I've always been fascinated by the potential of decentralized systems. That’s why I decided to blog on crypto projects' innovative tech. This week’s highlight is Marlin Protocol, an open protocol that allows users with spare infrastructure to share their computational resources with application developers.
In a decentralized system, no central authority controls the flow of information. Instead, data is distributed across a network of computers, each with a copy of the data. This allows for a more resilient and secure system, as there is no single point of failure.
About Marlin
Marlin is built on a decentralized network of nodes that allows for low-latency data transmission. This makes it perfect for long-running backend services, for example, decentralized RPCs and oracles. Additionally, Marlin offers integrity protection through secure enclaves, zk-based prover computations, scheduling actions based on events in the mempool, caching, et cetera.
As far as I know, it's a one-stop shop for all your decentralized computation needs. But Marlin isn't the only player in the decentralized computation game. There are other companies and projects out there that also aim to democratize access to computational resources. Here are a few examples:
Golem Network: Golem is a decentralized marketplace for computing power where users can rent out their unused computational resources to others who need them. The platform supports a wide range of use cases, including CGI rendering, scientific computing, and machine learning.
Akash Network: Akash is a decentralized cloud computing platform that allows users to lease computing resources from other users. The platform supports hosting websites, running applications, and deploying blockchain nodes.
Ankr Network: Ankr is a decentralized cloud computing platform that allows users to rent out their unused computing resources.
Filecoin: Filecoin is a decentralized storage network that allows users to rent out their unused storage space. The platform aims to create a decentralized alternative to traditional cloud storage providers, where users can store their data securely and privately.
The decentralized computation space is still in its early stages, and there are many companies and projects working to solve the same problems that Marlin is tackling.
What sets Marlin apart?
Marlin sets itself apart from other decentralized networks by continuously updating its protocol. By doing so, Marlin can evolve and improve its network, making it more efficient and secure for users. They’re currently working on upgrading the network to support decentralized computation using Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs). TEEs, such as SGX, allow computations to happen verifiably and securely without revealing data to the node operator. This opens the door for a wide range of novel use cases, such as decentralized frontend hosting services, decentralized backends for dynamic websites and apps, APIs, and even decentralized caches and CDNs.
Marlin's competitors may have some advantages over Marlin regarding network size and focus on specific use cases. In terms of network size, some of Marlin's competitors may have a larger network and a more established user base. This can be advantageous for certain use cases that require greater computational power or storage capacity. Moreover, some competitors may have a more specific focus on certain use cases, such as machine learning (Golem) or decentralized storage (Filecoin). This can be advantageous for users who have a specific need for these applications and require specialized features or resources.
However, Marlin's focus on continuous protocol updates and TEEs may provide unique advantages over its competitors for certain use cases. Additionally, Marlin's emphasis on democratizing access to computational resources and its open-source nature makes it an attractive option for developers looking to build decentralized applications. Ultimately, the choice of platform will depend on specific use cases and requirements, and it's worth exploring different options to find the best fit for a particular project.
To understand why the previously talked update could be a game-changer, let’s talk more in-depth about TEEs and how it relates to Marlin's decentralized computation network.
Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs)
In layman's terms, a TEE is a secure computer or mobile device area that ensures that sensitive data is processed in a secure environment.
You can think of a TEE as a digital fortress for your data. It is typically implemented as a separate processor or co-processor that runs its own operating system and has access to its own memory. The TEE is isolated from the main processor and operating system and is designed to protect against external tampering or hacking attempts.
In a decentralized computation network like Marlin, the TEE ensures the security and integrity of the data being processed. This helps to prevent data breaches and other security incidents and allows users to have confidence in the security of the network. Additionally, as TEEs are known for their high performance while maintaining confidentiality, it enables low-latency and high-throughput operations on sensitive data, making them suitable for decentralized computations. So, by upgrading the Marlin network to support TEEs, developers can create decentralized applications (dapps) that can escrow users' private keys and construct transactions based on certain events using confidential logic dictated by the user himself.
How TEEs Can Enhance Security in MEV Auctions and Other Decentralized Applications
Let’s take John Doe’s case; he’s an experienced trader who has decided to start participating in MEV (Miner Extractable Value) auctions. As he is dealing with valuable digital assets and participating in complex financial transactions, he wants to ensure that the process of buying and selling MEV is as secure as possible. One way he can do this is by using TEEs; this will ensure that sensitive information, such as the details of John's MEV transactions, is protected from malicious attacks or unauthorized access. This is important because, as MEV is a complex financial instrument, any unauthorized manipulation or duplication of the transactions could lead to significant financial losses for John and the other parties involved. By using TEEs, John can securely participate in MEV auctions, giving him confidence in the authenticity and security of his transactions.
Next to MEV auctions TEEs, consider the potential for NFT (non-fungible token) mints and other dapps that require a high level of security and privacy. Additionally, TEEs also make it possible to run custom backend logic to process data, such as the aforementioned MEV algorithms or even relays and block builders for mev-boost.
(It's worth noting that upgrading to TEEs will be strictly optional. Not all nodes in the network will be required to support the additional features which come with more hardware requirements. This ensures that the network remains decentralized and open to all participants.)
Conclusion
Marlin’s upgrade to Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) brings the potential for new dapps to be built on the network. For example, a team could run a decentralized service that accepts transactions and runs MEV (miner extractable value) algorithms to redistribute profits securely. Or perhaps, a DAO could run its own liquidation bot and share profits with its governance token holders. Building such a system would be impossible today without the ability to deploy one's own node network. They’re on a mission to democratize computational resources, and the latest update to the network is a step toward that goal. Marlin is not the only company working on decentralized computation, and there are other platforms to consider when choosing the right one for a particular project. To make an informed decision, it's important to evaluate different options based on specific project requirements and use cases and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each.
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