What is MaidSafe: Simplifying Decentralization for the Masses

Maidsafe was originally conceptualized in 2002 by David Irvine. Irvine realized that implementing and administering small business servers was problematic and complex. In the search for a solution he deduced that rather than trying to make these servers easier to use, he could remove them altogether.

“The SAFE network is a data and communications network that can provide the infrastructure for every type of web service that exists on today’s centralised Internet”
— – Irvine

Irvine envisioned a fully distributed data service, which manages data and communications. This is different to the current internet where “Whole files readable by anyone are stored on centralized servers”.

Irvine incorporated MaidSafe.net LTD in February 2006, after four years of mulling over the issues. His first point of call was to spend time in a non-English speaking country to work uninterrupted. He spent 6 months in the Czech Republic, forming the overarching network, and thus: ‘Massive Array of Internet Disks with Secure Access For Everyone’, MAIDSAFE, was born.

“The MaidSafe vision is to replace today’s existing server centric and intrusive systems with a fully distributed, safe, secure and private network. A network with no third party being able to intercept, copy, steal, sell or otherwise access the network’s data.”

MaidSafe addresses privacy by implementing three distinct security stages. The first is an algorithm implementing encryption by using the data within each file to produce keying material. In order for the user to access their data this keying material is used. This encryption is applied by the client, prior to data chunking and dispersal.

The second stage is implemented by the MaidSafe protocol. The already encrypted files are chunked and then further secured with the Encrypt Library. This is not an encryption algorithm per se, rather this is an algorithm that utilises existing algorithms (predominantly AES 256)

Thirdly, the protocol distributes the chunks across the decentralized network, choosing the geographic storage locations randomly. This is performed by an algorithm which ensures a minimum physical distance between each chunk.

“The network spans the planet. All of this thoroughly encrypted code now resides in several time zones, securely stored and in multiple copies in locked space on other network computers.”, MaidSafe.

MaidSafe refers to the locked space on network computers as ‘vaults’. At any one time there will be a minimum of four copies of the encrypted data stored in vaults around the planet.

In order to manage the relationships between the vaults Irvines network implements ANT (Autonomous Network Technology).

“Groups of vaults play the same managing role [as ANT] to provide redundancy in the event that another vault goes offline. This group action is what allows for basic consensus without an entire network knowing an event happened. Of course this division of management is just the beginning of keeping such a complex system autonomous, however, it is this mechanism which gives the Safe network its anonymous consensus scheme.”, MaidSafe

Should any one of the chunks become inaccessible or ‘dead’, for example due to a vault being switched off, the network recreates the data with a copy of the missing chunk within 20 milliseconds.

“The SAFE network is made up of unused hard drive space, CPU and communications capabilities of commodity computers. These computers are likely owned by the very users of the system, but need not be limited to that.”
— Maidsafe

Each computer participating in the network will earn credits which can be traded for goods and services. These credits are called Safecoin.

SafeCoin Is the fuel that drives MaidSafes adoption and use. Safecoins can be purchased, or they can be earned by Farmers or Builders. They are stored within users wallets and provide access to the networks services and applications, or can be bought and sold on exchanges for bitcoin or cash.

“Farmers” provide their unused computing resources to the network. The more they provide, the more they are paid.

“Builders” are the application developers. They can earn Safecoin in two different ways. Firstly, they can design applications, and the more an App is used the more they are paid. Secondly, they can assist with bug fixes and new features, which in turn strengthens the core of the SAFE network.

“The SAFE network can provide every type of web service that exists on today’s centralised Internet, from video streaming, encrypted messaging, VOIP, storage and collaboration, exchanges..etc…” Nick Lambert, Chief Operating Officer, MaidSafe

Users of todays Internet have become accustomed to third parties storing, controlling and monitoring our most precious moments. News reports of private data thefts from large corporate companies and Edward Snowdens Leaks regarding Government activity, fail to deter users from this these centralised systems. In the past, a thorough solution has not been available for the mass market.

