Iagon Network Explorer V1

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Navjit Dhaliwal

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

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

12

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

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

We will develop a node network on Substrate-parachain technology harnessing IOG’s partnerchain framework to interface with Cardano and other chains while managing Iagon’s compute intensive operations.

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

Yes

[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.”

Since we are developing on top of the substrate technology, we will be dependent on the delivery of the partnerchains SDK from IOG to communicate with Cardano chain in the future. However, we are able to begin initial development and are in active communication with IOG regarding this.

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

No

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

The following outlines which parts of the development will be made open-source, and which will not.

We will have the following open-sourced:

• Project-planning/research documentations
• Substrate Architecture
• Nodes and Peers SDKs - from Milestone 2 
• Developer documentations

What won’t be opensourced:

• Iagon specific nodes developed after milestone 2
• Backend and internal logic

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Iagon Network Explorer V1 is slated to become a decentralized network comprising nodes built on Substrate-parachain technology, facilitating communication with the Cardano partner chain. A Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) node will be established, observable from various chains. Compute-intensive tasks will be allocated to diverse Substrate instances, and explorer nodes will replace databases. 

The objective is to establish a Substrate-based network in this iteration, laying the groundwork for future interoperability and streamlining adoption processes. 

By harnessing IOG’s partner chain framework, we aim to construct a network of decentralized nodes on Substrate-parachain infrastructure, capable of interfacing with Cardano and other chains and managing Iagon’s compute-intensive operations.

The substrate-based chain we propose represents a comprehensive decentralized enhancement to an existing storage solution. It aims to support decentralized file indexing and on-chain transaction monitoring in the long term. In our current development phase, we are focusing on building the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) of a substrate-parachain. This includes various types of nodes such as uploader/sharding nodes and storage nodes.

Each of these nodes will connect to a full substrate node, referred to as IAG DLT, responsible for maintaining the network state, block creation, and validation. Additionally, archive nodes will serve as indexer nodes within the network, tracking all transactions without any associated fees. These components collectively form a fully decentralized system with on-chain data indexing and automatic shard synchronization.

Furthermore, all network transactions will be accessible for monitoring through an explorer link connected to the archive node.

The proposal entails creating an MVP for a decentralized storage solution with on-chain transaction management, designed to seamlessly integrate with Cardano partner chains in the future. This MVP will feature minimal functionality, serving as a starting point for expanding into a fully operational Substrate network. To achieve this, we will leverage the Polkadot Substrate Software Development Kit (SDK).

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

Competitive Distributed Storage and Computing at Scale:

• This development will allow us to advance the development of our decentralized cloud services, providing a more efficient, decentralized and cost effective solution at scale.

Introducing a Cost-Effective On-Chain Solution:

• Conducting all operations on-chain within Cardano has posed significant financial hurdles and feasibility concerns. The  Substrate-based parachain offers an on-chain solution without associated costs.

Benefits of Transparency and Observability:

• This approach ensures unparalleled transparency through on-chain proof and enhanced observability.

Drive Interoperability and Adoption:

• By enhancing interoperability, our Substrate-based chain will foster greater adoption, welcoming users from diverse blockchain ecosystems in the future.

Paving the Way for Cardano Compatibility:

• The Substrate-based chain is designed with future compatibility in mind, ensuring seamless integration with the Cardano partnerchain. 

Sharing Knowledge for Collective Growth:

• All research, planning, and development documentation will be transparently published, serving as a valuable resource for reducing R&D time for other projects.

Open-sourced Development and SDKs:

• The substrate architecture and Nodes & Peers SDK will provide a framework to accelerate the development of other Cardano partnerchains 

Sharing the outputs and results of the Iagon Network Explorer V1 project is crucial for transparency, community engagement, and fostering collaboration within the Cardano ecosystem. Here are the plans to share the outputs and results:

Documentation:

• Overview
• User Guide: Instructions and step-by-step tutorials for Iagon Network Explorer V1's features.
• Technical Documentation: In-depth technical details and API documentation for developers.
• FAQ Section: Regularly updated with common questions and detailed answers.
• System Architecture: Detailed solution diagram of the developed system.

Release Announcements:

• Release Notes: Summaries of new features, bug fixes, and versioning information.
• Upcoming Features Teasers: Previews of planned features with user feedback solicitation.

Community Engagement:

• Forums: Dedicated space for user discussions, actively engaged on social media.
• Webinars and AMAs: Regular showcases through webinars and interactive Ask Me Anything sessions.
• User-Driven Content: Encouraging users to share experiences and featuring their stories.

Developer Resources:

• SDKs and Libraries: Providing software development kits, maintaining developer documentation.
• GitHub Repository: Actively managed repository, welcoming community contributions.

