Quick sidebar while I re-write Mike.Sierra.Echo – life imitates Mesh once again with the introduction of R5N and Mesh Routing. This whitepaper breaks down how you use R5N to achieve a secure, decentralized network of data sharing that can use any protocol, and shares data without the need for an Internet. I knew somebody would be working on it, and Mesh is a story about kids who take ideas like R5N and go ‘next step’ on the entire Internet with world-changing results.
Anyway, before we get to that, here’s a brief explanation for what the whitepaper is talking about:
This article is about a technical system called R5N, which is a type of distributed hash table (DHT). Think of a DHT as a way to store and find data across a large, decentralized network of computers, kind of like how a library has a system to find books.
R5N is designed for secure and efficient data storage and retrieval in decentralized applications. It works by allowing computers (or “peers”) to connect with each other directly without needing a central server. This makes it great for things like peer-to-peer file sharing or other applications where you want to avoid relying on a single point of control.
Key features of R5N include:
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- Open Participation: Anyone can join and participate in the network without needing permission.
- Routing and Data Paths: R5N uses smart algorithms to find the best paths for data through the network, even in environments where direct connections are restricted.
- Security: It includes measures to ensure data integrity and security, preventing malicious actors from disrupting the network.
The document also covers the messages exchanged between peers, cryptographic methods used for security, and system and security models.
It’s important to note that this specification was developed outside of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), a major organization for internet standards. While not officially endorsed by IETF, it provides guidelines for developers to implement R5N to ensure compatibility with other networks.
R5N is a set of rules and technologies designed to make decentralized data sharing safe, efficient, and accessible to everyone.
What’s It Means
In summary, R5N is a sophisticated, resilient and efficient way to store and retrieve data across a network of computers. No central servers, no central closets of network hardware where somebody can poke and pry. That can come in handy. Sooner or later, people will tire of a bloated and toxic and weird Internet. Mesh is the story of some kids who found a way to do that.
Super-cool tech ideas like these are things that I enjoy reading and learning about and sharing. I hope you find something cool to do with R5N and share it with me.
Write on!
