Many things in the world of IOT make development and standardization a challenge, the scale of what IoT represents is only one aspect that most people see as the biggest stumbling block. Many people see the biggest challenge especially with bringing blockchain networking to IoT is that large scale of millions, billions if not eventually trillions of active devices that would need to communicate the number makes even the best network engineers cringe a bit. I've discussed in the past how groups like RuffChain look to combat that issue and turn it into a strength instead of a weakness.

Today I'm here to discuss the challenge that seems to oft go unacknowledged and is probably even a bigger issue, especially when it comes time to roll out a platform like the RuffChain network to all manners of IoT Devices; Device type and power variability. The fact is unlike computers whether they be laptops or desktops they all tend to have somewhat standard capabilities and power to an extent, this is what allows Linux and Windows to so easily install on every computer worldwide without issue. But the fact of the matter is IoT doesn't have the luxury of this type of "baseline" and the power and scale of what any given device might be capable of could widely differ much more than what's seen in the world of personal computing.



Imagine for a moment an IoT device in a security lock, this small low power arm chip while it may need the ability to securely connect and communicate will have only a tiny ARM processor, not capable of doing much heavy lifting or computations. Compare that to a refrigerator with a nice LCD and browser and facebook app. Some IoT devices will skirt the edge of even being a "smart device" while others will be on the verge of almost being a personal computer. On top of processing power, any software designed to run and operate across a variety of devices will also have to deal with the fact that not all devices will have the same features, such as sensors, connectivity types (BLE, Ethernet, Wifi, etc).



So teams of developers have to take into account all of the above whiles at the same time making sure that all devices can still participate and handle at least their most basic functions. The team of developers at Ruffchain chose to design their platform in a way that devices can flex their capabilities and adjust to the needs and demands of the network based on what they are capable of handling. Large devices capable of complex operations and storage may run Full Nodes called recorders, capable of recording information event registrations and broadcasting votes throughout the network. Devices from high-end routers and network attached storage devices to small-mid powered HTPC will fit into the category and be able to handle a larger chunk of work. Meanwhile, lightweight nodes will take part in the platform as an executor able to receive authentication requests and verify/execute user contract processes such as releasing rights.





Lastly, 2 additional roles are present in the network that fit in similarly but handle different functions. With 105 nodes selected via the internal voting mechanism of the network, these full nodes will elevate and become Representative Nodes a.k.a Judges. These 105 devices will dynamically be responsible for packaging and handling block distribution, as long as these devices handle their task without issue they will earn a mining reward, but if they fail to process correctly they will be replaced and lose their Judgeship status. Finally, the SPV Wallet control node type will function on devices, the lower power devices are similar to Full Nodes, but operate in a way that allows them to authenticate, store headers, initiate exchanges but are not under the same 24/7 online requirement that Full Nodes require. This will mean that IoT Devices that are more nomadic and appear online for only short periodic timeframes will also have a role to fill.





With the scale and diversity attached to the world of the Internet of Things devices, it's no wonder no single platform or network as taken the reigns and secured themselves as the king of IoT yet, like Windows did for the PC world. But with smart teams working day and night to develop a smart network that scales and changes to match the device types at hand. Making use of what is available on any given device, it just might be a project like RuffChain that becomes the Microsoft of the IoT world down the road.

Theirs a lot of moving parts from hardware that makes planning difficult, the scale of the market that makes even the best network engineers cringe, and platforms that need to be able to handle a huge array of tasks from data exchange, security, reward maintenance, contract maintenance, and execution. While simultaneously providing a ease of use on the frontend. Time will tell if the path RuffChain has chosen will be enough to bite off a sizeable chunk of the IoT Infrastructure of the future.

Read more about RuffChain on their website and whitepaper when you've got the time, they have a comprehensive plan that goes much further than I've discussed here today and with a tight timeline they seem determined to maintain there is no better time to take note.



