The Altair beacon chain improve is able to be activated on the Ethereum mainnet. The improve will probably be launched in epoch 74240 (Oct 27, 2021, 10:56:23 AM UTC).
Shopper variations
To be suitable with the Altair improve, beacon node operators should replace the model of the shopper they’re working. In case you run the validator, you should improve to proceed following the beacon mainnet chain. Failure to take action will end in outage penalties.
The variations listed beneath help upgrading Altair on the primary community.
EDIT: The next desk has been edited to reference the newest releases of the Altair shopper previous to the mainnet improve. They include safety patches and optimizations, so we suggest them all customers improve to the newest variations.
* Shopper releases marked with an asterisk have modified because the unique announcement.
Improve for validators
Though this improve has been extensively examined if you’re a validator on the Mainnet, we strongly suggest that you simply keep on-line throughout the improve in case any unexpected points come up.
Bug Bounty bonus
To present the Altair improve a greater look, all rewards for vulnerabilities related to the Altair improve have been doubled between now and 4 weeks after launch (November 27). Altair crucial bugs in purchasers and specs at the moment are price as much as $100K.
You see bug bounty program for extra particulars.
Questions
As an Ethereum person or Ether proprietor, do I must do something?
This improve is solely for the follower chain consensus mechanism and serves not have an effect on the accounts of finish customers, contracts and the stability secured by the chain of proof of labor.
If you’re working your individual beacon node, you might want to improve your node. See the “As a Non-Validator Companion Node Operator, What Ought to I Do?” part beneath.
As a non-validator beacon node operator, what ought to I do?
Obtain the newest model of your beacon node shopper, as listed within the desk above.
As a validator, what ought to I do?
Obtain the newest model of the software program you might be utilizing, as listed within the desk above. Observe all directions within the launch and restart your node utilizing your normal restart process.
Word that node software program that helps unbiased validator purchasers can even require this part to be upgraded and restarted. Please learn the warnings and directions contained within the official bulletins.
What occurs if I’m a validator or node operator and don’t take part within the improve?
If you’re utilizing a beacon node shopper that has not been up to date to the newest model (listed above), your shopper will sync with the beacon chain earlier than the fork as soon as the improve happens. You can be caught on an incompatible chain following the previous guidelines.
In case you begin the validator, the validator will be unable to take part within the upgraded consensus and can proceed to work on the follower community after the improve. This can end in penalties relative to the upgraded primary chain.
What occurs throughout a beacon chain community improve?
As soon as the Ethereum neighborhood reaches settlement on what modifications must be included within the improve, the protocol modifications are written to the assorted purchasers. Beacon chain protocol modifications are activated at a particular epoch quantity. Any nodes that haven’t upgraded to the brand new ruleset will probably be deserted within the previous chain the place the earlier guidelines can live on.
Why “Altair”?
After neighborhood dialogue and voting for emoticons, the shopper groups determined to make use of star names for every improve the place the order of the improve names is alphabetical.
Altair begins with the letter “A”, is the twelfth brightest star within the night time sky, rotates fairly rapidly at an equatorial pace of 286 km/s, and is positioned Forbidden planet. Fairly cool star, when you ask us.
Thanks!
An enormous shout out to all of the researchers, engineers and neighborhood members who put an unimaginable quantity of labor into this primary improve to the beacon chain community.
Now, on to the merge 🚀
Waiver
This can be a extremely technical area within the making and creating. In case you resolve to use the suggestions on this publish and proceed to take part, it’s best to be sure to perceive the way it impacts you. You need to perceive that there are dangers together with however not restricted to dangers akin to surprising errors. By selecting to implement these suggestions, you assume the dangers of the implications your self. This publish and suggestions should not gross sales of any type and don’t create any warranties of any type together with however not restricted to something associated to the Ethereum community or Ethereum purchasers talked about herein.
