Introduction to SKALE network- CRASH COURSE

Wonder Maey
18 min readJan 11, 2021

SKALE network can be described as an Ethereum-compatible elastic blockchain network that produces optimum performing decentralized applications with great transaction finalization and low transaction fee. Now this language can be a bit difficult for the average person to understand so I will try my best to disintegrate it. We all know about Bitcoin right, Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency with the biggest monetary value in the world worth over 39,000 USD as at the time of writing this paper. Now Ethereum is also a cryptocurrency with monetary value of over 1000USD. But Ethereum is not just a cryptocurrency, it is far broader. The Ethereum blockchain technology can also be used to create new programs, smart contracts and decentralized applications for optimum and secure online transactions. Hence SKALE network made use of this opportunity to build it’s own network that can provide users with efficient and effective online services with comparatively low cost .
Also, SKALE network focuses on helping developers to create their own smart contracts and decentralized applications within an impressive time range and need not be worried about security because it is guaranteed. SKALE can also be referred to as an elastic sidechain network. This invariably implies that the SKALE network can help increase the speed with which transactions are undertaken in the blockchain space. This they can accomplish by undertaking various activities that will bring about efficiency of the blockchain online services. The blockchain usually carries out large number of transactions which sometimes affects or slows down it’s speed. Therefore the job of a sidechain of which SKALE network is one is to help take out portions of these transactions and attend to them before putting them back into the blockchain. Sidechains are also referred to as a two-way traffic which means one can lock some tokens away in order to get a different token and the only way to get back the locked token is by burning the latter token and providing proof of its being burnt. Well, as regards the SKALE network the sidechain are grouped into nodes and subnodes which helps to make the work of the network quite integratable and organized as each node has their own various skematics and compilations. Hence there can be said to be specificity in whatever activities the customer or user will be interested in engaging on. Basically this helps to give the assurance that the sidechain will accomplish the task in whatever personalized format was chosen by the user.

To expantiate, SKALE network has giant sets of nodes that run at the same time and severally. These nodes, that run on the Ethereum mainnet, validate transactions inside the elastic sidechains they monitor.These nodes all build use of a novel arrangement of SKALE contracts that run on the Ethereum mainnet. These good contracts square measure wherever the SKALE token lives, wherever distribution happens, and wherever rewards get paid to the node validators. These good contracts {are also|also square measure|are} wherever the analysis of the network takes place and wherever corrective actions are taken if there’s unhealthy behaviour by one or a lot of nodes.Developers produce chains by choosing the dimensions of the chain. Then, they selected the length of the chain and later stake SKALE tokens to supply for the network’s resources. The tokens get staked on the Ethereum mainnet through one in all the SKALE contracts.A portion of the tokens from the developer’s stake is affected into a bounty pool monthly. The tokens affected square measure then wont to pay the validators inside the network. Inflation (issuance) events additionally turn up monthly whereby new SKALE tokens square measure created via a contract on the mainnet, the results of that gets pushed into the bounty pool for payout to validators.
The SKALE network could be a tutelar execution layer. Most non-custodial protocols utilize a system of fraud proofs to permit funds to maneuver between chains. However, SKALE makes use of BLS signatures and different techniques to permit for tutelar possession. The stake from the validators, the payments from developers, and also the token inflation sleep in the Ethereum mainnet. they’re controlled by the good contracts that run there and add unison with every SKALE Node.
Sidechains square measure freelance blockchain protocols that corroborates with another blockchain protocol to supply enlarged practicality. This practicality includes transactions, good contract execution and storage. Sidechains add price by acting as a lower value and better output augmentation to slower, costlier, however usually safer Layer one chains. Typically, the first chain they support is that the Security Layer that acts because the foundational store valuable and place of settlement.Sidechains will service users’ requests whereas leverage security layers. This ensures that any price remains safe inside the network. Users will currently expertise high-speed transactions with low prices and least disruption.One will use sidechains for Apps that require efficient good contracts wherever there’s not an outsized add of cash to be managed. you’ll be able to additionally use sidechains for Apps that don’t need decentralization. These models settle for name as associate degree input to validator onboarding.
Elastic Sidechains SKALE has launched another class inside the Execution Layer known as Elastic Sidechains. This new protocol provides all the advantages of ancient sidechains with the protection guarantees of actually localized networks.When making a facet chain, the validators that participate within the network square measure willy-nilly appointed for a prospective validator pool. This prospective validator pool consists of the assorted nodes within the network that have convenience to participate in further sidechains.One will use Elastic Sidechains for Apps that need decentralization and efficient good contract execution. the most effective use cases embrace those with little dealing amounts and a demand to run a high volume of good contracts.Elastic Sidechains scale together with your business! even as startups leverage EC2 wherever they begin little and grow, dApps will begin little and grow their preparation in conjunction with their wants. Configurability combined with the localized nature of the network permits for this to be a sturdy and user-centric approach to blockchain development.
In terms of Validation and staking, for a validation layer to control properly, the network has to have an outsized range of validator nodes. the protection of transactions in a very sidechain depends on the performance and also the behaviour of the validator nodes. For a secure and strong network, the protocol has to offer for the random choice of chain validator sets and also the rotation of nodes in and out of chains on a frequent basis. This protects the protocol from the danger of graft and/or collusion between validators.
In the SKALE network, there’s no minimum demand for a validator. Validators have associate degree choice to self delegate or settle for a delegation from different token holders. How cool is that?!
A key demand for an efficient security and execution layer could be a correct incentive structure that addresses each penalties and rewards. With regard to the previous, each validator node ought to have important price staked into a network. Staking is associate degree assistant of excellent behaviour therein if a validator decides to conspire or go byzantine and gets caught, it’ll lose its stake and be off from the network.
To oblige or bribe the validators of a sidechain with this kind of a pooled validation model — one that employs random choice and frequent node rotation — a foul actor would have to be compelled to effectively bribe simple fraction of the larger network. to try and do this with an outsized range of nodes within the overall network would be extremely tough. SKALE’s network style is predicated on these core principles and is directly aligned with stopping — if not eliminating — attacks and conserving the integrity of transactions inside every chain within the network.

