes
The relay node in the Algorand network has the straightforward task of propagating valid messages to ensure that all participants stay up to date with the most recent version of the blockchain. Algorand encourages anyone to run a relay node on the network, thus encouraging further decentralisation.
Relay nodes are network centres that ensure connection to several other nodes. One relay node is linked to many nodes, whether they are relay nodes like itself or non-relay participation nodes. They create optimal communication paths through their high-bandwidth network connections. A typical relay node is usually located at an internet exchange point for quicker message propagation. Relay nodes are distributed across the world to ensure genuine decentralisation. Congestion of relay nodes in a particular geographical location bound by the same political factors may defeat the purpose of a decentralised network.
For a node to run as a valid relay node, it must fulfil the following requirements:
● The node must have a public port wired to receive incoming connections. It must be able to support links to multiple nodes.
● The node’s port and IP address must be registered in Algorand’s SRV records to a particular network, either MainNet or TestNet.
What Problems Do Relay Nodes Solve?
Global adoption generally translates to higher demands on a blockchain network. More transaction volume equals more work for the various databases. Whereas centralised databases are easier to manage, the option of decentralisation makes it more challenging for networks to achieve maximum scalability. Blockchains generally experience congestion when transaction volumes increase, resulting in longer transaction confirmation times and a general lag in the entire network.
The quicker a message is propagated through the network, the better it is for users. Slower propagation speeds result in reduced block sizes or an increase in transaction finality time. Bitcoin’s network, for instance, confirms one transaction in ten minutes. Relay nodes are explicitly deployed to maintain connections across the network and ensure optimal propagation across Algorand. As relay nodes start working, the problem of delayed propagation and, ultimately, slower transaction processing is solved.
How Do Relay Nodes Propagate Messages?
When data flow throughout the Algorand network, they go from node to node. Because a relay node is always connected to other relay nodes and participation nodes, it receives tons of messages from these different nodes. The relay node accumulates these protocol messages and performs various actions on them for validation purposes before redistribution. The first action is to check for duplicates to ensure no one spends the same cryptocurrency twice and then to carry out signature checks to confirm transaction approval. Other validation checks duly follow, and when the messages are approved, the node re-propagates them.
Through validation checks, the relay nodes serve the purpose of not only data distribution but also security, and they uphold the genuineness of blockchain transactions. Through their positioning, relay nodes reduce breaks in communication, increasing transaction confirmation time and, ultimately, scalability.
Technicals
Relay nodes on Algorand have a 4161 port type. They must also be able to support multiple connections and large data loads. A typical relay node should have a high processing speed and reliable power sources because relay nodes demand more power than non-relay nodes. The node’s public IP address (or a valid DNS name) and assigned port are registered in Algorand’s SRV records for a specific network (MainNet/TestNet).
Relay nodes are where other nodes connect. Therefore, a relay node must be able to support a large number of connections and handle the processing load associated with all the data flowing to and from these connections. Thus, relay nodes require significantly more power than non-relay nodes. Relay nodes are always configured in archival mode.
Classifying a node as a participation node is not a configuration parameter but a dynamic operation where the node is hosting participation keys for one or more online accounts. This process is described as participate in consensus. Technically, both non-relay and relay nodes can participate in consensus, but Algorand recommends only non-relay nodes participate in consensus.
By default, non-relay nodes only store a limited number of blocks (approximately up to the last 1000 blocks) locally. Older blocks are dropped from the local copy of the ledger. This reduces the disk space requirement of the node. These nodes can still participate in consensus, and applications can connect to these nodes for transaction submission and reading of block data. The primary drawback for this type of operation is that older block data will not be available.
The archival property must be set to true to run in archival mode, which will then set the node to store the entire ledger. Visit the node configuration guide for details on configuring your node.
Algorand’s relay nodes are data propagators responsible for distributing information, security and validation of the network.
