IPFS / Filecoin

In order to exchange metadata, Blender files, render results, and other types of data between the render hive nodes, the Renderhive project will rely on the distributed peer-to-peer file system IPFS. Each render hive node will also operate as an IPFS node and files will be addressed by their unique content identifier (CID).

What is a content identifier (CID)?

CIDs are unique labels on IPFS that are calculated from the files content and, thus, do not only provide a way to address files in the decentralized file system but also guarantee that the addressed file has not been tempered with. In more technical terms, a CID is a hash of the file.

To learn more about CIDs and the IPFS, please visit the IPFS website.

Pinning Service

In order to make sure that important files like Blender files and render results can be accessed even if the node initially providing the file goes offline, these types of files will be pinned using an external Filecoin pinning service. This external service also relies on the IPFS and gets paid by the Renderhive project funds to store files for a specific amount of time.

There are several such services and it is not clear yet, which one will be used by the Renderhive project.