SKALE ADMIN SERVICE
The SKALE Admin Service is the human-facing interface for virtualized subnodes with the SKALE Manager (located on the Ethereum Mainnet). practicality shipping with this interface includes the power for nodes to envision that Elastic Sidechains they’re taking part in also because the ability to deposit, withdraw, stake, and claim SKALE tokens. as a result of virtualized subnodes at intervals nodes ar appointed haphazardly to participate in nine Elastic Sidechains, there’s no interface for having the ability to hitch / leave Elastic Sidechains at intervals the network.

NODE MONITORING SERVICE (NMS)
The NMS is run on every SKALE Node and facilitates the performance trailing of
each of that node’s peer nodes. Performance trailing is measured in each period and latency through a daily process that pings every peer node and logs these measurements to a neighborhood info. At the tip of every Elastic Sidechain epoch, these metrics are averaged and submitted to the SKALE Manager which can use them to
determine the payout to every node.

VIRTUALIZED SUBNODE ORCHESTRATION SERVICE
The VSOS (Virtualized Subnode Orchestration Service) orchestrates node computation and storage resources to instantiate virtualized subnodes employing a dynamically created virtualized subnode image consisting of the SKALE daemon (skaled), the Catchup Agent for syncing AN Elastic Sidechain, and therefore the agency for interchain electronic communication. This service additionally performs respawning of failing virtualized subnodes also as deallocation of resources to virtualized subnodes World Health Organization are decommissioned.

ATTACKS AND FAULTS
To account for network period, SKALE has integrated a series of contingency ways for activity fault recovery on each the node and chain level. These vary from an automatic agent for activity recovery for a downed node to a security incident response team obtainable to any or all Elastic Sidechain operators within the network.

REBOOTS / CRASHES
During a revive, the rebooting node can become briefly unavailable — for peer nodes, this can seem like a briefly slow network link. once a revive, messages destined to the node are delivered — this protocol permits for a revive to occur while not disrupting the operation of accord.
In the case of a tough crash wherever a node loses accord state thanks to a hardware failure or a software package bug that prevents the node from being on-line, its peers can continue trying to send messages thereto till their outgoing messages queues overflow — inflicting them to drop older messages. To mitigate the consequences of this, messages older than one hour ar targeted to be born from message queues.
While a node is undergoing a tough crash, it’s counted as a Byzantine node for every accord round — leaving nodes to be experiencing laborious crashes at the same time. In whatever the case wherever nodes experience a tough crash, accord can stall, inflicting the blockchain to presumably lose its physiological property.
Such a ruinous failure are detected through the absence of recent block commits for a group period of time. At this point, a failure recovery protocol utilizing the Ethereum main chain for coordination are dead.
Nodes can stop their accord operation, correct their blockchains, and agree on a time to restart accord.

