Koios SPO Tools development (CNTools, gLiveView, topologyUpdater)

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

Additional applicants

Ola

Priyank

Greg

Michael

Boris

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.” .

No dependencies.

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Project will be fully open source.

[METADATA] Category of proposal

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Cover the costs for the ongoing and upcoming development and maintenance efforts, including but not limited to:

• CNTools: 
• Catalyst vote registration according to CIP-36 specification.
• Currency rate support.
• Creation of a New Wallet using Mnemonics with the ability to specify account/address index when deriving the keys.
• Allow autonomous CNTools operation (without reliance on access to local synchronised cardano-node, usable with remote Koios API servers)
• Tighter and more optimised (bulk queries) integration with Koios API (gRest).
• gLiveView: Fetch Data from Koios (once per epoch or per restart) - Pool Active Stake (pool_info), op cert verification (index # being highest seen on chain)
• Topology Updater: Re-Design TopologyUpdater to be integrated into open-infra and transition it into fitting as a backup technology for P2P-enabled nodes, while integrating much more tightly into Koios ecosystem.
• Compatibility and Features development for future updates against cardano-node (eg: governance via Conway)

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

Our solution immediately addresses the Cardano ecosystem's identified demand for refined and advanced SPO tools. We ensure that CNTools and gLiveView remain the stable foundations on which Cardano's creative and diversified architecture flourishes by upgrading and improving these tools.

On maintenance/upkeep front, it’s vital to keep the SPO Tools that (CNTools/gLiveView/TopologyUpdater) that is being used by hundreds of stake pool operators up to date with latest versions of software components they’re interacting with, such as cardano-node, cardano-cli and hardware wallet libraries.

With regards to new planned functionality: 

• Voting registration and other governance functionality will be vital to have support for as we approach the next era in Cardano, 
• TopologyUpdater tool will remain to be of significance going forward as some nuances of p2p roll-out might result in network topology becoming more centralised around larger pool clusters; The re-design to shift to open-infrastructure (part of Koios) will allow to also onboard optional opt-in backup measures and direct how the SPO would like to control their topology.
• Making more use of the Koios API as a part of SPO toolkit will hopefully result in a smoother and more responsive user experience with decreased infrastructure demands (in case of autonomous mode of CNTools for wallet/pool/asset management without need for local cardano-node).

Our commitment to improving Cardano infrastructure matches with the ecosystem's concept of sustainable growth and innovation, laying the groundwork for Cardano's bright future.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

Some of the useful metrics include number of users (as measured by analysis of logs / HTTP requests) of the tools and specific new/updated features, level of engagement by end-users in support channels, as well as github issues activity levels.

Each task mentioned in the earlier section will be converted into github project and trackable publicly in real-time on:

https://github.com/cardano-community/guild-operators/projects

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

We have devised a thorough plan to disseminate the outputs and outcomes of Improving and Upgrading CNTools and gLiveView SPO tools project to achieve maximum transparency and community engagement.

1. Regular Updates: We will maintain an open line of communication with the Cardano community through regular updates. These updates will be made available via blog posts, video updates, and community forums.
2. Community Engagement: We will continue to have an open channel with community for feedback, feature requests, etc - while also looking at frequently faced queries/issues to improve.
3. Documentation and Reports: Comprehensive project documentation and progress reports will be made publicly available. These documents will provide in-depth insights into our development process, project milestones, challenges faced, and the ways we overcame them.
4. Open Source Repositories: The source code of the improved tools will be readily available on popular open-source platforms. This will not only allow the community to review our work but also contribute towards further improvements.
5. Showcase Success Stories: We'll share case studies and success stories of users who have benefited from the upgraded tools. These stories will help in illustrating the practical impact of our project on the ecosystem.

Our overarching goal is to foster a welcoming and collaborative environment that encourages active community engagement, resulting in a superior and robust upgrade for the existing Koios SPO tools.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Each of the individuals in the team have been around for years and are well-known within technical part of the ecosystem. Our team consists of seasoned developers and blockchain enthusiasts with a track record of success in the Cardano ecosystem. We delivered the Koios project, an open-source, decentralised API for Cardano, successfully, showcasing our technical skill and dedication to the Cardano community. Our team members have vast experience in system design, DevOps, system administration, networking, and software development, allowing us to deliver this project effectively. 

We have always maintained a high level of transparency in our operations in terms of trust and accountability. Because all of our work is open-source and publicly accessible, anyone may verify and validate our progress. We communicate with the community about our work on a regular basis via numerous channels, including GitHub, Cardano forums, and social media platforms.

We follow strict financial management methods when it comes to managing funds. We have a clear financial plan for the project, and we make certain that every expense is justified and matches with the project's goals. We also intend to give the community frequent financial updates that outline how the funds are being used.

Furthermore, we recognize the significance of community interaction in a decentralised ecosystem like Cardano. As a result, we are committed to including the community in our decision-making process, soliciting feedback, and responding to any issues in a timely and transparent manner. This strategy not only ensures responsibility, but also assists us in developing a project that actually satisfies the Cardano community's requirements.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

Main goal for Koios SPO Tools is to simplify complex tasks, minimise user errors and assist with monitoring for typical activities involved with pool operation. These tools also facilitate a more inclusive SPO environment, allowing less tech-savvy SPOs to also participate in network operation.

The approach has been validated over the years by the amount of adoption received by our tools - helping onboard large number of SPOs into cardano ecosystem.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

The project will be handled using agile project management approaches, with regular check-ins and updates to ensure that everything is going according to plan. We will also have open lines of communication with the Cardano community to keep them updated on project development and to solicit comments and contributions.

The feature additions as outlined in the proposed solution can be seen as project milestones.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Each task mentioned in the outcomes will be converted into github project and tracked publicly in real-time on https://github.com/cardano-community/koios-artifacts/projects

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Budget breakdown is as follows:

• Maintenance/Feature additions for existing SPO Tools:
• Hours: 200 hours across 5 developers
• Hourly Rate: $60/hour
• Total: 12,000 USD (~40000 ADA)

• Re-Design of TopologyUpdater:
• Hours: 100 hours across 5 developers
• Hourly Rate: $60/hour
• Total: 6,000 USD (~2000 ADA)

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

• All of our work is open-source, which means that the entire Cardano community can benefit from it. Other developers can use our code, learn from it, and extend it, increasing the value of our work.
• Experienced Team: Our team is made up of seasoned individuals who have been active participants in the Cardano ecosystem. The project cost comprises their time and experience, which is required for the project to be completed successfully.
• In terms of cost justification, our budget is based on the national average income for software professionals as well as normal rates for freelancing work in the blockchain industry. Our budget, we believe, is modest and proportional to the value that the upkeep and enhancements of SPO toolkit (that includes CNTOols, gLiveView and topologyUpdater) provide to the Cardano ecosystem.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.