🟧About Storages

Q：How do you determine which storage solution will be used?

GlacierDB does not prescribe a specific storage solution for its users or dApps. Instead, users and dApps have the flexibility to choose the storage solution that best suits their needs when creating and configuring their collections, provided that the selected storage solution is supported by GlacierDB.

Q：What is the tech structure when you store and query data through different storages, do you use an indexer or other layers?

Querying data in GlacierDB requires multiple steps, from formulating the query to processing the results. Simple queries within a collection can be handled directly by the DB Shard Node.

To handle more complex queries, we will leverage the Indexer provided by the Glacier Network. Indexers extract data from Arweave and generate optimized views for fast querying. This functionality enables a wide range of use cases, such as indexing, searching, aggregating, and even applying machine learning algorithms to the data.

Q：How often is metadata updated on storage (Arweave/Filecoin/BNB)?

The frequency at which GlacierDB produces data blocks and stores them on storage is typically every few minutes, with exact timing determined by the runtime configuration.

Q：Does Glacier sit on top of Filecoin/Arweave, or is it replacing them? What is the interaction between the storage network and Glacier?

GlacierDB sits on top of Filecoin/Arweave. GlacierDB produces data blocks which contain database transaction logs and store data blocks on the storage network.

Q：What are the differences between a smart contract and a decentralized database?

Smart Contract:

Smart contracts are typically built on blockchain platforms like Ethereum, Ploygon, or Solana. They use the underlying blockchain’s consensus mechanism and cryptographic techniques to ensure that the contract executes and stores transactions in a secure, transparent, and tamper-proof manner.

Decentralized Database:

Decentralized databases are typically built on top of decentralized storage systems such as Arweave, providing structured data management capabilities in tables. Decentralized databases utilize schemas to define the data structure, relationships, and constraints. They support complex queries and can efficiently search, sort, and filter data using indexes.

A smart contract is more L1 native, and GlacierDB consists of two layers in the architecture: L1 settlement/storage and L2 DB metadata roll up. L2 rollup supports the extension of various database engines and sharding, providing flexibility and support for big data. And Glacier Network generates Data Blocks and Data Proofs on L1 settlement contracts to ensure data correctness, scalability, and permanent storage.

Q：Where is the metadata stored? state change proofs or state change logs?

State change logs (Data Blocks) are stored on Arweave.

State change proofs (Data Block Proofs) are committed to the L1 settlement contract.

Q：How do you benefit from the structure compared to other existing off-chain data storages?

GlacierDB is designed to be an onchain data layer, comparing existing off-chain storage, it provides security, decentralization, and composability to dApps.