Ethereum 2.0 developers will run another testnet 'Zinken'

Ethereum • September 30, 2020, 4:35AM EDT
The Block

Ethereum 2.0 developers will run yet another testnet "Zinken" in the coming days as the Spadina testnet didn't go smoothly enough.

Danny Ryan, a core Ethereum developer, said Spadina suffered long waits to block finality and low participation from Ethereum 2.0 clients, or parties that run nodes to validate transactions.

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"Even though we expect moderately low participation on a short-lived non-incentivized testnet, small errors in the client release process great[ly] exacerbated this problem, resulting in ~1/3 participation in the first few epochs," said Ryan. "In response to these issues, we'll be hosting -at least- one more dress rehearsal -- Zinken -- prior to genesis."

Prysmatic Labs, one of the Ethereum 2.0 clients, said the issues with the Spadina testnet gave a "bad look for this 'genesis rehearsal.'" However, it wasn't a critical bug or a consensus error, "but rather something due to configuration parameters which can be fixed with a release," said Prysmatic.

The Zinken testnet is expected to run "in a week and a half," said Ryan.

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