Aethir: Decentralized Computation for All

Update: Luganodes NaaS Console is now live. Aethir Node holders can start delegating and running their nodes.

Introduction

Aethir is a pioneer driving the future of decentralized cloud computing. With billions of global gamers and advanced AI applications hungry for cloud resources, demand surpasses what conventional cloud services can handle. Hence, the need for Aethir.

Traditional cloud infrastructure is restrictive because of high costs, scalability, and latency challenges. Aethir brings a novel solution to this escalating computing shortage. As an enterprise-grade GPU-as-a-service provider, it supports growing GPU-reliant sectors like gaming and Al.

Already a decentralized GPU cloud infrastructure leader, Aethir is backed by top Web3 investors, such as Animoca Brands, Framework Ventures, Infinity Ventures Crypto, and others. Aethir has already raised over $32 million in VC funding for its ecosystem.

This article will explore how Aethir accomplishes its lofty goals of aggregating and redistributing idle computing power at scale.

What Benefits Does Aethir Offer?

The world is transitioning to cloud infrastructure, a significant trend. Further, with AI and gaming proliferating, the necessary throughput is pushing traditional infrastructure to its limit.

As the gaming and AI sectors evolve, high-performance GPUs will become even more necessary to satisfy their appetites. GPUs are processors comprised of multiple smaller and more specialized cores. These cores deliver immense performance by working together to process a task divided across many cores in parallel. To sum up, GPUs are integral components of modern gaming and AI.

Only a minority of people have access to powerful hardware. However, thanks to Aethir, gaming and AI companies can provide billions of users with high-quality content experiences, even in developing areas around the globe. Their decentralized cloud tech gives everyone access to gaming and AI content.

Another significant point to consider is that Aethir is democratizing GPU power. With roughly 50 to 70% of global GPU power remaining untapped, this new model transcends the limitations placed on traditional, centralized ownership structures. Its model focuses on repurposing existing, idle resources, rather than demanding users to upgrade to faster, new hardware.

Decentralized Cloud GPU

Aethir's network makes high-end GPU computational power available at costs that centralized systems can't match. This kind of scalability means these services are now available for everyone around the globe, not just the privileged few.

Moreover, with Aethir's SDK, developers and game publishers can quickly lower their development costs and achieve market penetration with self-managed onboarding. Additionally, gamers can enjoy a high-quality experience without the high-end hardware requirements.

Aethir's decentralized cloud computing infrastructure allows GPU providers to offer extensive gaming and AI applications globally. Its decentralized approach frees it from traditional resource constraints. Aethir is already partnering with some of the world's largest gaming and telecom companies, which comprise its dynamic network. Let's look at some of its network components.

The Aethir Ecosystem

Five essential role players drive the network: miners, developers, users, token holders, and the Aethir DAO. The ATH token is the main currency for transactions within the ecosystem and will launch as an ERC-20 on Arbitrum. It will support app development in the ecosystem and help stimulate user engagement and growth. Additionally, there are three types of miners: Containers, Checkers, and Indexers, each with distinct roles.

Containers serve as virtual endpoints where cloud-based applications are executed and rendered—for example, game rendering. By shifting the workload from local devices to the Container, they ensure an immediate, zero-lag cloud experience. Thus, Containers are the powerhouse of the Aethir network, doing all the heavy lifting.

Indexers act as connectors that optimally match users with Containers, prioritizing them based on factors that help minimize latency and guarantee high-quality rendering. They match users with the best Containers to deliver a quick and high-quality experience.

Checkers verify Container specs and monitor their performance during rendering times to ensure the quality of service levels of the network. They are quality inspectors that ensure Containers work correctly and efficiently.

Aethir Token

The Aethir token (ATH) plays multiple roles in the ecosystem. It acts as the core utility token within the Aethir DePIN stack, revolutionizing decentralized GPU cloud infrastructure. Post-token generation event (TGE), ATH becomes tradable and functions as a governance token, granting holders voting rights. Initiatives like the Aethir Cloud Drop leverage ATH to decentralize ownership and boost community participation. Furthermore, ATH rewards operators of Checker Nodes and Aethir Edge devices, supporting a robust and scalable decentralized cloud service network. The roadmap for its launch is explained here.