“I believe that it is good and essential for the human soul to have thoughts that only we know and to be free from the judgement of our peers. These are freedoms that the garden variety Internet user does not have today and hasn’t had for some time.” – Lambert

The SAFE network is intended to provide just this; privacy, security and freedom to its users without requiring any exceptional computer knowledge. “How to set-up a firewall” on google returns over nine million results, a representation that there is a need for the solutions MaidSafe is providing. The simplicity of a software download is familiar to all regular computer users, and a tool used by MaidSafe to propel these benefits forward.

“While I feel that many of the networks early adopters are going to be privacy and security conscious those are not the concerns of the mainstream user.”
— – Lambert.

Applications for the network are in various stages of design and as MaidSafe progresses through the second phase of their development, these ideas will start to come to life.

MaidSafe have developed a proof of concept storage application, which Lambert advises will be available in the “near future.” Companies such as Infinity Algorithms are working on a decentralized exchange which will enable peer-to-peer trading without the need for a third-party. This will facilitate the safe and secure acquisition of SafeCoin. Lambert mentions that messaging apps are also in development with encryption end to end, as well as a SAFE project browser.

There have been a few hurdles for MaidSafe. The project is based in Scotland, there is no access to the thriving start up culture of Silicon Valley, or the flush venture capitalists of London.

“While there is some evidence of individuals and organisations trying to rectify this, Scotland is quite a long way behind other parts of the world. This situation not only makes it difficult to find the right level of talent to help take MaidSafe forward, it also means that many relationships need to be conducted remotely.”, Lambert

Over the Scottish summer MaidSafe increased their team to 18. One third are operating remotely, and a workflow system was devised in order to effectively manage their progress. This was rather time consuming for MaidSafe, however they are quickly gaining back ground and are on track for launch at the end of 2014.

“We are now starting to see the benefit of having a larger team, but I wouldn’t like to predict the public launch date, it’s a very hard one to call.”, Lambert

MaidSafe have just implemented their second out of three test networks, and over the next few weeks will be heavily focused on improving stability and resilience of what they call ‘network churn,’ the result of users switching their computers on and off. During this time they will also be enabling a sharing component, allowing some of the apps mentioned earlier to run in this testing environment. Their third test network will be focused on the implementation of their currency Safecoin.

Lambert advises that a more detailed roadmap can be expected in the next few weeks on the MaidSafe website in order to keep track of their progress in real time. Upon their completion, MaidSafe are hoping that their easy to use network will attract the everyday mainstream user.

“So, as the network increases in size and reaches critical mass, because the network is having more and more resource provided to it, it will start to become faster than the existing centralised Internet.”
— – Lambert

This means online media such as, film and music streaming will become richer and faster. An attractive hook to attract the mass-market to the network.

In the current online storage and internet usage environment, users have accepted that the highest quality services available can come with a hefty bill at the end of the month. However, this will not be the case with the SAFE Network.

The MaidSafe network is designed to keep costs down, and the user can choose how they wish to pay, whether it be for additional hard disk space, providing development services or purchasing SafeCoin. Not only does this low cost, speed, privacy, and security incentivise use of the SAFE network, but users will also be paid in SafeCoin. The more users, the stronger it becomes, a feedback loop with many benefits.

This spark from Irvine close to a decade ago, has drawn the interest from hundreds of developers worldwide, keen to learn about the protocol in hopes of using it in the future. It will be interesting to see what comes to the table, and how fruitful it will be.

“Particular areas of interest to the company are health care and robotics. Our focus will also be on distributing our knowledge of the network as widely as possible, specifically to SAFE developer pods, who are independent groups of individuals who earn safecoin for maintaining the core code, thereby removing MaidSafe the company as a central point of weakness.” – Lambert

MaidSafeCoin – the currency part of MaidSafe, is tracked on the BNC Index and will be listed in the ‘BNC Assets Index’ once launched.

MaidSafeCoin is traded Poloniex Exchange & MasterXchange.