One of the core principles in AXEL’s technological philosophy is the importance of decentralization. That’s why we’ve implemented the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) into our solutions.
The IPFS is a peer-to-peer networking protocol that relies on a distributed file system to share data. A distributed system is one where many machines spread throughout the world act in unison to provide a single, coherent experience to the end-user.
This type of decentralized file system offers many strengths over traditional server configurations:
No single point of failure. In a centralized server network, attacks can leave users without access to their data. Worse, it could expose files to malicious agents. The AXEL Network is a persistent and resilient file system you can count on to be rock solid.
Additionally, no single node on the Network stores the entire file, so hackers can’t compromise your documents in a meaningful way.
Higher performance. Peer-to-peer file transfers scale better and have lower latency than traditional server-based distribution. This is because, unlike conventional servers, data requested from a distant geographical location isn’t relayed from Network to Network each time you access it. Instead, it is pulled directly from nearby Masternodes, saving significant bandwidth.
The IPFS sends end-users the data chunks simultaneously from all of the surrounding nodes instead of needing to download the packets sequentially from a centralized server. This improves download speed.
Censorship-resilient. Information stored on the IPFS cannot be taken down or censored effectively due to its peer-to-peer, distributed nature. In contrast, governments can freely request web hosts using centralized infrastructure to take down displeasing content.
This is why activists mirrored Wikipedia to the IPFS for Turkish citizens when the government banned the popular online encyclopedia in 2017. The IPFS is one of the greatest tools available to protect free speech and the open dissemination of knowledge.
AXEL believes the IPFS is the next evolution of the internet. The technology is disruptive and mainstream adoption has been slow only due to the steep technical learning curve previously required to use it. That’s where AXEL’s integration sets it apart. AXEL’s goal is to make IPFS practical for everyday users.
IPFS Pinning Goes Mainstream
Data storage on the IPFS works similarly to how cache works on a hard drive. Information stored there is inherently temporary. On the IPFS, this is, so an enormous amount of data doesn’t overload the Network’s nodes. For the IPFS to hold information for long periods, it needs to be “pinned.” Pinning data tells the IPFS node that it isn’t transient and should be saved indefinitely. In the past, pinning required either significant technical knowledge or an expensive 3rd-party pinning service. AXEL has eliminated these barriers to the tech’s widespread adoption.
When you use an AXEL product, you don’t even realize you’re pinning on the IPFS. It’s all taken care of behind the scenes while the end-users enjoy a clean, seamless user experience.