Simplify SPO operations in Vietnam

Simplify setup and operate stake pool guides so that non-tech people can do. Provide pre-setup solar power stake pools appliances to market.

We are SPOs, Eastern Townhall moderators, blockchain tech-savvies, electronics, and automation experts.

#IMPACT#

a. Problem statement:

Running stake pools on major cloud platforms offers convenience in installation, configuration, operation, and low cost so most of the stake pools are running on 3 major cloud providers (GCP, AWS, Azure) and are located mainly in US and Germany (https://adapools.org/relays). These lead to the limited dispersion of stake pools and the security of the network is in danger.

The stake pool's installation and operation are only for technical people because the documentation is not simple enough. This limits the diversity of people involved in SPO.

There are rare stake pools that are using clean energy due to the lack of a simple and holistic solution. We need a reasonable package solution for this solution.

b.The solution to the problem:

We aim to solve the above problems by focusing on:

1-  Create and optimize simple instructions, video, and setup, operating scripts in Vietnamese so that more non-tech users are able to deploy and operate their own stake-pool on their diverse infrastructures.

2- Provides pre-configured solar-powered stake pools to the market. These are appliance boxes that are pre-installed with BP, Replays, solar panels, batteries.. the user only needs to load the wallet address and perform minimal steps to get a stake pool ready.

c. Benefits to Cardano Ecosystem:

- Promote a decentralized and diverse distribution of stake pools (dispersion of stake pools around the globe)

- Pool owner can operate their pool by themself  (self-hosted infrastructures)

- Number of stake pools using green energy will increase

As a result, we will achieve at least two goals: A lower ecological footprint of the Cardano network, a more distributed and secure network in terms of infrastructure used.

#FEASIBLITY#

d. Past success:

At Fund6 we were funded for a project (https://cardano.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Bring-Smart-Contracts-to-Vietnam/367834-48088). we built a website (cardano2vn.io) as a technical hub, we will create one session for "operate a stake pool" in Vietnamese.  Local people can find all useful guides and videos about operating a stake pool from this session.

e. The team:

Nguyen Anh Tien @tienna, founder of the VILAI stake pool, computer science experts, working in the Cardano/Crypto space since 2018.

Deploying many payment systems for major banks, financial institutions, and telecommunications in Vietnam

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/tiennganh

• Email: tienna@gmail.com

• Telegram: t.me/tiennguyenanh

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiennguyena

Nguyen Van Hieu @nvhieu, founder of HADA stake pool, member of Plutus Pioneer Program, Research at Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.

Working in the field of electronics and computers from 2000, Lead Technical Support at a successful startup, such as Solar LED Flood Lights, Solar LED Street Lights... 

• Email: nvhieu1978@gmail.com

• Telegram: t.me/nvhieu1978

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nguyen-van-hieu-b4410121b/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hieu.nguyenvan.794628

 #AUDITABILITY#

f. Definition of success:

After 2 months:

       - Create simple instructions, videos, and setup, operating scripts in Vietnamese. 

       - Disaster recovery action plans (Backup and recovery procedures). 

       - Deploy 01 pool system on the cloud as an example, record steps as videos.

       - Release these videos, Instructions to our website (cardano2vn.io), and the 5 most common social network groups on Facebook and telegram.

       - Calculate energy consumption for  Raspberry Pi –Stake pool kit (1BP, 2 Relay, and 4 ports switch).

       -  Design power storage solution for Raspberry Pi –Stake pool kit.

After 4 months:

       - Build a power accumulator and voltage stabilizer to ensure enough capacity for the kit to work in bad weather.

      - Run a stake pool with 2 relays and 1 BP on Raspberry PI using solar energy.

      -  Send report to Cardano foundation and ask for delegation.

      - The first block is minted on the solar Energy stake pool kit.

  After 6 months

      - Minimize installation steps, keep startup wizard simple for non-tech operators.

      - Physical Packaging of the stake pool kit. 

      - Re-sizing hardware configuration. Provide optimized build of materials and specifications

     - Evaluate usage performance, ROI.

iv. After 8 months ( This step is plan to apply for next fund)

       - Identify at least 5 VietNam SPOs to take part in this program

       - Ready for mass production.

g. Use of Funds:

(1)System raspberry PI pool:

     - 03 Raspberry Pi (16GB) (2 Relay and 1 BP)= 450$

     - 03 SSD for Pi =300$

(2) Backup energy :

      - A Durable solar panel is ~400 USD

      - Batteries ~ 150 USD

      - Power stabiliser~100 USD

 (3) Internet connection and fixed IPs :

        - 3 IPs*6month ~ 250 USD

        - backup connection~ 100 USD : we would be using a secondary internet provider.

 (4) Hiring  VMs on Cloud :  03 VMs (2vCPUs, 16GB RAM, 50 GB SSD) in 3 months ~3x$150=$450

 (5) Labor cost ( base on estimate labor hour)

1. Setup stake pool on Cloud: 16 hours
2. Simplify documents, Video, share them: 32 hours
3. Design Raspberry Pi –Stake pool kit: 21 hours
4. Setup stake pool on raspberry PI using solar energy: 40 hours
5. Report to Cardano foundation and ask for delegation: 16 hours
6. Create documents, record Video instruction: 32 hours
7. Sharing how to create a solar energized stake pool: 16 hours
8. Re-sizing hardware, Optimize build of material: 16 hours
9. Return on investment Calculation: 16 hours
10. Create and Public Report of Investment: 21 hours

      Total labor hour: 226 hours,  with hour rate of $70/hour, Labor cost for the project is  $15820

   (6)  Reserve for risks in deployment: $1500  (detail is explained in Risk Estimation session)

Total cost= (1)+(2)+(3)+(4)+(5)+(6)=750+650+600+350+15820+1500=$19,670

h. Risk Estimation:

We may face a few challenges at:

1. Deploying a Bare-metal stake pool on Raspberry PI is difficult for a clone implementation. We can consider the option of using microservices- Containers.

2. Call the community/Cardano Foundation to stake into the pool to get first block minted. We will use the reserve fund as an incentive for Delegators or issue tokens to attract them.