Folder Protocol Node Architecture and Mining Process

Folder Protocol facilitates participation of individual users in providing computing power to scale IPFS/Filecoin network. Upon installation, FOL client automatically provides designated computing power and receive FOL token as a reward equivalent to his/her contribution. This article will go over in mechanism of FOL client mining in depth for better understanding of the project.

Architecture of FOL Mining

Mining participants can easily participate in mining FOL on their personal PC through installing FOL client and receive FOL as a reward for providing personal computing power. The client and the token mining feature will be activated as early as Q2 of 2021.

Diagram A, Folder Protocol Mining and Interaction with Filecoin Network

Two Different Types of Miners in Folder Protocol:

1.

Storage Miners : Responsible for storing files and data on the network.

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Storage miners are the heart of the network. They earn FOL by storing data for Filecoin, and computing cryptographic proofs to verify storage across time. The probability of earning the block reward and transaction fees is proportional to the amount of storage the miner contributes to the Folder Protocol, and not hashing power.

2.

Retrieval Miners : Responsible for providing quick pipes to retrieve files.

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Retrieval miners are the veins of the network. They earn FOL by winning bids and mining fees for a particular file, which are determined by the market value of said file's size. A retrieval miner’s bandwidth and bid/initial response time for deals (i.e., latency and proximity to Filecoin) will determine its ability to close retrieval deals on the network.

Deals are the core function of the Folder Protocol network, and represent an agreement made between Filecoin and a miner for a storage 'contract'.

Once Filecoin has decided on a miner to store with based on their available capacity, duration, and desired price, they lock up sufficient funds in an associated wallet to cover the total cost of the deal. The deal is then published once the miner has accepted the storage agreement.

After the deal is published, the Filecoin then prepares the data for storage and then transfers it to the miner. Upon receiving all of the data, the miner packs the data into a sector, seals it, and begins submitting proofs to the chain. You can refer to the below 'Diagram B' for the detailed process of Data Sealing.

Once the first confirmation has been hit, and the deal has officially begun. After receiving the deal, FOL File Distribution Algorithm will distribute files into FOL P2P network.

We will post about Folder Protocol's File Distribution Algorithm next time.

Diagram B, Date Sealing Process of Folder Protocol.

Official Website: https://www.folderlabs.io/
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Telegram Group: https://t.me/folderlabs
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Github: https://github.com/folderlabs/foldercoin