Node Sale

A node sale is a novel form of project fundraising that is catching on in crypto circles, with securities regulators taking a keener interest in token sales. Aethir's node sale started in March 2024. It is for users who want to earn rewards for participating in decentralizing its cloud computing network. Beginning with the Checker Node, validators in the ecosystem will verify uptime, latency, computational power, and the quality of service the other node participants provide.

Nodes can earn rewards for verifying the data and service provision on the network. To learn more about the Aethir node sale, please read our recent article on Luganodes.

The Checker Node sale is complete, and Aethir has reached its goal of complete network decentralization. The sale surpassed the goal of 50,0000 distributed Checker Node licenses by already handing out over 70,000 licenses. This total represents a massively decentralized network of Checker Node owners to ensure the safety and stability of the GPU cloud infrastructure.

After distributing so many Checker Nodes, Aethir is moving to the next step of its launch— products such as Earth, Gaming Cloud, and Edge.

Aethir’s Comprehensive Solutions

Aethir Earth

Artificial Intelligence must scale effectively to meet increasing demand that existing centralized cloud services cannot handle. But with Aethir Earth, Aethir is joining with a network of cloud partners to bring cost-effective scale solutions to AI enterprises.

Artificial Intelligence must scale effectively to meet increasing demand that existing centralized cloud services cannot handle. But with Aethir Earth, Aethir is joining with a network of cloud partners to bring cost-effective scale solutions to AI enterprises. This innovative platform leverages Bare Metal NVIDIA HGX and DGX Systems, providing unparalleled flexibility with varying term lengths, quantities, locations, and prepayment options.

Furthermore, Aethir Earth is at the forefront of technological transformation, redefining how enterprises interact with and utilize AI. It eliminates hardware limitations and mitigates supply chain issues by offering a global cloud-based and bare-metal GPU computing infrastructure that is simple, secure, and efficient. With a strong focus on economies of scale, Aethir Earth provides pricing lower than centralized hyper-scale public clouds, including large storage and network capacities with GPUs. Supported by close partnerships with industry leaders such as NVIDIA, Super Micro, HPE, and Foxconn, as well as several Infrastructure Funds, Aethir Earth is poised to revolutionize AI computing for today's world and future generations.

Aethir Gaming Cloud

Versatile Device Compatibility

Aethir's Gaming Cloud is revolutionizing the way developers distribute and optimize their games. By enabling seamless gameplay across any device, from mobile phones to Smart TVs, with just a single click, Aethir breaks down traditional hardware barriers. This feature ensures that players can enjoy high-quality gaming experiences without needing expensive equipment.

Cost-Efficient Cloud-Based Game Porting

Another standout feature of the Gaming Cloud is its cost-efficient, cloud-based game porting. This allows developers to transition graphically intensive games to the cloud, bypassing the often costly and complex issues related to backward compatibility. By moving games to the cloud, developers can ensure that their creations are accessible on the latest technologies without extensive redevelopment. This efficiency not only reduces costs but also accelerates the time-to-market for new game releases, making it easier for developers to stay competitive.

Early Testing and Cross-Platform Experiences

Aethir's Gaming Cloud also offers robust support for early game testing, providing developers with access to pre-release testing environments. This is crucial for fine-tuning games and ensuring they meet high-quality standards before official launch.

Additionally, the platform enables the creation of instant cross-platform experiences, eliminating the need for additional development work to achieve compatibility across different devices.

Democratizing High-End Gaming

Aethir addresses the growing demand for high-quality gaming experiences on low-end devices. With over 2.8 billion gamers worldwide who have decent internet connectivity but limited hardware capabilities, Aethir's Gaming Cloud democratizes access to high-end gaming.

Simplifying Development and Distribution

By leveraging its robust cloud gaming infrastructure, Aethir simplifies the game development and distribution process. This comprehensive approach makes Aethir's Gaming Cloud an indispensable tool in the modern gaming landscape, empowering developers to create and distribute games with ease and efficiency.

