Blockchain Release: New Snapshot and Follow Mode

The core developers have tagged a new 2021.07.19.0 Hotspot firmware release which updates the currently blessed snapshot, introduces state channel related improvements and switches all Hotspots to non-validation (follow mode). This is an optional but recommended release for Hotspot owners and manufacturers to continue syncing with newly blessed snapshots.

• Related PRs

  • blockchain-core#880: Only count open state channels as active
  • blockchain-core#908: Improve state channel performance
  • miner#943: Add new blessed snapshot, switch all Hotspots to follow mode with a fallback
  • Much thanks to @ke6jjj for enhancing JSONRPC support in the PRs below:
    • miner#937: Implement ability to query stats for a single validator
    • miner#931: Implement hbbft_perf for JSONRPC
  • Finally thanks to @BenoitDuffez for updating the dbus endpoint in the below PRs:
    • miner#935: Add height dbus endpoint
    • miner#934: Add block age dbus endpoint

Plan

We have been beta testing 2021.07.19.0 since July 19th, 2021 2:20 PM PT. Current ETA for GA is 6:00 PM PT, July 19th, 2021.