CATCH-UP AGENT
A separate Catchup Agent running on every node is accountable for guaranteeing that node’s blockchain and block proposal info are synced with the network. The catchup engine is unendingly creating random correct connections to different nodes whereby any node discovering that they need a smaller TIP_ID than their peer can download the missing blocks, verify supermajority threshold signatures on the received blocks, and commit them to its chain. When the node comes on-line from a tough crash, it’ll instantly begin this catchup procedure whereas simultaneously taking part within the accord for brand spanking new blocks by acceptive block proposals and balloting according to accord mechanism however while not supply its own block proposals. the rationale for this can be that every block proposal needs the hash of the previous block, and a node can solely issue its own block proposal for a particular BLOCK_ID once it’s finished the catch up procedure.
With such AN agent running on every node, nodes having tough a tough crash are able to simply rejoin in block proposal once re-syncing their chains.

SECURITY INCIDENT RESPONSE
Security could be a foremost demand for all suburbanized systems, however despite progress in cryptography and computer science, most security consultants agree that good security is undoable. With this in mind, architects ought to consider raising the bar the maximum amount as doable for the quantity of resources and cash required to interrupt the system.
Since the SKALE design relies on Elastic Sidechains, a security compromise of SKALE might involve the compromise of a specific Elastic Sidechain. for instance, a big range of nodes might be affected by a malicious program thanks to a bug within the UNIX kernel. In such a case, the default procedure is as follows:

  1. Elastic Sidechain house owners suspecting of a security compromise can issue an invitation to the Ethereum.
  2. The SKALE Manager can mark the Elastic Sidechain as suspended.
  3. Uncompromised virtualized subnodes can receive a notification from the SKALE Manager to freeze
    their operation.
  4. shoppers of the Elastic Sidechain are notified of the suspension and have their requests to the Elastic
    Sidechain rejected.
  5. The Elastic Sidechain creator can have a chance to talk over with the N.O.D.E. Foundation
    In the course of this discussion we will take a look on some five lessons that I have personally picked to cover or write about on the SKALE network. It is pertinent for us to engage ourselves in this journey because not only will it inform us on some of the activities that the SKALE network encompasses, it will also enlighten and broaden our knowledge about the crypto space where the SKALE network is concerned and can be applied. Ultimately, it is believed that what we understand it’s easy for us to engage in, so learning a bit more about the SKALE network will hopefully endear us towards them making us whether a developer or just a normal user feel comfortable, secured and rest assured about using them. In line with the aforementioned, we will be talking on various topics which includes but might not be limited to SKALE Protocol, Delegation, Consensus, Leaderless and Asynchronous.

SKALE PROTOCOL
NEXT information POS-BASED NETWORK
So as to inspire an appropriate behavior close network participants,SKALE goes in line with a Proof-of-stake system during which every node(which is delineate because the combination of devices being joined to a network) should set a risk clause of a preplanned quantity of SKALE tokens(Tokens may be delineate as a coin during which a network uses to sell on a block chain) to be reduced at the notice of any activity not allowable by the network. These activities wide contains those that indicates a failure to properly participate in every appointed chain’s general agreement ANd upholding an time period and dormant standards obligatory by network-agreed-upon SLAs.
Network SLAs area unit obligatory through a stepwise planned peer read system during which every Node is appointed twenty four peers to supervise and enter their network participation,uptime,and latency. The analyses of those date are going to be collected and it’ll be divided on the Ethereum mainnet to reward or cut back nodes harmonious with their individual acts of polishing off tasks.
The condition of risking a special total of SKALE tokens to require half within the network conjointly is a live in Sybil-Resistance (this is delineate because the ability of a network service to oppose an internet offender from corrupting the network service with made-up identities and gaining inappropriate influence) to stop any rival try. (More than two out of three of all network resources would be required to line off a booming attack)

DELEGATION
Folks that hold SKALE area unit given the selection to grant management over their token to any node within the network that doesn’t have already got the best variety of tokens risked/given to be overseen. The tokens overseen by a specific node can receive noticeable less of an award every network timeframe than the simulated subnode.
As a results of the character of the SKALEs general agreement concerning not having a frontrunner, simulated subnode significance can don’t have any ensuing reason behind the rewards received by every node nor within the means during which simulated subnode set forth/binds new blocks to every chain.
More mentioned info are going to be brought forth in later version of the white sheet.

