Marlin Protocol | Network Layer Privacy and Scalability Solution for Blockchains

[bobthegrownup]

There is a new project that has some pretty big hitters on its team and they are building a new protocol to replace the current standard "Gossip Protocol"

marlin.pro

The system will be using a plethora of new networking solutions to create on-demand custom overlay networks. These include packets being forwarded even before they are received in entirety (cut-through switching), routing over low-latency multicast trees (to replace the epidemic flooding/gossip), randomized path selection before the diffusion process (a modified stemming+diffusion approach common in systems like Dandelion - for lightweight anonymity), ttransport layer improvements to improve over TCP head-of-line blocking and congestion control, and many more

This will be the project we hear a lot about in 2019 and few non-engineering people will really understand what it does.

A core dev from Zilliqa is heading it up. The project won a competition at Stanford earlier this year. With its mixed team from MIT, Stanford, IIT Mumbai with support and advise from City of Zion and other world class Research labs, the project is built for success.

Edit: There is now an official ANN discussion here

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5074571.msg48342672#msg48342672

[commander11]

Interesting tech, keeping an eye on this.

[CLOCKWERK]

The concept of the project looks good. But how MARLIN PROTOCOL  works ? What is our assurance if we will adopt this kind of platform.?

[nonconformist]

I think the concept of P2P data transfer is nothing short of revolutionary. It makes sense, there are others who are working with this kind of concept but the ones who first perfected this will have the first mover advantage in this kind of tech. No more centralized data storage and even an ordinary individual can host his/her local storage facility using this tech. And with that interest in mind, I am really eyeing this tech.

[bobthegrownup]

The concept of the project looks good. But how MARLIN PROTOCOL  works ? What is our assurance if we will adopt this kind of platform.?

The methodologies listed are all available today, but no one has added them into a universal protocol set. By having them as part of a decentralized relay framework, you can make them all available as modules with unlimited scalability and fault-tolerant uptime

The most important thing is to understand what a big affect this has on other blockchains. The network layer will always be a bottleneck for scalability and through-put if there aren't solutions like the marlin protocol available.

Few people actually understand that finality is more than just a consensus algorithm....

[lovelycabonita]

May i ask what's the motivation of the core dev from Zilliqa to making his own coin?  Kinda interesting though

[MarcoMayer]

This looks interesting. I hope this project works out for the good. Thanks for the heads up. Will be keeping an eye on it. Hope to hear more about Marlin Protocol.

[Mathias Allen]

What the Marlin Protocol is talking about offering seems huge and the project on first basis looks very much promising. If the project delivers on their idea could be a very big things as it can give an ordinary individual the ability host his/her local storage facility using this tech among other things. It'll take time until we can fully understand and see what this project will offer in the end.

[commander11]

The concept of the project looks good. But how MARLIN PROTOCOL  works ? What is our assurance if we will adopt this kind of platform.?

The methodologies listed are all available today, but no one has added them into a universal protocol set. By having them as part of a decentralized relay framework, you can make them all available as modules with unlimited scalability and fault-tolerant uptime

The most important thing is to understand what a big affect this has on other blockchains. The network layer will always be a bottleneck for scalability and through-put if there aren't solutions like the marlin protocol available.

Few people actually understand that finality is more than just a consensus algorithm....

Very informative. What will be the approach of this start-up about blockchain? Will you create new blockchain or adopt any existing blockchain?

[hrunya102]

At the moment, the network is very little information about this project, I need more information to form an opinion.

[bobthegrownup]

Very informative. What will be the approach of this start-up about blockchain? Will you create new blockchain or adopt any existing blockchain?

We are not fixated on building our own chain (def some advantages and have a design for it), but are also open to using chains like eth, neo, nem. Our testnet is being developed over Ethereum to allow modular testing.

[commander11]

Very informative. What will be the approach of this start-up about blockchain? Will you create new blockchain or adopt any existing blockchain?

We are not fixated on building our own chain (def some advantages and have a design for it), but are also open to using chains like eth, neo, nem. Our testnet is being developed over Ethereum to allow modular testing.

Code:

Glad to hear that. Choosing the right blockchain plays important factor in the anonymity of a transaction. 

[l10no]

good information for a new project, let alone the project won the competition, I think it's a good breakthrough to attract someone to join this project. that achievement will be an attraction

[commander11]

Monero enhances anonymity thru Opaque Blockchain, how does Marlin enhance its complete anonymity on top of the network layer?

[captain_blood]

From what I had picture out in mind of this so called new project this will highly rely on network maker or masternode.
Overlay network layer is interesting when embodied with privacy. Is this some kind of disruption of some big content provider like netflix or youtube?

[bobthegrownup]

Monero enhances anonymity thru Opaque Blockchain, how does Marlin enhance its complete anonymity on top of the network layer?

Marlin is not a solution for transaction layer anonymity, but its a good thing you bring up Monero. As things are today, Monero still is vulnerable at the network layer, with the Kovri project still under development to integrate TOR like capabilities into the protocol.

With Marlin, Monero could be protected at the network layer.....today!

[bobthegrownup]

From what I had picture out in mind of this so called new project this will highly rely on network maker or masternode.
Overlay network layer is interesting when embodied with privacy. Is this some kind of disruption of some big content provider like netflix or youtube?

The disruption is at the network layer -- P2P communications have not been designed with the decentralized systems of today in mind. Netflix is a good example of one of the areas this disruption will be felt. Today, Netflix has a huge AWS bill. With Marlin, the same infrastructure can be replicated at a fraction of the cost

[lovelycabonita]

Monero enhances anonymity thru Opaque Blockchain, how does Marlin enhance its complete anonymity on top of the network layer?

Marlin is not a solution for transaction layer anonymity, but its a good thing you bring up Monero. As things are today, Monero still is vulnerable at the network layer, with the Kovri project still under development to integrate TOR like capabilities into the protocol.

With Marlin, Monero could be protected at the network layer.....today!

So with marlin, scaling and security problem will be aided. I heard you have something big to come this Nov7, can't wait to see that.

[iSparta]

This project is quite interesting, but now is not a good time for the development of new blockchain platforms due to the deterioration of the total capitalization of cryptocurrencies and an increase in distrust of many projects due to scammers. It would be better to take (buy or forge cooperation) an already existing and practically operating blockchain project and make corresponding changes in it that significantly improve its attractiveness.

[bobthegrownup]

It would be better to take (buy or forge cooperation) an already existing and practically operating blockchain project and make corresponding changes in it that significantly improve its attractiveness.

That's one of the areas we are seeing the most interest in. It's going to be hard to choose which blockchain to partner with first as its important to have a partner that can exemplify the quality we are looking for.

There are a number of projects we've heard pitches from. Do any come to mind that feel like a good fit?