The Altair beacon chain improve is able to be activated on the Ethereum mainnet. The improve will go reside at epoch 74240 (Oct 27, 2021, 10:56:23am UTC).
Consumer Variations
So as to be appropriate with the Altair improve, beacon node operators should replace the shopper model that they run. If you happen to run a validator, you should improve to proceed to comply with the mainnet beacon chain. Failure to take action will end in downtime penalties.
The variations listed beneath are help the mainnet Altair improve.
EDIT: The next desk has been edited to reference the newest Altair shopper releases previous to the mainnet improve. These comprise safety patches and optimizations so we suggest all customers improve to the newest variations.
* Consumer releases referenced with an asterisk have been modified because the authentic announcement.
Improve for Validators
Though this improve has been extensively examined in case you are a validator on Mainnet, we strongly suggest being on-line through the time of the improve within the occasion that any unforseen points emerge.
Bug Bounty Bonus
So as to get extra eyes on the Altair improve, all bounties for vulnerabilities associated to the Altair improve have been doubled between now and 4 weeks after the launch (Nov 27). Crucial Altair bugs in each purchasers and specs at the moment are value as much as $100k.
See the bug bounty program for extra particulars.
FAQ
As an Ethereum consumer or Ether holder, is there something I have to do?
This improve is solely for the beacon chain consensus mechanism and does not have an effect on end-user accounts, contracts, and state secured by the proof-of-work chain.
If you happen to run your personal beacon node, you’ll want to improve your node. See the “As a non-validator beacon node operator, what do I have to do?”” part beneath.
As a non-validator beacon node operator, what do I have to do?
Obtain the newest model of your beacon node shopper, as listed within the desk above.
As a validator, what do I have to do?
Obtain the newest model of the software program you run, as listed within the desk above. Observe any directions within the launch and restart your node along with your commonplace restart process.
Notice, node software program that helps unbiased validator purchasers would require an improve and restart to this part as properly. Please learn warnings and directions contained within the official releases.
What occurs if I’m a validator or node operator and I don’t take part within the improve?
If you’re utilizing a beacon node shopper that isn’t up to date to the newest model (listed above), your shopper will sync to the pre-fork beacon chain as soon as the improve happens. You’ll be caught on an incompatible chain following the previous guidelines.
If you happen to run a validator, the validator can be unable to take part within the upgraded consensus and can proceed to function on the post-upgrade beacon chain community. This can end in penalties with respect to the upgraded Mainnet chain.
What occurs throughout a beacon chain community improve?
After the Ethereum group involves an settlement regarding which adjustments ought to be included within the improve, adjustments to the protocol are written into the varied purchasers. The beacon chain protocol adjustments are activated at a selected epoch quantity. Any nodes that haven’t been upgraded to the brand new ruleset can be deserted on the previous chain the place the earlier guidelines might live on.
Why “Altair”?
After community discussion and emoji voting, shopper groups determined to make use of star names for every improve the place the sequence of improve names are in alphabetical order.
Altair begins with a “A”, is the twelfth brightest star within the night time sky, rotates fairly quickly with an equatorial velocity of 286 km/s, and is the situation of the Forbidden Planet. Fairly cool star for those who ask us.
Thanks!
Big shoutout to the entire researchers, engineers, and group members which have put an unbelievable quantity of labor into this primary beacon chain community improve.
Now, onward to the Merge 🚀
Disclaimer
That is an emergent and evolving extremely technical area. If you happen to select to implement the suggestions on this publish and proceed to take part, you must be sure you perceive the way it impacts you. You need to perceive that there are dangers concerned together with however not restricted to dangers like surprising bugs. By selecting to implement these suggestions, you alone assume the dangers of the implications. This publish and proposals are usually not a sale of any sort, and don’t create any warranties of any sort together with however not restricted to something associated to the Ethereum community, or the Ethereum purchasers referred to herein.
