Wolfram Cardano Ent. Private Cloud

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem.

Create a proof-of-concept version of the Wolfram Enterprise Private Cloud (EPC) that runs and controls a Cardano node.

[GENERAL] Summarize your relevant experience.

Wolfram Blockchain Labs (WBL) has created middleware to run numerous nodes in our public cloud infrastructure. We will work with Wolfram Research, creator of EPC, to create an appropriate EPC system server.

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Key Points:

• Create a brief report on existing Cardano node release engineering practices and specifications on requirements for consistent future updates of the Wolfram Cardano EPC
• Create a proof-of-concept to launch and manage Cardano nodes within the Wolfram Cardano EPC
• Explore seamless failover from private Cardano nodes to public Cardano node infrastructure
• Support public ledger–based digital transformation in enterprise use cases

Wolfram Technical Consulting has encountered demand for Wolfram Cardano EPC support for enterprise projects that wish to use the Cardano public blockchain.

EPC takes the unique benefits of the Wolfram technology stack and provides them in an environment that can be deployed both on premises and within cloud providers such as AWS (and other cloud providers soon). EPC allows companies to create rapid knowledge-driven applications using the Wolfram Language, Wolfram Notebooks and instant APIs, which can build microservice APIs that can be deployed to other front ends.

However, one of the many difficulties companies have is moving blockchain-based projects from public shared infrastructure like the Wolfram Public Cloud to their own managed infrastructure (on premises or in a cloud environment), like EPC, as they begin to scale their projects. Wolfram does not have a solution currently that allow EPCs to integrate and manage private Cardano nodes.

Our solution is to rebuild the middleware (a “system server” in our language) we use on our public cloud to support running Cardano nodes from within EPCs. This middleware solution would support a hybrid approach (the Wolfram Public Cloud, EPC on premises or a third-party cloud environment) and allow Wolfram Technical Consulting and external developers to build solutions to seamlessly move from publicly run infrastructure to private infrastructure with their own Cardano nodes.

Enabling support for such a hybrid environment would be better for the Cardano blockchain as it provides a more decentralized/distributed structure. In addition, support for hybrid environments would allow companies to easily move between development and deployment options.

Importantly, this is a proof-of-concept.

We will also look at release engineering needs of Cardano node packages, admin tools and other resources to figure out the process of updating the EPC package so that it is something that can be maintained and updated as Cardano node software updates.

I. Discovery Phase

If the project is not funded, we may wind it down and delay the completion until future funding rounds.

A.   Cardano Node Operation

•  Evaluate
• Tools to monitor and maintain Cardano nodes
• Maintenance support staff for handling Cardano upgrades on currently operating nodes

B.   Enterprise Use Cases

• Review
• Private cloud blockchain use cases that are being experimented with by Fortune 1000 companies
• Release engineering for Cardano nodes
• Research
• Existing platforms to run nodes such as:
• Alchemy
• Azure Blockchain Workbench
• AWS (Blockchain on AWS)
• Block Daemon
• ChainStack
• IBM Blockchain Platform
• Infura
• Kaledio
• QuickNode

II. Working Phase

• Develop
• Integration of the Cardano node into EPC
• Sales materials that feature the Wolfram Cardano EPC

III. Final

• Preview
• Provide a walk-through preview of the Wolfram Cardano EPC

Supplemental Information:

https://wolfr.am/Cardano-EPC

[IMPACT] Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

The Fund9 DApps, Products & Integrations has several sections that describe the importance of the challenge and success.

• “Why is it important?”
• “Quality DApps and integrations will increase the utility & adoption of Cardano.”
• “What does success look like?”
• “Novel and viable applications get built on top of Cardano attracting users. Integrations manage to pull in more adoption.”

One of the important aspects of creating and managing a vibrant decentralized ecosystem is ensuring there is a pathway for developers and companies to run their own infrastructure as opposed to solely relying on third-party-managed infrastructure.

While using third-party infrastructure makes sense in many cases, it’s important to have the option to move to on-premises systems or self-managed hardware solutions.

The Wolfram Cardano EPC is a way for companies to build knowledge-based applications that will have access to decentralized tools.

[IMPACT] What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

There are a few new technical things to execute on this project. At present, we already provide Cardano nodes in the Wolfram Public Cloud. However, rewriting the middleware to be compatible with EPC will require new tasks. In addition, we will need to identify the release engineering requirements to ensure that we can work on a schedule that will allow for an upgrade path for the Wolfram Cardano EPC.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

I. Discovery Phase: July 1–October 1, 2022

If the project is not funded, we may wind it down and delay the completion until future funding rounds.

A.  Cardano Node Operation

Evaluate:

• The tools to monitor and maintain Cardano nodes

• Maintenance support staff for handling Cardano upgrades on currently operating nodes

B.  Enterprise Use Cases

Review:

• Private cloud blockchain use cases that are being experimented with by Fortune 1000 companies

• Release engineering for Cardano nodes

II. Working Phase: October 2, 2022–June 1, 2023

Develop:

• Integration of the Cardano node into EPC

• Sales materials that feature the Wolfram Cardano EPC

III. Final Phase: June 2, 2023–July 1, 2023

Presentation of proof of concept

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Team Costs: 170,000 USD (documentation, programming, system administration and design)

Supplies & Hardware: 25,000 USD (hardware, books and other associated costs)

Marketing & Outreach: 5,000 USD (marketing budget to promote events)

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

Wolfram Blockchain Labs (WBL) will work with our parent company, Wolfram Research, on this project. As a result, we will use WBL’s team members and Wolfram Research’s Open Cloud and Enterprise Private Cloud team members to complete the tasks.

In addition, we will use WBL’s team members to work on the sales and marketing materials.

Researchers

• Jon Woodard
•  Steph Macurdy

Technical

• The Wolfram Open Cloud team will be the engineering talent needed to execute this project and will rely on Wolfram Research system administrators and EPC programmers.

Supplemental Information with Biographies:

https://wolfr.am/Cardano-EPC

[FEASIBILITY] If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

Yes, this is a proof of concept. Once we've worked on this, we will return for additional funding for this project.

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or any member of your team working on any other proposals in this Fund9?

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or your team working on any other proposals from previous Funds?

[AUDITABILITY] Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

The number of:

• Companies interested in projects
• Cardano projects

Updates on the project:

• Monthly to Catalyst
• After each phase

[AUDITABILITY] What does success for this project look like?

The completion of the project will be measured using the following deliverables:

• Wolfram Cardano Enterprise Private Cloud
•  Documentation
•  Marketing materials
• Continued discussions with EPC consulting clients and discussions with EPC use-case candidates

[AUDITABILITY] Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

This is a new proposal.