Development & Upgrades

Algorand Network Upgrades

Algorand releases new binaries (Algorand’s executable files) on an ongoing basis.  These new binaries can contain any number of bug fixes or new features, but the key question is whether or not the consensus version changes.  The consensus version can be thought of as the language that the nodes speak to each other. If the consensus version changes, then the language is changed.  For example, if the nodes on a network currently talk to each other using consensus version A and then a single node on the network switches to consensus version B, this single node will no longer be able to talk with the other nodes on the network. Therefore, to keep everyone in the network talking the same language, the network must first ensure that adopting a new consensus version is “in consensus’’. Algorand’s protocol upgrade mechanism guarantees it.

Given that the Algorand network must upgrade its consensus version as some new features or bug fixes are brought in to the protocol, how do we solve this problem in a way that allows new consensus versions but also does not continually partition the network?

Algorand’s upgrade process when a consensus version change is involved is as follows:

• The consensus version does not change during this step
• Anyone proposing a block attaches a flag with their block that effectively says “I am ready for the next consensus version”
• The protocol tracks blocks with this flag over a 10k block period:
• If >=90% of the block Proposers state “I am ready for the next consensus version”, the new version is approved. In this case, the upgrade protocol observes that the vast majority of the network supports the new version. Everyone with the new binary would switch to speaking in the new consensus version 140k blocks in the future. The rest of the nodes can upgrade during that time window to avoid disconnecting from the rest of the network.
• Otherwise, the new consensus version is not approved (for now) but may be approved in the following windows.

In summary, Algorand’s consensus based protocol upgrade mechanism has an important role, making sure that everyone keeps speaking the same language when an upgrade that changes the consensus version takes place.