Horizen (ZEN) is one of the most popular privacy-focused blockchain networks out there.
Its main purpose is to enable the highest level of privacy, and it manages to achieve this through the utilization of ZK-Snark technology, a highly advanced solution that takes advantage of Zero-Knowledge Proofs.
The Horizon network encompasses a variety of different privacy-focused projects that can include private messengers, anonymous publications, domain fronting, and even decentralized autonomous organizations.
To make all of this work, it utilizes a unique node network, and today, we are going to go over what kind of role the ZEN nodes play in the overall operation, maintenance, and security of the Horizen Network.
Key Points:
- Horizen is a blockchain-based platform and ecosystem specifically created to enable privacy-focused decentralized applications (dApps) to operate without the need for a central authority.
- The native cryptocurrency token that is used as a means of powering the network and incentivizing nodes is known as the ZEN cryptocurrency.
- Horizen has numerous node types, all of which play specific roles in it, including Regular Full Nodes, Secure Nodes, and Super Nodes, and there are over 45,970 nodes in operation as of July 2022.
- NOWNodes is a blockchain-as-a-service provider that will enable you to gain access to a Horizen node and get any blockchain data that you require.
Pros and Cons of ZEN Nodes
ZEN Nodes Pros
- Horizen utilizes a unique sidechain technology known as Zendoo that overcomes issues surrounding scalability, flexibility, and efficiency, which means that developers can create their own decentralized applications (dApps) on the network with ease, which Nodes can then secure.
- ZEN as a cryptocurrency incentivizes the operation of the overall network and contributes towards powering it.
- There are three types of Horizen nodes, including Regular Full Nodes, Secure Nodes, and Super Nodes, all of which play a major role in the broader ecosystem.
ZEN Nodes Cons
- It can be difficult for beginners to set up their very own nodes.
- Running a node and maintaining it long-term can be an expensive process.
- Horizen has a high level of competition when it comes to privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.
ZEN Nodes in the Horizen Networks
Horizen features a geographically dispersed node network that is aimed at improving scalability, reliability, security, and speed. In fact, the network has over 45,970 nodes in operation.
To reach this value of performance and success, it utilizes three types of nodes in the overall network.
- First, there are the Regular Full nodes. This is the standard ZEN node option, and these types of nodes are typically wallets that run an instance of Horizen’s core software and are not incentivized nodes.
- Second, there are the Secure Nodes. These Zen secure node variations are also known as the enhanced nodes within the network, where they provide security and resilience to the network. They receive 10% of the block reward as an incentive, and there are over 41,580 secure nodes.
- Third, there are the Super Nodes. Super Nodes provide major improvements to the overall ecosystem and enable the sidechain to perform for an unlimited number of blockchains and decentralized applications (dApps). These nodes are also utilized as a means of managing key network and system functions, including the process of hosting services on sidechains, tracking and measuring uptime of Secure Nodes, and queuing the node payment schedule for miners. They are also incentivized with 10% of the block reward, and there are over 4,390 Super Nodes in operation.
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you know a bit more when it comes to the different types of ZEN nodes and what role each of them plays in the Horizen network as a whole.
If you are curious about utilizing a ZEN node tracker so you can get access to various data surrounding the blockchain, then you can utilize the blockchain-as-a-service provider NOWNodes, which will provide you with a secure connection through an API Key.
The Horizen Network is broad, and there are numerous types of nodes that, when combined, contribute to its security, maintenance, and longevity.
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