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
As a way to be appropriate with the Altair improve, beacon node operators should replace the shopper model that they run. When you run a validator, you should improve to proceed to observe the mainnet beacon chain. Failure to take action will end in downtime penalties.
The variations listed beneath are assist the mainnet Altair improve.
EDIT: The next desk has been edited to reference the most recent Altair shopper releases previous to the mainnet improve. These include safety patches and optimizations so we suggest all customers improve to the most recent variations.
* Consumer releases referenced with an asterisk have been modified for the reason that 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
As a way 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 shoppers and specs at the moment are price as much as $100k.
See the bug bounty program for extra particulars.
FAQ
As an Ethereum consumer or Ether holder, is there something I must 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.
When you run your personal beacon node, it’s worthwhile to improve your node. See the “As a non-validator beacon node operator, what do I need to do?”” part beneath.
As a non-validator beacon node operator, what do I must do?
Obtain the most recent model of your beacon node shopper, as listed within the desk above.
As a validator, what do I must do?
Obtain the most recent 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 customary restart process.
Notice, node software program that helps impartial validator shoppers would require an improve and restart to this part as nicely. 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’s not up to date to the most recent model (listed above), your shopper will sync to the pre-fork beacon chain as soon as the improve happens. You may be caught on an incompatible chain following the previous guidelines.
When you 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. It will end in penalties with respect to the upgraded Mainnet chain.
What occurs throughout a beacon chain community improve?
After the Ethereum neighborhood involves an settlement regarding which adjustments needs to be included within the improve, adjustments to the protocol are written into the varied shoppers. 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 could 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 evening sky, rotates fairly quickly with an equatorial velocity of 286 km/s, and is the situation of the Forbidden Planet. Fairly cool star should you ask us.
Thanks!
Enormous shoutout to all the researchers, engineers, and neighborhood 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. When you select to implement the suggestions on this publish and proceed to take part, it is best to ensure you perceive the way it impacts you. It’s best 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 shoppers referred to herein.
