Witness Update - Primary witness now in Sweden + SteemEngine development

[someguy123]

It's been a while since I've made one of these, but I've been extremely busy with many things.

Over the past few months, I've been spending a lot of time working on @privex related projects, and most recently, SteemEngine (tired of waiting for SMTs? @aggroed, @harpagon and @yabapmatt already made them a reality!)

Tl;Dr; version

• Released an open source Python library for SteemEngine,
  with full support for sending + issuing tokens, as well as account history

• Released @privex 's Python JSONRPC Library for painless interaction with
  JSONRPC nodes such as steemd, bitcoind, etc.

• Various improvements to @privex 's Python Log Helper library -
  a very useful library to simplify Python's logging API.

  Used internally by @privex , @anonsteem , and several other projects I've built

• Released @privex 's IPMI Slot Manager script as open source, written by us
  to make managing multiple physical servers over IPMI much easier.

• Spent 100's of hours developing CryptoToken Converter - a highly modular
  and robust system, designed to facilitate fast and painless conversion between different cryptocurrencies and/or tokens.

• Many hours have been behind the scenes, working on @privex 's Sweden region, getting closer to launch each day.

  Our Swedish region is currently running as a private beta with several Steem witnesses and third-party developers battle testing
  it, before we release it to the public.

• Set up my new witness server in Sweden, running on @privex 's own network, with relatively high end hardware.

Sweden Witness

In mid-February, @privex received several high-end Haswell-based Intel Xeon servers for our Swedish region. I purchased two of them from
the company (i.e. I own the physical servers, they're not rented).

On Friday (29 Mar), I finally set up one of the servers as my new Primary Witness Node, helping to reduce the current
centralization of witness servers in Germany.

The witness server is hosted at @privex's Sweden Datacenter, running on Privex's physical network and IP space, with
a blazing fast 10gbps network connection.

	Specifications
CPU	2x 10c/20t Intel Xeon E5-2660 v3's (Haswell) running at 3.3ghz turbo
RAM	128gb of DDR4 ECC RAM @ 2133mhz
Disks	2x 500GB Samsung 970 EVO's (PCI-e NVMe) running in RAID 0
Network	10gbps (yes, 10,000 mbps) via Privex Inc. (AS210083, we're a real ISP now)
Power	Dual hot-swap PSUs, each connected to a separate power feed protecting it from power surges/outages

This server has now been set as my Primary node, and started producing blocks on Friday, 29 Mar 2019, at approximately 10:10 PM UTC-0.

I now have a total of four geo-diverse witness servers, ensuring reliable block production as a top 20 witness:

• Sweden (Primary)
  • 2x Xeon Haswell 2.6ghz (3.3ghz turbo), 128GB DDR4 ECC 2133mhz, 2x 500gb Samsung 970 EVO PCI-e NVMe
• Finland 1 (Secondary)
  • 2x Xeon Skylake 3.8ghz, 64GB DDR4 ECC 2400mhz, 2x 512gb Samsung PM981 512gb PCI-e NVMe
• Finland 2 - (Tertiary)
  • Core i7 Kaby Lake 3.6ghz, 64GB DDR4 2133mhz, 2x 500gb Micron SSD
• Germany (Last line, oldest and weakest server)
  • Core i7 Sky Lake 3.4ghz, 64GB DDR4 2133mhz, 2x Crucial 500gb SSD

CryptoToken Converter

Open Source

CryptoToken Converter is an open source project released under the GNU AGPL 3.0.

You can find it HERE on Privex's Github

What can it do?

This project was originally developed to be used by SteemEngine, however it has been designed
to fit many different purposes, for example:

• It could be used to run an instant crypto converter site, similar to @blocktrades or ShapeShift.
• It could be used to run a pegged token gateway, allowing either one-way or two-way conversions between a pegged token, and the
  asset which it's pegged against (e.g. Bitcoin <-> Pegged Bitcoin Tokens)
• The payment handling code is designed to be robust and reliable, it can be taken and used for handling any form of cryptocurrency payments

Out of the box, it supports / includes:

• Sending, issuing and receiving SteemEngine Tokens
• Sending and receiving any cryptocurrency which has a coin daemon with a JSONRPC API that's backwards compatible with bitcoind (e.g. Litecoin, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Cash)
• Adjustable percentage exchange fee (default 0%) per conversion
• Automatically takes any blockchain fees out of the final amount sent
• Automatic conversion between user defined coin pairs, with adjustable "exchange rate" per coin pair
  • Generates deposit addresses mapped to the coin pair for address-based coins such as Bitcoin
  • Scans incoming deposit memos for account-based coins such as SteemEngine Tokens (they run on the Steem network)