CONSENSUS
Once making an attempt to develop a decision-making stepwise arrange,it is vital to contemplate harmful actors inside the network, botnet(This may be delineate because the combination of broken computers that’s frequently developed and discharged as a DDoS attack), Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)attacks, harmful firewalls, etc… which might all get within the means of the network electronic messaging. At an equivalent time, it’s vital that any network of a large-scale level should be ready to support a high-throughput of messages and take into account time period of nodes inside the network.
For these reasons, SKALE presently uses a variant of Moustefaoi et. al accord because it allows variety of extremely fascinating and necessary characteristics for a very de-escalated,high-throughput network. The protocol permits for state of affairs whereby there are not any leaders,an asynchronous, and Byzantine fault tolerate network.

LEADERLESS
In a very heap of broken down/distributed decision-making protocols, there’s AN non appointive leader for every spherical to counsel some information (“a block”)for network to run a decision-making method and reach an agreement on. The SKALE decision-making protocol instead puts into follow a protocol whereby all simulated nodes area unit ready to counsel blocks and solely those that receive a supermajority of signatures (“a threshold”)are qualified to be approved for potential commitment to the block chain.
The process of not having a frontrunner serves not solely to stop the approaching along of network participants for AN smuggled purpose however conjointly serves to make sure that every one simulated subnodes participating have an inexpensive likelihood to counsel a block inside a series.

ASYNCHRONOUS
In line with the asynchronous (This is delineate as not occurring at an equivalent time)timing model,there are not any expectancy time placed on the timeframe concerning the delivery of the message inside the network. Messages sent within the network with simulated subnodes carry’s it out with no instant thought of a feedback ANd conjointly carry’s out an exponential backoff method during which they struggle to resend messages that haven’t created a feedback with longer timeframe separating them.
This model exactly talks a lot of on this state of however the web functions,where nodes area unit unsuccessful within the network and also the messages aren’t administered all the time.

SKALE TOKEN (SKL)
The SKALE token is symbolised with the token abbreviation, SKL.
The SKL has various uses which includes but is not limited to the following : Security/Staking: Delegates will stake SKL tokens to validators UN agency run the SKALE network. Validators operate nodes by substantiative blocks, death penalty good contracts and securing the network. each the delegates and validators get their rewards in SKL tokens.
A delegate could be a separate individual or entity that enters into associate degree agreement with a validator to supply a little of the entire staking quantity or collateral required for a node to run reciprocally for associate degree agreed-upon proportion of take earned from substantiative.
SKALE Chain Subscription Fees: Developers purchase their subscription access to elastic blockchains (S-chains) with SKL tokens.
Governance Voting: SKL tokens may also be used for on-chain balloting that controls all the economic parameters of the SKALE network. The SKALE network can bit by bit get to a degree wherever balloting is required if there has got to be a amendment within the core economic functions of the network. In general, SKALE governance follows a Delegated Stake Model. A neutral will either participate in governance directly by balloting with its stake or delegate the balloting power to different stakeholders. The default balloting model employed by SKALE could be a easy majority vote of stakes that participate within the vote. further info close governance and also the N.O.D.E Foundation are often found here
Economics
The SKALE Network could be a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) network secured by freelance international validators. SKALE validators operate and secure the network by proposing blocks, establishing accord on a finalized block, and committing it to a series. while not validators, UN agency bring the ‘blocks’ and ‘chain’ to ‘blockchain’, (or miners in POW systems), there wouldn’t be a operating blockchain (or network). it’s mission-critical for the network political economy to reward and incentivize validators for his or her direct hardware investments, operational maintenance efforts, and overall support of network performance and security.
SKALE validators earn SKL rewards each period through:
I. localized App ( dApp) Fees
The developers rent S-chains for his or her dApps by depositing SKL tokens into a sensible contract. By doing this, SKALE offers gas-less transactions to the end-users, therefore rising the Web3 expertise.
At the tip of every period, a little of those SKL tokens that were deposited by the dApp developers is allotted to a bounty pool. this can be then distributed to the validators as rewards if they reach an explicit SLA demand.
As the network continues to grow and Web3 applications still proliferate on the SKALE Network, the entire dApp fees look to surpass token inflation on a per-node basis and can be the first driver of token returns. The inherent price of the network can then replicate the usage and growth of the network.
II. Network provision (Token Inflation)
The SKALE Network can issue new tokens (inflation) to support validators. These rewards square measure designed to be disproportionately weighted within the early years and ladder decay every year within the initial six years. this can be done to support validators too soon because the network continues to mature and stabilize with a goal to own very little impact within the later years once usage and growth have occurred.

