Today, technological advancements are accelerating at unprecedented rates and the demand for cloud resources has boomed, with the global cloud services market estimated to reach $2.5tn by 2031. This is due to a range of factors, including accelerating technological adoption in emerging markets, the rapid digitization of business, the soaring volume of data generated by loT devices, the adoption of Al and machine learning technologies, and the increasing reliance on real-time data processing.

🔗The Dilemma of Centralized Cloud Infrastructure

From bustling cities to the remote corners of the globe, the need for reliable, scalable, and secure cloud infrastructure is universal. But as this demand surges, it is increasingly clear that traditional centralized cloud infrastructures (mostly hyperscale data centers located in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific) are no longer sufficient to meet the evolving needs of today’s digital landscape. Not only do data centers face an exponential increase in the amount of computing power needed globally (US data center demand alone is forecasted to surge 10% annually until 2030), but confronted with emerging technologies and workloads, they also face inherent latency issues, bandwidth constraints, scalability challenges, and security risks. These limitations hinder the delivery of seamless and efficient cloud services to users worldwide.

The energy and sustainability challenges of these emerging technologies are demonstrated through the example of ChatGPT-3. Its training alone consumed 1,287 MWh of energy and emitted over 550 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Such energy-intensive processes are not only a concern for the environment but also highlight the strain on traditional centralized cloud infrastructure. We need a more sustainable alternative to support the soaring demand for cloud services.

🔗Meeting Demand at the Edge

Edge computing emerges as a compelling solution to address the challenges facing centralized cloud infrastructure. It involves processing data closer to its source (where it is generated), typically at or near the “edge” of the network, where computing resources are deployed in proximity to the devices or sensors that generate the data. This proximity enables quicker data processing and minimizes latency, addressing the shortcomings of centralized data centers. As more devices and applications require processing and storage capabilities at the edge for improved performance, lower latency, and enhanced reliability, the demand for edge computing solutions continues to grow.

According to Alexandra Rotaru, senior research analyst at the International Data Corporation (IDC), edge computing is “one of the most resilient and attractive areas of investments, growing globally at a double-digit rate over the next five years”, underscoring its growing significance in meeting the evolving computational needs of modern enterprises and service providers. People are clearly looking for alternatives to the centralized data model with Gartner predicting that by 2025, 75% of enterprise-generated data will be processed and created outside of traditional centralized clouds and data centers.

🔗Hello ThreeFold

ThreeFold, a decentralized autonomous cloud infrastructure, does edge computing by definition. Our cloud is built from 3Nodes, hardware deployed by people locally, allowing data to be processed and stored closer to the source. Decentralized cloud infrastructure is a distributed network of computing resources that are not controlled by a single centralized authority. Instead, these resources are spread across a network of geographically dispersed nodes and managed collectively through decentralized protocols and technologies. As the largest and most advanced decentralized autonomous cloud network in the world, ThreeFold is a pivotal player in meeting growing global demand at the edge.

Let’s dive deeper into why decentralized cloud infrastructure and edge computing offer a compelling solution to the challenges posed by centralized cloud infrastructure:

• Reduced Latency: By processing data closer to where it is generated, edge computing dramatically reduces latency, ensuring that applications and services respond swiftly to user inputs. Whether it’s streaming high-definition video, conducting real-time financial transactions, facilitating real-time interactions in VR and AR settings or controlling IoT devices, minimizing latency is essential for delivering a seamless user experience without delays.

• Increased Energy Efficiency: Processing data closer to the source minimizes the energy expended in transmitting data over long distances. Read more about ThreeFold’s energy efficiency here.

• Improved Bandwidth Efficiency: Edge computing optimizes bandwidth usage by minimizing the need to transmit data over long distances to centralized data centers. This conserves network resources, cuts costs and enables more efficient data transfer, particularly in regions with limited connectivity or bandwidth constraints.

• Enhanced Scalability: As devices multiply, centralized data centers often face data overload. Edge computing resolves this by distributing processing tasks closer to the data source, which improves scalability and ensures efficient handling of increasing workloads.

• Data Privacy and Security: Data is dispersed across a distributed network of nodes rather than being stored within a single centralized location. This distributed approach reduces the risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, and single points of failure, bolstering the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive information.

• Support for Real-Time Applications and Emerging Workloads: Edge computing enables the seamless deployment of real-time applications and services, including immersive virtual environments (metaverse), AI-driven analytics, and IoT ecosystems.

As technology evolves, traditional centralized clouds reveal significant limitations. Decentralized, edge-centric approaches to cloud computing are essential to address the ever-growing global demand for cloud resources and to adapt to the evolving needs of businesses, consumers and communities worldwide. With ThreeFold at the forefront, the future of cloud computing is decentralized, distributed, and transformative.