• A user friendly admin panel with the ability to create user groups with different permissions, allowing you to create more restricted
  admin accounts for your customer service team
  • Included in the admin is a Coin Health / Status dashboard, for quickly checking which coin daemons / APIs are functioning properly, and the balances of their wallet / account

Browsable REST API

The project includes a browsable REST API, making it extremely easy for developers to dig into the API and play with it, without having to use command line tools such as http (HTTPie) and curl, or having to write scripts.

Documentation

Unlike a lot of open source projects, many hours have been put into documentation, ensuring developers can easily install and configure it, as well as develop for it.

The documentation includes information on how to use the API, as well as a section on Coin Handlers, explaining with code examples how to add a new cryptocurrency network to the system.

https://cryptotoken-converter.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

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Vote for me to be a witness - every vote counts.

Don't forget to follow me for more like this.

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Have you ever thought about being a witness yourself? Join the witness channel. We're happy to guide you! Join in shaping the STEEM economy.

Are you looking for a new server provider? My company @privex offers highly-reliable and affordable dedicated and virtual servers for STEEM, LTC, and BTC! Check out our website at https://www.privex.io

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Comments

[bobinson]

Lots and lots of stuff man !

It could be used to run a pegged token gateway, allowing either one-way or two-way conversions between a pegged token, and the
asset which it's pegged against (e.g. Bitcoin <-> Pegged Bitcoin Tokens)

The gateway is very very interesting to me as well. I have few stupid doubts ...

1. Can you give an example of a pegged coin ?
2. bitBTC can be an example case here ?
3. Where do you get the exchange rate ?
4. Can you add support for HTLC ?

[someguy123]

1. You could for example create a token on Bitshares or some other network pegged to STEEM or SBD, and you could use this to facilitate conversion between the Steem network's STEEM and Bitshare's STEEMPEG.
2. From what I can tell, bitBTC is a token on Bitshares for Bitcoin, and that's a good example of something it could be used for.
3. Currently it's just a number set on the Coin Pair in the database, there is no automatic exchange rate updates, but you could easily add a cron to update the exchange rates every few minutes.
4. I'm not sure about atomic chain swaps, but it's open source, so anyone could add support for it if they wanted

[bobinson]

1. OK
2. I was wondering what happens if a peg breaks - like what happened in the case of SBD.
3. Got it - I think with @coingecko and others providing us APIs, this can be added very easily.
4. On HTLC (atomic swaps) agreed. I am looking into HTLC for few things. I will revert with any information that I am able to find.

[reseller]

You've made the Steemit Minute for today! Congrats!

Check out the Video Here: https://steemit.com/dtube/@reseller/hnpm1ao0

[nnnarvaez]

Glad to see what you are up to in the basement with the machines :)

I am really interested in that gateway, going to dig into the docs straight away, i have been working for the last two ears into a primitive token integration with discord and a parasite side chain while you guys were playing the big leages!

[someguy123]

Since the main project is purely a REST API, everything is exposed via the API, so you could very easily
integrate a Discord bot with the API, simply build a chat command like this:

.convert fromtoken totoken destaddr

Then, it simply fires off a request to /api/convert and returns their deposit info. So easy :)

[yehey]

@someguy123 and @nnnarvaez
Do you have a working websites that use this program to take a peek?

@someguy123,
Maybe you can open source the anom account creation too :)

Cheers,
@Yehey

[nnnarvaez]

That is what i have done for my token, i am looking forward migrating everything to a web page because millennial don't want functionality they want looks and hype.

But i made sure i had the functionality first :P

[maxdevalue]

That’s a lot, now we can understand why you’re underground for a while now. Thanks for all these great sacrifices for our dear blockchain.

[gniksivart]

Awesome update and thanks for sharing. Hope someone picks this up and runs with it as it would be awesome to have a shapeshift to be able to convert steem ans sbds instantly into other tokens quickly and easily, with no fees.

Posted using Partiko Android

[someguy123]

We do already have Blocktrades, but sometimes they can take a large cut from the final amount.

