Network update (sprint 42)

blog/2023-08-18-network.md

@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+---
+title: Network Team Update
+slug: 2023-08-18-network
+authors: coot
+tags: [network]
+hide_table_of_contents: false
+---
+
+## High-level overview of [sprint 42][sprint-42]
+
+### Eclipse Evasion
+
+We merged and released a new version of the `ouroboros-network` package (version
+`0.9.0.0`) which includes [big ledger peers feature][ouroboros-network#3886].
+This is the primary mechanism to defend against eclipses.   We also prepared
+a PR to updated [`ouroboros-cosnensus`][ouroboros-consensus#165] and
+[`ekg-forward`][ekg-forward#30] packages.
+
+### CDDL specs for protocol codecs
+
+We made our `cddl` spec for network codec more inlined with the
+implementation which is highly polymorphic.  `cddl` doesn't have the notion of
+polymorphism, but has `any` which can generate any valid cbor term.  We matched
+it with an `Any` type on the Haskell side and made all remaining tests & specs
+use it.  This simplified the specifications and made it easier to understand
+which parts are defined in the spec, and which parts are left unspecified.
+See [ouroboros-network#4595].
+
+### Ouroboros-Network-Framework API changes
+
+We also released `ouroboros-network-framework` and other network components.
+The `ouroboros-network-framework` package contains a redesign of API exposed to
+`ouroboros-cosnensus`.  We consolidated, cleaned it and made it easier to
+extend in the future if there will be new arguments that need to be passed to
+mini-protocol initiator and responders which comes from the low-level network
+layer.
+
+### Nix setup (CI)
+
+We also made a major review of our `nix` setup.  With help from our DevX team
+we ended up with a clean `flake.nix` file which can:
+
+* compile & test the code on `x86_64-linux`, `x86_64-darwin` and `aarch64-darwin`
+* cross-compile to `Windows` on `x86_64-linux` 
+
+And provides a shell which contains all the build tools, including `ghc-9.6`,
+`hls`, `cddl`, and more.  See [ouroboros-network#4640],
+[ouroboros-network#4643].
+
+
+## Other contributions
+
+### Cardano Network Service Assurance
+
+- The busywork and writeup in finishing up the CNSA, first stage (first
+  contract).
+- Getting Sam Cowger (Galois Inc) up to speed.
+
+### Galois Review
+
+Sam Cowger and Mark Tullsen (Galois Inc) have made some progress on each of the tech debt issues
+
+* [ouroboros-network#3832],
+* [ouroboros-network#3834],
+* [ouroboros-network#3835],
+* [ouroboros-network#3836];
+
+scoping, requirements, and getting started.
+
+### CI
+
+We added a nightly run for GitHub actions and made the GitHub actions test be
+executed with extra concurrency [ouroboros-network#4637], [ouroboros-network#4649].
+
+We also added GitHub's dependabot [ouroboros-network#4650].
+
+### Bootstrap Peers
+
+We settled on implementation design of bootstrap peers which is being
+implemented, [ouroboros-network#4615].
+
+
+[sprint-42]: https://github.com/orgs/input-output-hk/projects/19/views/16?filterQuery=sprint%3A%22sprint+42%22
+
+[ekg-forward#30]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ekg-forward/pull/30
+
+[ouroboros-consensus#165]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-consensus/pull/165
+
+[ouroboros-network#3832]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/issues/3832
+[ouroboros-network#3834]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/issues/3834
+[ouroboros-network#3835]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/issues/3835
+[ouroboros-network#3836]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/issues/3836
+[ouroboros-network#3886]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/issues/3886
+[ouroboros-network#4595]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/issues/4595
+[ouroboros-network#4615]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/issues/4615
+[ouroboros-network#4637]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/pull/4637
+[ouroboros-network#4640]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/pull/4640
+[ouroboros-network#4643]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/pull/4643
+[ouroboros-network#4649]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/pull/4649
+[ouroboros-network#4650]: https://github.com/input-output-hk/ouroboros-network/pull/4650