🔗Be a cloud service provider, not just a cloud consumer.

With ThreeFold’s autonomous technology, anyone can be a cloud service provider without any technical expertise. You can be the Internet, for yourself and for those around you.

Being a cloud service provider is a thrilling opportunity to tap into a market worth trillions of dollars – which today is being shared by a relatively small number of companies. This calls for change – a chance to level the playing field and allow more players to benefit from this lucrative industry. But it’s not just about financial gain. By entering the cloud services space, you become a catalyst for change. You’re not just providing a service; you’re creating connections, bridging gaps, and fostering inclusivity. The people around you benefit, too. Lower costs, improved performance, data sovereignty and greater privacy are just some of the advantages they’ll enjoy with your services.

Finally, by contributing to a more sustainable edge cloud, you’re not only ensuring a better future for yourself, but also for the planet. The adoption of a decentralized autonomous cloud reduces energy consumption and minimizes the environmental impact of data transfer, contributing to global sustainability efforts and a greener future.

Best of all, you’re not just investing in technology - you’re investing in a sustainable, connected and rewarding future, powered by the people, for the people. It’s ultimately good for you, good for the people around you, and good for the planet.

🔗How to become a cloud provider?

ThreeFold enables you to become a cloud service provider by hosting a 3node, bringing local capacity where people need it most and providing compute, storage and AI capabilities. After setting up this node, being verified and sharing capacity on our grid, your contribution is rewarded.

Join the movement and Become a Host!

🔗Compute & Storage

What it is:

Compute is responsible for processing data. It runs programs and applications by leveraging computational resources like CPUs (Central Processing Units) and GPUs (Graphics Processing Units). It handles the calculations, logic, and running of software that users depend on. Compute resources are provided by servers located in centralized data centers and cloud platforms.

Storage is about saving and retrieving data. It provides a persistent way to store data so that it can be accessed in the future. This encompasses various types of storage media, such as hard drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), and distributed storage systems that span across multiple locations. Storage ensures that data is kept safe and available for when it’s needed, either for immediate use by applications or for long-term retention.

The problem with the current model:

A key problem with the current compute & storage layer lies in its centralized structure, which creates vulnerabilities, scalability challenges, and performance issues. Relying on centralized data centers and cloud platforms leads to single points of failure, which increases the risk of outages and cyberattacks, thus heightening concerns about service disruption and data security. Scaling this centralized infrastructure to meet increasing demand is costly and not straightforward, while latency issues hinder real-time data processing.

The concentration of the compute & storage within data centers primarily located in Europe, North America, or China raises significant concerns. This geographical bias in Internet infrastructure keeps data, jobs, and economic benefits centralized in certain regions, putting developing areas at a disadvantage and raising concerns around data sovereignty and autonomy.

For example, when two people in Zanzibar undertake a video call, their call data is sent to a data center in Europe via costly fiber optics, wasting resources and diminishing performance. This scenario represents a broader problem affecting various locations and use cases. This inefficient and inequitable system can be changed.

The ThreeFold model:

ThreeFold decentralizes compute & storage by distributing it across a global network of independent nodes rather than concentrating it in large data centers. Autonomous technology allows us to remove most human involvement from the equation. This approach allows anyone, regardless of technical know-how, to contribute compute & storage to the network or utilize it for their own applications. In essence, the compute & storage layer becomes co-owned, allowing anyone to become a cloud provider.

ThreeFold’s autonomous technology efficiently allocates compute resources, increasing performance and reliability while reducing energy consumption. The distributed storage system fragments data and stores it securely across multiple locations, ensuring that data is always recoverable. Data security is also enhanced as there is no central repository for attackers to target. In this decentralized model, individuals’ data remains within their country’s borders, safeguarding their information from being exploited as a commodity by external entities. Storing data closer to the end user reduces latency and improves access speeds.

Let’s revisit the scenario of a video call between two individuals in Zanzibar. With ThreeFold technology, call data will be sent directly between local ThreeFold nodes. These nodes are deployed locally by people and organizations, avoiding centralized ownership by major tech corporations. Instead of relying on data centers thousands of miles away, our decentralized infrastructure significantly shortens the connection distance. The pair in Zanzibar can now communicate peer-to-peer, reducing bandwidth needs by up to 10 times while boosting security.

🔗Network

What it is:

The purpose of the network layer of the Internet is to send data packets from their source (point A) to their destination (point B) across multiple networks. Data packets are small pieces of information which include the data being sent and details like where it’s coming from and where it’s going. They can be thought of as small parcels of data that travel through the Internet. These parcels can take different paths to reach their destination and once they arrive they are put back together to form the original data.

