Distributed Data Storage, DAS, and Danksharding

So-called roll-ups need to make a lot of data available for their users, which affects the transaction costs on those roll-ups. Lera Nikolaenko (a16z crypto) introduces approaches to distributed data-storage using erasure codes, and explains different approaches for achieving consensus around data-availability, including longest-chain-style and BFT-style protocols. Lera explains how Data-Availability Sampling (DAS) helps build a longest-chain-style consensus protocol, and goes into depth on one particular instantiation of DAS proposed for Ethereum by Dankrad Feist called Danksharding.

About the speaker

Lera is a Research Partner at a16z crypto. Her research focuses on cryptography and blockchain security, she has worked on topics such as long-range attacks in PoS consensus protocols, signature schemes, post-quantum security and multi-party computation. She holds a PhD in Cryptography from Stanford University under advisorship of Prof. Dan Boneh, and has been working on the Diem blockchain as part of the core research team. https://www.valerini.com/

About a16z crypto research

a16z crypto research is a multidisciplinary lab that works closely with our portfolio companies and others toward solving the important problems in the space, and toward advancing the science and technology of the next generation of the internet. More about us: a16z.com/2022/04/21/announcing-a16z-crypto-research