Case Studies and Use Cases:

• Industry-Specific Use Cases: Demonstrating Iagon Network Explorer V1's applications in various industries.
• Success Stories: Sharing quantifiable success stories and achievements.
• Educational Case Studies: Teaching users about Iagon Network Explorer V1's capabilities, including implementation details.
• Community Contributions: Featuring noteworthy community projects and encouraging contributions.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

The Iagon Network Explorer V1 project is a MVP project. The major indication of success of the project would be the proposed network completion. Apart from the MVP completion, we will use the Network Reliability metrics from network uptime to request throughput to flag the project as success.

1. Track Record: Evaluating our past projects, partnerships, and collaborations can provide insights into their ability to deliver on our promises and meet our commitments. Looking for references, testimonials, or case studies can help gauge our track record of delivering successful projects and maintaining accountability. Examples of accomplished work are MVP for storage, Subscription system, Webhosting, and Multisender/Multisig. We are also in the early stages of developing our decentralized compute. We have audit reports of contracts developed by us.
2. Reputation and Reviews: Researching our reputation within the Cardano community and wider industry can provide insights into our credibility and trustworthiness. Examining online reviews, ratings, and feedback from clients, partners, and users can help assess our accountability in previous endeavors. Examples of reputation are transparency models with our tokenomics via ADAHandle and allocation team tokens for the Nomad exploit.
3. Team: Our team consists of experienced developers and experts in the field of blockchain and reputation systems. We have a proven track record of delivering high-quality projects with a strong focus on trust and accountability. Team co-founders include: Dr. Navjit Dhaliwal (has led 3 successful startups, increased revenue over 3 years from 0 NOK to 10 million NOK), Dr. Rohit Gupta (former director of technology for Expedia, currently a senior manager at Google, wrote thesis in decentralized compute in 2005), Dr. Claudio Lima (former CTO at Huawei in east asia, currently education governments and enterprises on Blockchain architecture) and Dr. Elad Harison (AI/machine learning expert, economics professor). The team consists of 19 developers, and can be expanded to a larger group if needed.
4. Communication and Engagement: The willingness to communicate openly and engage with token holders, including the Cardano community, can indicate a commitment to transparency and accountability. Regular updates, community involvement, and responsiveness to queries and concerns can enhance trust in the project.

The main goals for the Iagon Network Explorer V1 project is to create a separate computation layer with on-chain metadata storage solution and  final settlement  layer in the Cardano ecosystem. To validate the feasibility of the approach, specific criteria and indicators will be monitored:

1. Enhance User Engagement and Understanding
2. Conduct user surveys to gauge the level of understanding and satisfaction with Iagon Network Explorer V1's features.
3. Foster Cardano Ecosystem Growth
4. Track the number of testers willing to test and contribute to the development.
5. Analyze geographical distribution of nodes to understand Iagon Network Explorer V1's global reach.
6. Establish Iagon Network Explorer V1 as a Community Resource
7. Active participation in Cardano community forums, with positive feedback and discussions around Iagon Network Explorer V1.
8. Collaborate with other Cardano projects to study the expandability of the idea.
9. Ensure Security and Reliability
10. Conduct regular security audits and address any identified vulnerabilities promptly.
11. Maintain a high level of system uptime and reliability, minimizing downtime.

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

 Project Initiation, Planning (1 months)

• Define project scope and objectives
• Initial research and requirements gathering
• Develop a functional prototype using PolkaDot substrate SDK  

Since we have onboarded many storage nodes already, and we will be in a position to onboard some compute nodes very soon, we have the necessary market research to expand the current infrastructure to a parachain. Research is needed on substrate SDKs, and different types of nodes and how we achieve the functionality.

Milestone 1 breakdown:

Deliverables:

• Defined project scope and objectives 
• Initial research and requirements document
• System Architecture with detailed components
• User feedback and improvements to the documentation

Outputs:

• Project initiation report
• Research findings and requirements document
• Preliminary project plan
• A substrate node PoC 

Intended Outcomes:

• Clear understanding of project goals and scope
• Organized and motivated development team
• Tangible representation of the application

MVP for a custom main ledger node built along with basic peer nodes (2 months) 

• Create main nodes to onboard and track new peer nodes
• Create peer nodes wasm to be integrated as light client 
• Write pallets to track the internal transactions (regarding files) in main nodes

The starting point for the network creation would be iagon main ledger which will be responsible for tracking all the internal transactions(would be storage interactions, subscriptions by users); the transaction pallets need to be written accordingly. Following the ledger, peer nodes would need to be developed that will be integrated to current IAG nodes to establish a peer to peer connection for communication.

Milestone 2 Breakdown:  

Deliverables:

• Custom Iagon ledger SDK to monitor and bootstrap node with necessary pallets
• Nodes SDK to run a provider 

Outputs:

• Custom network of nodes to handle decentralized storage with different functions of nodes
• SDK for providers to run their own nodes.