It's quite possible for people to take the project and turn it into a ShapeShift for whatever coins they please, and thanks to the licensing (AGPL 3.0), they're required to keep it open source - so if you don't like their fees, someone can just take their code and run their own version with lower/no fees.

[enginewitty]

I saw the Steemengine tokens in the internal wallet prior to having an external steemit wallet so, am I to assume others will appear there soon too?

Posted using Partiko Android

[aggroed]

it's up to the different front ends to display. There's an api that means a dev can display them after ~half a day of work on any site.

[nassifelias]

Actually, a great article to read @someguy123. Very interesting topic since I work with APIs in my software engineering field. Good Luck man 😁💪

[alpayasteem]

Hi @someguy123, Is the SteemEngine token different from the token that we know now on Steem (Steem and Steem Dollar)..?

If this has been launched hopefully this token has a market unlike some new tokens that have no market but have been released to the public ..

[ucukertz]

Steem Engine tokens run on sidechain until SMT is released, they will be native Steem token by then.

[treeplanter]

You just planted 0.10 tree(s)!

Thanks to @fuadsm

We have planted already
8197.02 trees
out of 1,000,000

Let's save and restore Abongphen Highland Forest
in Cameroonian village Kedjom-Keku!
Plant trees with @treeplanter and get paid for it!
My Steem Power = 24645.41
Thanks a lot!
@martin.mikes coordinator of @kedjom-keku

[pouchon]

This is big boy pant talking around here.
Definitely the dough resides at the genesis.
Why I didn’t go that route ?
Never to late to do good thing
Keep on postin

Posted using Partiko iOS

[themanualbot]

You're not just a @someguy123.

[arnel]

Great work you've done here. Wish you all the success you deserve. Congrats!

[promobot]

@someguy123 purchased a 72.52% vote from @promobot on this post.

*If you disagree with the reward or content of this post you can purchase a reversal of this vote by using our curation interface http://promovotes.com

[holoz0r]

Great work. What are your thoughts on MIRA and the potential it gives to more distributed nodes?

Thanks for your help in the Steem witness channel on Steem.chat earlier this week.

Posted using Partiko Android

[boomerang]

This post has received a 100.0 % upvote from @boomerang.

[llh0519]

good writer!!

[ronel]

I find this worth resteeming.
Resteemed!

[ana3enady]

great job and wish u fully success. congrats

[bubke]

omg, what a toys you have!

Posted using Partiko Android

[ednabenitez]

Thanks so much for this great sacrifice you have made shall not be in vain for we shall stand by you in supporting and promoting you always, and I say this to you the greater you go higher

[sammosk]

Kick ass, keep up the good work.

[petertomas]

It is a pleasure for me, to read this type of content here in steemit, so I learn to make my publications ... Thank you for your contribution, from VENEZUELA I wish you the best and the greatest success

[flaxz]

That's great, Steem witnesses in Sweden.

Posted using Partiko Android

[lichtblick]

Resteemed :-)

[arcange]

Congratulations @someguy123!
Your post was mentioned in the Steem Hit Parade in the following category:

• Pending payout - Ranked 1 with $ 259,56

[rana2423]

Good effort. I am following you for more such kind of informational content about steem like this.Like for your company. Think it will reach on the paramount in recent future.Just keep going and we will surely stay with you guys.
Also,If you can post more motivational content,that will be helpful for us.Also you can post content about how can we guys reach to more people loudly. Thank you so much.

[andreina89]

Fantastic work friend congratulations

[frankbacon]

Highly rEsteemed!

[steemitboard]

Congratulations @someguy123! You have completed the following achievement on the Steem blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :

Your post got the highest payout on one day

_{You can view your badges on your Steem Board and compare to others on the Steem Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word STOP}

Vote for @Steemitboard as a witness to get one more award and increased upvotes!

[chireerocks]

@someguy123, Effective lined up updates on this page. And specially the Witness update and it's sounding that you've put solid specifications to back your Witness System.

Posted using Partiko Android

[prakashghai]

Congrats on your work Someguy !
All the best, I wish you success mate.

[bachateiro]

Nowadays the situation that we are going through in Venezuela is critical economically, politically, and even socially and you all know it, the government is a huge brazenness, people no longer have hope, and only take a decision that is to emigrate to another country. . These months have been getting worse, with your vote you will help a group of people you will be very grateful

[ednabenitez]

Very interesting because everything is everything is exposed via the API, so you could very easily
integrate a Discord boT... Over the past 1 year have been going with that belief.