Aethir Edge: Revolutionizing Decentralized Cloud Computing

Aethir Edge is an innovative hardware device designed to power next-gen GPU cloud computing, allowing participants to become service providers in the Aethir DePIN stack. DePIN, or “Decentralized Physical Infrastructure,” is a rapidly growing sector in Web 3, essential for handling GPU supply and demand crucial for AI computing. Aethir Edge harnesses idle computing power, featuring the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 865 chip to support large-scale cloud gaming, advanced AI, and machine learning.

Owners of Aethir Edge devices provide GPU computing capacity to Aethir’s enterprise clients, earning ATH token rewards for their contributions. These devices pool GPU power from various sources and channel it through Aethir’s network. By contributing idle GPU power, users earn rewards and help decentralize Web 3 cloud computing.

Overcoming Proximity Issues

Traditional cloud services often suffer from latency issues due to their reliance on centralized data centers. Aethir Edge processes data at the network’s edge, distributing devices globally to offer optimal GPU cloud computing even to remote users. This approach eliminates latency issues, making Aethir Edge faster and more reliable than centralized services. By maintaining a broad network of devices, Aethir ensures users receive GPU computing power from the nearest source, reducing the need for relocation to metropolitan areas.

Connecting and Managing Aethir Edge

Users can connect their Edge device via a web connection and manage it through a mobile app. The device optimizes computing load based on the user’s current usage, capitalizing only on idle GPU power. This flexibility allows users to continue using their computers while contributing to network.

Passive Income Opportunities

Aethir Edge offers passive income opportunities similar to validator nodes in PoS networks. Device owners earn ATH tokens by providing GPU power, with 23% of the ATH token supply allocated to Aethir Edge operators. The device maximizes rewards during downtimes, utilizing 100% of its GPU capacity when idle.

3-Layer Architecture

Aethir’s DePIN architecture comprises three layers:

• Aethir Edge: Facilitates the connection between power sources and users.
• Network Layer: Coordinates the decentralized cloud infrastructure, with Checker Nodes as a vital component.
• Application Layer: Allows enterprise clients to connect end-users to Aethir’s GPU cloud computing service.

In summary, Edge Aethir’s hardware venture into transforming decentralized cloud computing by leveraging idle GPU power, reducing latency, and offering passive income opportunities.

Aethir Testnet Launch

On April 20, Aethis launched Testnet versions of the Checker Owner Portal and the Checker Client GUI/CLI. Checker Nodes are operated through both products. The testnet launch allows Checker Node license holders to acquaint themselves with the node operating mechanics before the Mainnet launch.

Aethir X Luganodes

Aethir's quest to provide democratized Cloud GPU infrastructure needs partners who can support its unique node sale methodology. As a trusted staking provider and expert in Node Operation, Luganodes recently joined forces with Aethir to provide Node-as-a-Service (NaaS) for Checker Node License holders.

Summary

With the ever-expanding AI and gaming sectors, millions of new users are demanding uninterrupted GPU power on a daily basis. But instead of facing exorbitant fees for centralized cloud computing services, Aethir offers enterprises and individuals a way to save money by leveraging its decentralized computing capacity. Aethir seeks to make the overwhelming challenge of high latency a thing of the past while democratizing and decentralizing the cloud computing ecosystem.

About Luganodes

Luganodes is a world-class, Swiss-operated, non-custodial blockchain infrastructure provider that has rapidly gained recognition in the industry for offering institutional-grade services. It was born out of the Lugano Plan B Program, an initiative driven by Tether and the City of Lugano. Luganodes maintains an exceptional 99.9% uptime with round-the-clock monitoring by SRE experts. With support for 45+ PoS networks, it ranks among the top validators on Polygon, Polkadot, Sui, and Tron. Luganodes prioritizes security and compliance, holding the distinction of being one of the first staking providers to adhere to all SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and ISO 27001 standards as well as offering Chainproof insurance to institutional clients.