In summary, why should you be a part of this great platform, why should you stake on the SKALE network? For the following reasons:
The SKALE network could be a security and execution layer that connects with the Ethereum network. It permits developers to create their localized applications in a very secure and reliable surroundings. The SKALE network is associate degree elastic blockchain network that supports thousands of different freelance blockchains, sidechains, storage chains and different sub chains related to the Ethereum public mainnet.
This network forms associate degree execution layer within the type of superior chains that facilitate transactions based mostly upon on-chain escrows. The SKALE Network provides a full-stack dealing process cloud and Web3 services through this security and execution layer.
The SKALE Network powers extremely configurable, blockchains for every individual application inside industries starting from DeFi to IoT, gambling to media, and far a lot of. SKALE enjoys unlimited linear quantifiability — the a lot of validators that be part of the network, the a lot of blockchains are often supported, leading to a really localized nonetheless climbable network.
SKALE solves the end-user expertise issues that inhibit blockchain adoption and growth by giving the most effective of blockchain and ancient cloud — delivering the resistance wife, high performance, and development lightsomeness found in cloud-based computing whereas still having the decentralization and security of Ethereum.
The value of native utility assets in a very network economy comes alone from the worth that the network provides to its users and participants. Staking on the SKALE Network supports a reputable and essential network protocol with well-designed political economy and innovative technology geared toward serving a billion finish users.
With the rise of high transactions in mining and also the want for security with validators and delegates, the employment of Elastic sidechains on the SKALE network can open the door to a secure and economical platform for delegates, validators and users within the crypto area. The sky is only the beginning for the SKALE network.

The SKALE token $SKL has been listed and is now trading on Binance, Huobi, CRYPTO.COM, Uniswap, and other exchanges.

SKALE token address

https://etherscan.io/token/0x00c83aecc790e8a4453e5dd3b0b4b3680501a7a7

Crash course Source :

Tokenomics One Pager

Validator and Delegator Economics

Validator FAQ

Delegator Hub and FAQ

Watch SKALE on Coinmarketcap, Coingecko, and Blockfolio.

Follow SKALE network on social media

Blog: SKALE Blog

Discord: http://skale.chat

GitHub: SKALE Network

LinkedIn: SKALE

Twitter: @SKALENetwork

Telegram: @skaleofficial

Web: skale.network

It’s no news that the crypto space is making waves around the world today as people have gradually started loosing interest in paper money and pushed on to a cashless economy. Also of note is the fact that a cryptocurrency economy is also the word on the lips of most people today. The year 2008 did that for us with the rise of Bitcoin and now morethan a decade later, we are reaping the benefits of a cryptocurrency/ blockchain economy, but need I say that it is important to note that we ate not even there yet. The beautiful euphoria that is the crypto space is only just being unravelled at this point in time. So what we are doing and honestly what we can do is to try to make our marks on the sands of crypto time by inventing more, developing more, morning more, filling ourselves with more knowledge and actually utilizing this space so as to take blockchain to greater heights. Bitcoin mining and chain validation have gotten to be kind of a traditional thing within the crypto area. each options aren’t while not risk. this can be the explanation miners and validators square measure regularly searching for the proper platform to affix so as not to be left in the lurch. A group of intellectual individuals having studied the progression of the blockchain decided to invest in, invent, explore and develop a network to bring about even less obscurity and greater output to the use of blockchain technology. This is the why SKALE network was birthed.

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