Intended Outcomes:

• Transparent node and network operation
• Easy setup of provider nodes with current IAG node
• Improved user engagement with decentralized applications

MVP  Storage internal logic for decentralization (2 months)

• Migrating database logic (sharding , ownership) to decentralized nodes .
• Develop uploader/sharding node
• Internal Storage Transaction published  in cardano  

We will create a MVP to test the network on a substrate-based chain with the minimum functionality that Iagon network needs. We have the functions needed for data-gathering, node provisioning, simple upload and sharding, etc. We will use the same codes on substrate palettes to create the necessary types of nodes to create a network of nodes.

Milestone 3 Breakdown:   

Deliverables:

• Uploader, sharding and ownership nodes SDK PoC
• Shards distribution algorithm over the substrate-based chain.
• Transaction rerouting to cardano network.

Outputs:

• Custom nodes to handle complex decentralized storage functionality
• SDK for providers to run their uploader nodes.

Intended Outcomes:

• Create heavy nodes which can handle the user file download and upload request
• Decentralized sharding, ownership functionality

Final tests, explorer and deployment (2 months)

• Develop an archive explorer node to browse transaction in network
• Deployment and testnet testing 
• Optimize performance based on testing results
• Feasibility report for the upgrade

Once the relay network is ready the rounds of internal testing would be done along with creating a browser node to record transactions. 

Milestone 4 Breakdown

Deliverables:

• Indexer nodes SDK - browser to show the network transactions and performances PoC
• Testnet deployed network
• Feasibility report 

Outputs:

• User test ready network.
• Block explorer for all transactions in the network.

Intended Outcomes:

• Transparent node and network operation
• Tracking of internal transactions through network indexer. 
• Improved user engagement with decentralized applications

Final Testing and Delivery (1 month)

• Conduct comprehensive testing with real world test user and providers
• Monitor for any issues and address them promptly
• Create MVP completion report and demo video

Thus-created chains won’t be ready to be mainnet already. We will plan a proper testers program before having all our users move to the network.  

Milestone 5 Breakdown:

Deliverables:

• User feedback report 
• A detailed feasibility report  and project completion report 

Outputs:

• Successfully deployed application MVP
• Monitoring and issue resolution documentation

Intended Outcomes:

• Verified application reliability and functionality
• Refined user experience based on testing feedback
• Immediate response to any deployment-related issues
• Enhanced overall application performance with feasibility report and project closeout video

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

1. Navjit, CEO
2. Devendra, Project Lead
3. 9 other team members (2 Blockchain Developer, 1 System Architect, 2 Backend Developers, 1 DevOps, 2 QA, 1 Project Manager)

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Total Budget: $96,250

We want to highlight that we pay our developers in fiat and price fluctuation will be taken into account before finalizing the ADA amount. Current estimate is based on price on May 13th, 2024. 

Average wage breakdown:

• $3500/month per full-time employee

Full breakdown: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h-ceYRmVYT-_NydaJQ-Y8QnN0hd77Uw2e_rFYetMg4s/edit#gid=826297138

Milestone 1: Project Initiation, Planning (1 months)

Development time estimate: 1 months (1 Project Manager, 1 Senior Blockchain developer, 1 System Architect)

Budget: $15,500

Milestone 2: MVP for a custom main ledger node built along with basic peer nodes (2 months)

Development time estimate: 2 month (1 Project Manager part time, 1 Backend Developer,1 Blockchain developer)

Budget: $27,500

Milestone 3: MVP Storage  internal logic for decentralization (2 months)

Development time estimate: 2 month (1 Project Manager part time, 1 Backend Developer,1 Blockchain developer)

Budget: $27,500

Milestone 4: Final tests, explorer and deployment (2 months)

Development time estimate: 2 month (1 Project Manager part time, 1 Backend Developer,1 Blockchain developer, 1 Devops part time, 2QAs)

Budget: $45,000

Milestone 5: Final Testing and project closeout (1 months)

Development time estimate: 1 month (1 Project Manager, 1 DevOps part time, 1 Backend Developer, 1 Blockchain Developer, 1 QA)

Budget: $20,750

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

The cost of the Iagon Network Explorer V1 project represents value for money for the Cardano ecosystem in several ways:

1. Data Privacy and Security:
2. Iagon Network Explorer V1's features provide users with a resilient system with proper scaling and security.
3. The cost invested in Iagon Network Explorer V1 directly translates into an improved user experience within the ecosystem.
4. Adoption and Growth Potential:
5. The project's cost contributes to Iagon Network Explorer V1's development, leading to regular updates, new features, and improved functionalities.
6. A feature-rich and actively developed application attracts more users, driving increased adoption of the Cardano blockchain.
7. Stepping Stone for application chain in Cardano:
8. The completion of the project would include comprehensive documentation, APIs, SDKs, and developer resources, which could be a starting point for many projects in Cardano to start their journey for the partner chain.