Solana is known for significantly enhancing transaction processing times, making it a standout contender in the Layer 1 space. However, the network has come under fire for allegedly being too centralized.
After facing scrutiny due to periodic outages, Solana implemented several fixes. This helped it maintain uninterrupted service for a full year, only to experience a 5-hour outage on February 6th, breaking its streak.
- Solana has experienced multiple instances of downtime in the past. Since 2021, it has encountered at least one significant crash annually, severely impacting block production.
- Some sources have even documented at least 11 total disruptions over the last two years, including minor incidents.
- But the latest one triggered an outpouring of criticism, with several industry experts weighing in on the outrage and expressing their disappointment.
- Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson, for one, mocked the blockchain and made a jest at Solana. He shared a widely circulated tweet featuring a meme that appeared to jest about Solana’s difficulties.
- The issue had influential individuals such as Max Keiser, a well-known advocate for Bitcoin, expressed their disapproval of Solana on Twitter, labeling it as “centralized garbage” and forecasting its demise.
- Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets at VanEck, explained that the outage resulted from a malfunction in the BPF loader, also known as the “Berkley Packet Filter,” which is responsible for deploying, upgrading, and executing programs on Solana.
- Sigel stated that the problem originated from a Solana Improvement Proposal (SMID) that implemented alterations, such as introducing a blocker to prohibit the utilization of metadata in the BPF.
This article first appeared at CryptoPotato