{"id":683194,"date":"2025-01-25T06:58:59","date_gmt":"2025-01-25T06:58:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniquehot.com\/?p=683194"},"modified":"2025-01-25T06:59:36","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T06:59:36","slug":"xandeum-the-hard-disk-to-solanas-ram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniquehot.com\/news\/company\/xandeum-the-hard-disk-to-solanas-ram\/","title":{"rendered":"Xandeum: The Hard Disk to Solana\u2019s RAM"},"content":{"rendered":"
Blockchains can be described in many ways but when you boil it down, they\u2019re essentially computers. A big, distributed, global computer capable of performing read\/write operations, executing code, and storing content. This isn\u2019t an analogy: it\u2019s a reality.<\/span><\/p>\n
Ethereum, if you recall, was once called \u201cthe world computer\u201d and it\u2019s a term that can equally be applied to any other smart contract-native L1. Like Solana, which has in many ways taken Ethereum\u2019s crown and now serves, for millions of onchain users, as their designated world computer.<\/span><\/p>\n
While this concept is easy to visualize, we rarely break it down further into its component parts. But doing so is a valuable exercise, not least because it makes it easier to understand the role that each part of the blockchain stack plays in making this computer operate efficiently. It also provides a helpful heuristic for envisaging ways in which this computer could be upgraded to enhance performance.<\/span><\/p>\n
Solana Is RAM<\/span><\/h3>\n
RAM (Random Access Memory) is a computer\u2019s short-term memory, holding data that the system\u2019s processor requires quick access to. When you open and run a program, it\u2019s loaded into RAM so that the processor can retrieve and manipulate data swiftly, without having to repeatedly read from the hard drive or SSD.<\/span><\/p>\n
The more RAM a computer has, the more information it can store for immediate use, allowing for smoother multitasking and faster overall performance. When RAM is low or full, programs can become sluggish or may even crash because the system has to rely on much slower disk storage as a fallback.<\/span><\/p>\n
But what\u2019s all this got to do with Solana? Well, quite simply, Solana \u2013 or any other smart contract L1 you may wish to cite \u2013 <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> RAM. Any time you open up a dapp (computer program) it\u2019s loaded into RAM, with all actions you make within that application recorded onchain. But RAM, as we\u2019ve established, is a finite resource, and sometimes there ain\u2019t enough of it to go round. That\u2019s when the whole computer slow downs, impairing user experience.<\/span><\/p>\n
The solution \u2013 in the context of blockchain, though it applies equally to your PC \u2013 is to reduce reliance on RAM. It\u2019s a component that\u2019s been optimized for short-term storage, and should only be used as such to avoid overloading it. Larger amounts of data should be entrusted to a hard disk or SSD \u2013 which is where Xandeum comes in. It\u2019s no good at speeding up your home computer, but it\u2019s ideally suited to freeing up the Solana main chain to do RAM things. Here\u2019s why.<\/span><\/p>\n
Finding a Permanent Home for Blockchain Data<\/span><\/h3>\n
As blockchains scale to support data-intensive dapps, particularly when it comes to AI with its insatiable demands, developers face a persistent bottleneck: where to store the deluge of information that smart contracts require? As noted earlier, L1s such as Solana excel at trustless, high-throughput execution, functioning like the RAM in a global decentralized computer. But they lack the equivalent of a large, reliable disk for big data storage.<\/span><\/p>\n