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Blockchain Platform SONM Announces ICO; Aims to Revolutionize Fog Computing

Last Updated March 4, 2021 4:56 PM
Anthony Mandelli
Last Updated March 4, 2021 4:56 PM

In the wake of several successful ICO’s, Fog computing organization Supercomputer Organized by Network Mining, or SONM, has announced the tokenization of its own platform, set to launch on June 15th. Amid much speculation over the value and morality of initial coin offerings, these crowdfunded events are still popular with blockchain-based companies seeking to fund their continued development and give value to their supporters.

Fog Computing

Fog computing is the term given to distributed and blockchain-based cloud computing, the idea being that the ‘cloud’ lives somewhere above and beyond its users, while fog solutions are distributed among them. SONM takes a unique approach to fog computing, using specifically modified algorithms designed to improve upon general cloud and grid networks currently in widespread use. Looking at revolutionizing supercomputing, SONM is the first blockchain-based platform for general use, capable of performing tasks as diverse as website hosting to DNA sequencing. “Market demand for computing power is rising,” says SONM CEO Sergey Ponomarev in their press release, going on to explain, “SONM’s unique offering directly responds to this demand by making use of idle standing computing power.”

Looking at revolutionizing supercomputing, SONM is the first blockchain-based platform for general use, capable of performing tasks as diverse as website hosting to DNA sequencing. “Market demand for computing power is rising,” says SONM CEO Sergey Ponomarev in their press release, going on to explain, “SONM’s unique offering directly responds to this demand by making use of idle standing computing power.”

A Distributed Network Set Apart

Despite other players in the distributed computing space, Ponomarev believes SONM presents a unique platform capable of standing apart from similar software. Based on the Yandex.Cocaine platform, written in C++ with implementations for Go, Java, and Haskell (among other languages), the SONM platform is distributed to its core. By using this hybrid peer-to-peer architecture, SONM can create computing pools that function in a similar way to cryptocurrency mining pools, a feature other distributed computing platforms don’t offer.

SONM was born out of Ponomarev’s fascination with useful calculations, and a desire to leverage Bitcoin’s mining capacities outside of cryptocurrencies. “I discovered a key limitation,” Sergey told CCN.com. “Performing calculations directly on the blockchain is not rational, and it was impossible to create the full peer-to-peer scheme.” This discovery lead to the concept of concentration hubs, the idea which eventually developed into SONM.

Power Anywhere, Even in Your Pocket

Like most distributed applications, what makes SONM so attractive is its accessibility. With a user-focused mentality, Ponomarev and his cofounder Andrey Voronkov, a researcher in the field of biomedical computation, have created a powerhouse of a platform capable of performing even monumental tasks at a fraction of the speed typical of current solutions on the market. As Sergey illustrated, “For instance, the SONM fog network can complete a traditional CGI processing project incredibly quickly compared to the market standard. That’s because the SONM infrastructure is highly flexible and can scale to accommodate a variety of user needs.”

For those interested in participating in the SONM network, all manner of devices are capable of lending their computing power to the fog platform. Any device worldwide can become part of the SONM fog network and generate computing power. Computers, smartphones, even gaming consoles, “All the miner needs to do is set up a mining client and run it.”

The Future of Distributed Computing

As blockchain technology becomes more widespread, use cases beyond digital currencies are being documented at a rapid pace. A trend towards distributed ledgers as a ‘new internet’ has emerged, and for good reason. By utilizing a blockchain-based, distributed framework, computing and storage platforms like SONM can bypass the middlemen in the sharing of power and memory, drastically reducing the cost of service for the companies and users alike. Additionally, platforms like SONM come with the added bonuses of security and privacy that many have come to expect from blockchain applications.

Time will tell if the SONM token sale is a major step forward for the world of distributed computing. Supercomputing allowed for exponential advances in medical research, astronomy, and a host of other fields. SONM has the potential to multiply that even further.

Featured image from Shutterstock.