Skip to main content

Questions about ThreeFold​

Here are 10 questions about ThreeFold, covering what it is, how it works, and why it is needed:

What is ThreeFold and what is its core mission?​

ThreeFold is a DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network) system designed to scale to a planetary level. Its core mission is to provide "Internet Infrastructure for Everyone by Everyone, Everywhere" with 100% uptime, enabling any machine and human to communicate over the shortest path. ThreeFold aims to rebuild the internet's foundations to make it more reliable, safe, private, scalable, and sustainable. It's compatible with AI, Cloud, Web2, Web3, and is building towards Web4.

What are the primary problems with the current internet infrastructure that ThreeFold aims to solve?​

ThreeFold aims to solve several critical problems with the current internet:

  • Centralization Risks: The digital world is controlled by a few corporations, compromising autonomy and increasing fragility
  • Economic Loss of GDP: The internet has become GDP-negative for many nations, funneling resources out of local economies to global giants
  • Outdated Infrastructure: TCP/IP, the internet's core protocol, was never designed for today's complexities, leading to inefficiency, security flaws, and waste
  • Environmental and Economic Inefficiency: Over 70% of the world relies on distant infrastructure, making access expensive, unreliable, and dependent on fragile global systems
  • Limited Access: Over 50% of the world lacks decent internet access, widening economic gaps

How does ThreeFold propose to address the risks associated with centralization?​

ThreeFold addresses centralization risks through:

  • Decentralized Infrastructure: Building a distributed network of 3Nodes owned by individuals and organizations across the globe
  • Local Control: Enabling countries and communities to own and control their digital infrastructure, reducing dependence on foreign entities
  • Elimination of Single Points of Failure: Creating a resilient system where no single entity can disrupt services
  • Data Sovereignty: Ensuring data remains under the control of users or local entities through geo-awareness
  • Autonomous Operation: Implementing self-healing systems that operate without central control points
  • Distributed Ownership: Allowing anyone to become an internet infrastructure provider, democratizing access and control

What are the main architectural layers that constitute the ThreeFold infrastructure?​

ThreeFold's infrastructure consists of these main architectural layers:

  1. Decentralized Infrastructure Layers:
    • Unbreakable Network Layer: Provides robust connectivity with resilience to failures and attacks
    • Unbreakable Storage Layer: Offers decentralized, reliable, and secure data storage
  2. Geo-Fenced AI: AI functionalities tied to geographical and jurisdictional contexts, ensuring secure and compliant operations across borders, as delivered by partners.
  3. Interconnected 3Nodes: The foundation of the infrastructure, combining compute, storage, and networking capabilities

How do the Decentralized Infrastructure Layers (Network and Storage) contribute to ThreeFold's resilience?​

The Decentralized Infrastructure Layers contribute to ThreeFold's resilience by:

  • Eliminating Single Points of Failure: Distributing network and storage across many nodes prevents system-wide outages
  • Unbreakable Network: Providing robust connectivity that can withstand failures and attacks through redundant paths and shortest-path routing
  • Unbreakable Storage: Implementing quantum-safe storage algorithms that distribute data across multiple nodes, ensuring data remains accessible even if some nodes fail
  • Forming an "Unbreakable Cloud Engine": Together, these layers ensure continuity and reliability of services
  • End-to-End Encryption: Securing all communications and data storage
  • Autonomous Operation: Self-healing capabilities that maintain service integrity without human intervention

How does the concept of Geo-Fenced (GeoAwareness) enhance security and compliance within ThreeFold?​

Geo-Awareness enhances security and compliance by:

  • Shortest Physical Path Communication: Reducing latency and energy consumption while increasing efficiency by routing through the shortest physical path
  • Data Autonomy and Integrity: Allowing users to decide where their data is stored, ensuring it remains incorruptible and accessible only to authorized parties
  • Resilient Functionality: Ensuring most apps and services remain operational even during internet outages or disasters
  • Control Over Applications and AI: Enabling users to decide where their applications and personal AI agents operate, giving them full control over their digital footprint
  • Transparent Deployment: Knowing exactly which code or app is deployed where, ensuring security and preventing tampering
  • Jurisdictional Compliance: Enabling countries to implement and enforce their own data sovereignty laws and regulations
  • Localized Control: Empowering countries with localized control, enhancing autonomy and trust

Describe the function and importance of 3Nodes in building the ThreeFold ecosystem.​

3Nodes are the foundation of the ThreeFold infrastructure:

  • They combine compute, storage, and networking capabilities in a single unit
  • They collectively form a decentralized network that provides the physical resources for the ThreeFold Grid
  • 3Nodes enable anyone to become an internet infrastructure provider, democratizing access and control
  • They operate using Zero OS, a self-healing planetary operating system, ensuring reliability and scalability
  • 3Nodes provide cryptographic proof of data storage without having access to the complete data set
  • They enable countries and organizations to deploy their own autonomous digital infrastructure
  • The distributed nature of 3Nodes creates a resilient, scalable ecosystem that can withstand failures and attacks
  • 3Nodes can be deployed in different regions, enabling federalized digital infrastructure where each region operates its own nodes while remaining interconnected

What are the key distinguishing features of ThreeFold compared to traditional cloud providers?​

ThreeFold differs from traditional cloud providers in several key ways:

  • Architecture Model: Distributed peer-to-peer implementation with no central control points vs. centralized architecture with administrative control planes
  • OS Deployment: Stateless network boot architecture with no local installation vs. image-based deployment requiring local storage
  • Workload Isolation: Enhanced security through container execution in isolated VMs
  • Image Management: Zero-Image architecture with filesystem-level deduplication vs. monolithic container or VM images with significant redundancy
  • Deployment Mechanism: Deterministic deployment through cryptographically verified specifications
  • Resource Allocation: Smart Contract for IT with blockchain-based consensus vs. centralized orchestration systems
  • Management Architecture: Distributed autonomous agents with minimal human intervention vs. centralized management requiring specialized expertise
  • Security Design: Reduced attack surface with no shell exposure and minimal OS components
  • Operational Model: Self-healing architecture with autonomous operations vs. active management and maintenance
  • Cost Efficiency: Can be 3x less expensive than traditional providers

In what ways does ThreeFold align with the principles and vision of Web 4?​

ThreeFold aligns with Web 4 principles by:

  • Decentralization: Creating a distributed infrastructure owned by many rather than a few corporations
  • Data Sovereignty: Ensuring individuals have ownership and control over their personal information
  • Autonomy: Enabling self-sovereign digital identities and personal AI agents
  • Geo-Awareness: Respecting physical and jurisdictional boundaries in the digital realm
  • Collective Intelligence: Building towards augmented collective intelligence rather than replacing humans
  • Transparency and Trust: Fostering a culture of transparency, trust, and accountability
  • Inclusivity: Working to bridge the digital divide and make technology accessible to all
  • Sustainability: Creating more energy-efficient infrastructure that reduces environmental impact
  • Human-Centric Design: Focusing on technology that serves humanity rather than exploiting it

What real-world applications and deployments demonstrate ThreeFold's impact and adoption?​

ThreeFold has demonstrated real-world impact through:

  • Deployment in over 50 countries with 60,000+ vCPUs live
  • Signed agreements with at least one country for national deployment
  • Creation of a Sovereign Digital Zone and Cybercity
  • Integration with education platforms like Indaba/Sikana that have received billions of views
  • Support for Docker containers, providing flexibility for developers and system administrators
  • Enabling countries to deploy their own autonomous digital infrastructure with full data sovereignty
  • Facilitating the development of decentralized applications across various sectors