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Ouroboros: Packet networking rebuilt from the ground up

70 points by admax88qqq 4y ago

admax88qqq 4y ago
I came across this project years ago and just rediscovered it today. I think it’s interesting how they focus on networking from the perspective of IPC and build the system by layers different implementations of the same interface
alfanick 4y ago
This looks like a student assignment project from some CS class. A lot of promises, but looks like some TCP reinvented over UDP using some C API with some decentralization marketing. > TCP/IP design is fundamentally broken, and a different approach is needed to build efficient packet networks.
- comboy 4y ago
  I wonder how it compares to QUIC
- jillesvangurp 4y ago
  They support doing this over ethernet packets as well; they don't require IP networking. Supporting IP/UDP is a sane thing to do for supporting legacy networks.
- intelVISA 4y ago
  So what you're saying is better than most startups? At least this one has a naive technical premise rather than "disrupting [non-existent problem]"
herpderperator 4y ago
FYI: CTA buttons can't be clicked when they're behind the transparent header, i.e. when you've scrolled down enough that the buttons go where the header is.
Semaphor 4y ago
Some discussion almost 3 years ago, including comments by the devs: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22052416 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22052416 edit: Fixed link
- Jweb_Guru 4y ago
  FYI, you appear to have relinked to the same thread by accident.
  - Semaphor 4y ago
    Thanks, fixed it.
- Dave3of5 4y ago
  No that's a link to the current discussion.
  - Semaphor 4y ago
    Indeed, I fixed the link.
bheadmaster 4y ago
> Ouroboros congestion control operates at the network level. It does not (can not!) rely on acknowledgements. This means all network flows are automatically congestion controlled. How exactly does this work? Once you send a packet into the network, you have no way of knowing whether or not it is received by the recipient, unless the receiver sends an acknowledgement - and the only symptom of congestion is dropped packets, i.e. recipient not receiving a packet..
- throwoutway 4y ago
  And a follow-up, how is that different than what UDP solves?
iwillbenice 4y ago
cestith 4y ago
Interesting concept, but a more modern, more secure set of tools at this level these days should be done in a language that makes secure coding easier than C. I get they want to easily offer a C-level API, but at least use something that machine-generates correct C.
simonmic 4y ago
Note, this is not https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros_(protocol) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros_(protocol).
cryptonector 4y ago
> This immutability can be enforced through authentication (not yet implemented). So, that's one of the most interesting parts...

70 points by admax88qqq 4y ago

I came across this project years ago and just rediscovered it today. I think it’s interesting how they focus on networking from the perspective of IPC and build the system by layers different implementations of the same interface

alfanick 4y ago

This looks like a student assignment project from some CS class. A lot of promises, but looks like some TCP reinvented over UDP using some C API with some decentralization marketing. > TCP/IP design is fundamentally broken, and a different approach is needed to build efficient packet networks.

comboy 4y ago
I wonder how it compares to QUIC
jillesvangurp 4y ago
They support doing this over ethernet packets as well; they don't require IP networking. Supporting IP/UDP is a sane thing to do for supporting legacy networks.
intelVISA 4y ago
So what you're saying is better than most startups? At least this one has a naive technical premise rather than "disrupting [non-existent problem]"

herpderperator 4y ago

FYI: CTA buttons can't be clicked when they're behind the transparent header, i.e. when you've scrolled down enough that the buttons go where the header is.

Semaphor 4y ago

Some discussion almost 3 years ago, including comments by the devs: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22052416 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22052416 edit: Fixed link

Jweb_Guru 4y ago
FYI, you appear to have relinked to the same thread by accident.
- Semaphor 4y ago
  Thanks, fixed it.
Dave3of5 4y ago
No that's a link to the current discussion.
- Semaphor 4y ago
  Indeed, I fixed the link.

bheadmaster 4y ago

> Ouroboros congestion control operates at the network level. It does not (can not!) rely on acknowledgements. This means all network flows are automatically congestion controlled. How exactly does this work? Once you send a packet into the network, you have no way of knowing whether or not it is received by the recipient, unless the receiver sends an acknowledgement - and the only symptom of congestion is dropped packets, i.e. recipient not receiving a packet..

throwoutway 4y ago
And a follow-up, how is that different than what UDP solves?

iwillbenice 4y ago

cestith 4y ago

Interesting concept, but a more modern, more secure set of tools at this level these days should be done in a language that makes secure coding easier than C. I get they want to easily offer a C-level API, but at least use something that machine-generates correct C.

simonmic 4y ago

Note, this is not https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros_(protocol) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros_(protocol).

cryptonector 4y ago

> This immutability can be enforced through authentication (not yet implemented). So, that's one of the most interesting parts...