New Rust DNS Seeder by Zcash Foundation Boosts Peer Discovery and Security

TLDR

• The Zcash Foundation launched a new Rust-based DNS seeder to improve network reliability and peer discovery.
• The new seeder modernizes a crucial part of the Zcash network, enhancing performance during high traffic periods.
• The Zcash Foundation has deployed five new DNS seeders across multiple regions to increase global network reliability.
• The move eliminates Zcash’s dependence on ECC for critical infrastructure, ensuring greater decentralization.
• The updated DNS seeder now supports both IPv4 and IPv6, offering improved scalability and performance.

The Zcash Foundation launched a new Rust-based DNS seeder earlier this week. This infrastructure update aims to improve the way Zcash nodes discover each other when they first connect to the network. The new seeder is designed to modernize a key part of the Zcash network and address potential failures, ensuring better connectivity during high traffic periods.

DNS Seeders Modernized with Rust

The DNS seeder plays a crucial role in peer-to-peer networks. When a new Zcash node starts, it has no list of peers to connect to. The DNS seeder provides a short list of active nodes, allowing the network to grow organically.

Zcash relied on older implementations of the seeder before the update. The Foundation said the rewrite in Rust provides a more robust solution. This new design ensures greater safety, performance, and reliability for new Zcash nodes. The seeder uses the same networking code as Zebra, the Zcash Foundation’s Rust-based full node, which improves consistency across the network.

Zcash Foundation’s Commitment to Decentralization

Before the new deployment, Zcash had only two DNS seeders, both run by ECC. These seeders were based on legacy Bitcoin code, leaving the network dependent on a single organization for critical infrastructure. By taking over the responsibility, the Zcash Foundation now ensures better decentralization.

With the deployment of five new DNS seeders across various regions, the Foundation has increased redundancy. The new infrastructure is now spread globally, which increases both reliability and performance for Zcash nodes worldwide. By adding this infrastructure, the Zcash Foundation strengthens the network and removes the last major dependency on ECC.

Foundation’s Efforts to Expand Network Reach

Following a January 8 outage, Zcash Foundation deployed its new seeders to restore network functionality. The ECC-operated seeders stopped responding, leading to onboarding issues for new Zcash nodes. This outage exposed the vulnerabilities in relying on a single organization for critical network infrastructure.

In response, the Foundation quickly rolled out five new seeders. These seeders now cover multiple regions, increasing the overall reliability of the network. Zcash users can now connect to seeders closer to their geographic location, improving performance and reducing startup times for wallets and nodes.

The Foundation is also looking into expanding coverage in the Asia-Pacific region to improve latency. Other regions, such as South America, are being considered for further deployments. This expansion will help ensure faster peer discovery globally, continuing to enhance the decentralization of the network.

The new seeder infrastructure has already proven successful in improving network reliability. As the Zcash Foundation continues to enhance its infrastructure, users can expect even greater improvements in the network’s performance and accessibility.

The Zcash Foundation’s efforts ensure that the network can grow without depending on a single organization. With a fully decentralized DNS seeder infrastructure, new nodes can now join the network securely and efficiently.

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