The network operates on protocols like IP (Internet Protocol), which assigns unique addresses to devices on the Internet to ensure data reaches the correct location. The network layer handles the path selection and directs data packets through various routers and networks to reach its destination. This layer enables communication between devices in different networks, ensuring efficient delivery across the vast expanse of the Internet.

The problem with the current model:

The current model of the network layer relies heavily on traditional routing protocols and infrastructure, which often lead to inefficiencies and vulnerabilities. Centralized routing mechanisms may result in suboptimal path selection, leading to longer latency and decreased network performance. As highlighted in the picture below, the path that these data packets take in the current system can be very complex and ineffective. The reliance on a centralized architecture makes the network susceptible to single points of failure and cyberattacks. Traditional networks lack inherent privacy and security measures, leaving data vulnerable to interception and unauthorized access during transmission. The lack of scalability, reliability, and security of the current network model highlights the need for a new approach.

Credit: Lazario Gamio, 2015, The Washington Post

The ThreeFold model:

ThreeFold is disrupting the network layer through its new Mycelium technology, a true peer-to-peer mesh network. It is the only overlay network in the world capable of taking locality into consideration, routing decisions based on proximity between individuals, and selecting the quickest route possible. This addresses the current system’s suboptimal path selection as visualized above. In this new model data packets take the quickest route from point A to point B. Mycelium also ensures end-to-end encryption for all traffic, enhancing data privacy and security. This new ‘always-on’ network offers continuous connectivity and seamless access to resources, even in the face of network disruptions or outages.

Credit: Haseeb Qureshi, 2019, Nakamoto

🔗Applications

What it is:

At the top of the Internet stack are applications — the user-facing software that provides the services and experiences we interact with daily. Applications range from web browsers and social media to more complex systems like blockchain platforms and decentralized apps (dApps). They are the interface through which users interact with the digital world.

The problem with the current model:

The problem with the current model is the lack of control over our digital identities. Currently, users are scattered across numerous platforms, each hosting their data separately. This means that individuals exist in multiple instances online, with their personal information spread across different servers and databases controlled by different applications (visualized in the picture below). This fragmentation not only leads to redundancy but also raises concerns about security, privacy, and control over personal data. Users are forced to trust multiple third-party applications with their sensitive information, often without transparency or control over how their data is used or shared. The centralized nature of these applications exposes users to risks such as data breaches, unauthorized access, and exploitation of personal information for targeted advertising or other purposes. In the existing system, users are at the mercy of application providers, who dictate the terms of service and privacy policies. This asymmetry in power dynamics leaves users with limited options to protect their privacy or exercise control over their data.

The ThreeFold model:

ThreeFold delivers a decentralized and user-centric approach to the application layer, empowering users and developers. By providing access to decentralized compute, storage, and networking resources, ThreeFold facilitates the development and deployment of decentralized applications (dApps) within its ecosystem. Unlike traditional centralized applications, which rely on proprietary infrastructure and are subject to the control of centralized entities, dApps built on ThreeFold operate within a decentralized environment increasing security and privacy. Users have greater autonomy and control over their digital identities and data. Instead of being scattered across numerous platforms with data hosted separately, users have one digital identity. This reduces fragmentation and eliminates the need to trust multiple third-party applications with sensitive information. In the ThreeFold model, applications are designed to serve the users rather than the other way round.

🔗Conclusion

Understanding the Internet’s three layers is key to grasping the current digital landscape and envisioning the transformative potential of ThreeFold’s technology. Just as tectonic forces reshape our physical world, ThreeFold is disrupting the layers of the digital world. By decentralizing compute & storage, ThreeFold eliminates the vulnerabilities in centralized models, fostering efficiency and security. Through Mycelium, ThreeFold is rewriting the rules of connectivity, ensuring resilience and security. At the application layer, ThreeFold empowers users, shifting the paradigm to user empowerment. It’s a new dawn for the Internet, one where connectivity is inclusive, efficient, and equitable, and ThreeFold is leading the charge. Let’s seize the opportunity to shape an Internet that thrives locally, serves globally, and empowers universally.

🔗The Rise of Decentralized Solar Energy

Decentralized solar energy has transformed the landscape of power generation. Unlike the centralized model, where nuclear power plants are often miles away from the end-users and controlled by large corporations or government bodies, solar energy allows for energy production right where it’s needed—at home or within the community.

By installing solar panels on rooftops or creating local solar farms, individuals can capture the sun’s energy directly. This shift not only reduces our dependency on distant power plants and the complex grid systems but also mitigates the risks associated with them.

This localized energy production model enhances sustainability by tapping into an inexhaustible natural resource and encourages a more environmentally conscious and self-sufficient society. It signifies a move away from the centralized, traditional systems of energy production, returning power to the people and prioritizing the planet’s well-being.

