At the latest Ethereum All Core Developers Consensus (ACDC) call #136, developers convened to discuss new research on client diversity data collection and multi-client block verification, along with progress on the Pectra upgrade. The meeting, chaired by Ethereum Foundation researcher Alex Stokes and attended via Zoom on June 27, 2024, focused on coordinating changes to the Ethereum consensus layer (CL).
Developers deliberated on preparations for the Pectra upgrade and unresolved issues and proposals regarding PeerDAS implementation. Additionally, Etan Kissling of Nimbus shared advancements in implementing EIP 7688 and EIP 6493, highlighting their significance in upgrading Ethereum’s data serialization methods.
Christine Kim, Vice President of Research at Galaxy Digital, meticulously documented the key points of the meeting. The discussions included updates on various topics such as client diversity data collection, multi-client block verification, and the ongoing developments related to the Pectra upgrade.
Researcher Jorge Arce-Garro from Nethermind presented his team’s recent findings on improving node operator reporting methods for client diversity data, sponsored by the Ethereum Foundation. This study proposed three different approaches to enhance how verification node operators communicate client types, evaluating them based on complexity, security, and the ability to protect node operator anonymity. The study has been published on Ethresearch for feedback.
Peter Szilágyi from Geth discussed his team’s latest efforts in supporting Execution Layer (EL) cross-verification, aimed at enhancing Ethereum’s resilience in cases of significant errors in major clients. Szilágyi emphasized the need for substantial changes to the Engine API to realize EL cross-verification, noting ongoing tests and benchmarks.
Development on PeerDAS was also highlighted, with updates on its second development network and multiple consensus layer client implementations. Challenges discussed included how to manage blob gas limits and calculate blob base fees between the EL and CL.
Etan Kissling updated attendees on the implementation progress of EIP 7688 and EIP 6493, which involve upgrading Ethereum’s data serialization methods. While not yet formally included in the Pectra upgrade, there is enthusiasm among some developers to incorporate them soon.
The Ethereum development community continues to navigate these complex proposals with the aim of enhancing Ethereum’s functionality and resilience.