🔗ThreeFold: Pioneering a Decentralized Digital Future

Parallel to the energy sector’s evolution, the digital world is also undergoing a transformation, led by innovative platforms like ThreeFold. Just as decentralized solar energy provides an alternative to the centralized power generation model, ThreeFold is reshaping the cloud computing landscape with its autonomous edge cloud.

ThreeFold’s model deviates from the norm, where cloud services are dominated by a few massive data centers. Instead, we depend on our global network of independent nodes set up by individuals and businesses to contribute their own computing and storage resources to the cloud. This approach democratizes access to cloud resources, bolstering data privacy, security, and resilience against potential outages or cyberattacks.

Beyond merely disrupting the existing model, ThreeFold aims to foster a more sustainable, efficient, and user-centric internet. Distributing decentralized infrastructure worldwide reduces the environmental footprint associated with large data centers and promotes fairer internet resource distribution.

Both the shift towards decentralized solar energy and ThreeFold’s revolutionary approach to cloud computing reflect a broader movement towards decentralization. This movement is not just about bringing alternatives to existing systems but about creating a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future for all.

🔗Technical Redundancy

Our quantum safe storage ystem, coupled with replication, and web gateways, presents a pathway to achieve technical redundancy already. While these capabilities exist, we admit that at this time it is too complex for a starting user. Making this easier through refined tooling and a strong user experience will be imperative in order to allow a wide audience to take advantage here.

🔗ThreeFold Cloud

Our upcoming commercial offering, TF Cloud, will bolster reliability and trustworthiness. Through TF Cloud, we will need to provide comprehensive service, robust support, service level agreements (SLAs), and streamlined payment methods, including credit card options. The development of user-friendly tooling will significantly simplify and easen the process as well, enabling users to deploy and maintain reliable workloads effortlessly.

🔗Farming Pools

The introduction of farming pools in TF Grid 4.x will play an important role in fostering reliability as well. These pools not only contribute to resource pooling but also offer visibility into the network’s participants. This transparency enhances trust and aids in identifying reliable contributors within a decentralized framework.

🔗Establishing Reputation and Transparency

Building a system that emphasizes reputation and complete visibility regarding service levels and uptimes is pivotal. By offering insights into each participant’s performance metrics, Grid users will be able to more effectively choose a trusted provider.

In essence, through a combination of technical and strategic advancements, our journey towards a dependable and trustworthy decentralized Internet infrastructure is underway, setting the stage for the next phase of ThreeFold.

🔗Breaking the Distance Barrier

In many regions, the internet economy remains anchored in distant lands due to reliance on long cables to Europe, North America, or China, where colossal data centers reside. This scenario keeps data, jobs, and economic benefits outside developing regions. But what if connectivity was local, decentralized, and efficient?

🔗The East Africa Example

Picture our technology in action. Instead of relying on data centers thousands of miles away, our decentralized infrastructure brings the connection closer. Those friends in East Africa can communicate peer-to-peer, reducing bandwidth needs by up to 10 times while boosting security. This isn’t just about video calls; it’s about revolutionizing every digital interaction.

🔗Streamlining Complexity

The tech world often gets tangled in layers of abstraction, favoring integration over innovation. While layers aid compatibility and incremental progress, they hinder true change. Excessive abstraction results in inefficiencies, performance lags, increased costs, and scalability woes.

🔗The Education Gap

Innovation takes a back seat when education leans heavily on commercial technologies. The push for quick-fix solutions neglects long-term innovation. It’s like opting for a painkiller instead of addressing the root cause of the problem.

🔗Local, Secure, Reliable

Our vision? A decentralized internet where compute, storage, and network are local, sovereign, and secure. Storage becomes more reliable with less overhead, doubling up as a global content delivery network. The network stays resilient, routes around issues, encrypts end-to-end, and knows precisely where data originates and ends.

🔗Tackling the Root Issues

By constructing a decentralized, autonomous internet infrastructure from scratch, we’re tackling these issues head-on. Minimizing complexity while solving problems at their core is our mantra. It’s not just about a tech revolution; it’s about reshaping connectivity to be inclusive, efficient, and empowering for everyone, everywhere.

The digital world stands at a crossroads. We can either perpetuate the status quo, or we can pave a new path—one that’s decentralized, efficient, and equitable. The time for a decentralized internet that solves problems at their roots is now. It’s time for connectivity that knows no boundaries.

The power to transform connectivity is in our hands. Let’s reimagine the internet not as a distant entity but as a network that thrives locally, serves globally, and empowers universally. Together, let’s build a decentralized internet that propels us into a future where connectivity is a right, not a privilege.