This archive post explains how Xandeum shifted from an early standalone Layer 1 concept toward a Solana-connected storage layer. The goal stayed consistent: make large-scale storage useful for smart contracts and decentralized applications.
The Original Vision of Xandeum
Let’s rewind to mid-2022, a time when Xandeum was just a gleam in our eyes and a lot of scribbled notes on whiteboards. Back then, our vision was to create Xandeum as its own Layer 1 blockchain, leveraging the Solana codebase but carving out our own space in the world of decentralized storage. The idea was pretty ambitious: we would have our own validators, and we even sold licenses—Nodes—to people who wanted to be part of this new network.
As the architecture matured, it became clear that Xandeum could create more practical value by complementing Solana instead of trying to duplicate what Solana already does well.
The Solana Shift
Xandeum’s direction became clearer: integrate scalable storage with Solana rather than building a separate execution ecosystem.
Solana already does what it does best—fast, scalable, and efficient blockchain technology. So why not build on top of that instead of trying to create a parallel universe?
We decided to shift our focus from being an independent L1 to becoming an integral part of the Solana ecosystem, specifically by adding a scalable storage layer that complements Solana’s existing strengths. Enter Xandeum Buckets: a storage layer that scales up to exabytes and integrates seamlessly with Solana dApps, all while offering an Amazon S3 compatible API.
Solana has strong execution and account infrastructure. Xandeum focuses on the missing storage layer, so applications can work with larger data without forcing validators to store everything directly.
Why Aim for Maximum Solana Integration
Solana's ecosystem is vibrant, its tech is top-notch, and frankly, it's where the action is.
- Speed and Scale: Solana's infrastructure lets Xandeum focus on storage rather than rebuilding execution from scratch.
- Community and Ecosystem: Solana's ecosystem is thriving. By joining forces, we're not just adding to our tech; we're multiplying our community impact.
- Value for Developers and Users: The storage layer is designed to make large data easier to use from Solana-connected applications.
The Techy Bits: Peek, Poke, Prove
Our main challenge was how to integrate this storage layer with Solana in a way that’s smooth, efficient, and doesn’t require every single validator to be “Xandeum-aware.” We came up with two key operations: Peek and Poke.
• Poke: Imagine this as copying data from a Solana account into a specific Xandeum Bucket. The Xandeum-aware RPC nodes handle the data storage, communicating with the pNodes (our storage provider nodes). This operation gets wrapped in a Solana program call instruction, which means it’s transparent to vanilla Solana validators—they don’t need to do anything special.
• Peek: This is where things get interesting. Peek fetches data from a Xandeum Bucket and copies it into a Solana account. To make sure this is secure and verifiable, we use Merkle proofs and a Threshold Signature Scheme (TSS). The pNodes create these proofs, sign them, and then the Xandeum-aware validators validate them, ensuring the integrity of the data.
This way, we’ve effectively extended Solana with scalable storage without disrupting the existing network or requiring all validators to be Xandeum-aware. And all of this is happening under the hood, making it easy for Solana dApp developers to integrate storage into their projects.
The New Fee Structure: A Win-Win for Everyone
One of the big questions was how to handle fees, especially when you have storage operations happening off the main Solana chain. Here’s how we solved it:
• Storage Fees in SOL: The XandeumProgram will collect storage fees in SOL, which will be accrued into a Fee Distribution Account per validator per epoch. These can then be claimed by the validators and pNodes and potentially redistributed to their stakers. Validators will also send part of their collected storage fees to the pNodes for their work.
• Validator Participation: Validators running Xandeum-Solana software will earn additional rewards for supervising pNodes—sort of like Proof of SpaceTime (PoST) but within the Solana ecosystem. This supervision ensures that the storage layer remains secure, decentralized, and reliable, with validators earning extra SOL for their efforts.
The Economics of Storage
We're setting up a fee system where SOL fuels the storage operations, rewarding both validators and pNodes. And with the new XAND token, you're part of our governance, our decisions, and our rewards. By owning XAND, you have full governance not only of the liquid staking pool, but also over the pNode network once it goes live. That way the XAND token lets you participate in our whole ecosystem, A to Z. It's like choosing the best seats in the house for the blockchain concert.
A Personal Note
The shift from a standalone L1 concept to a Solana-connected storage layer was a significant architectural decision. It narrowed Xandeum’s focus and made the storage problem clearer.
Looking Ahead
This post documents that evolution. Xandeum is focused on storage infrastructure that can complement Solana’s strengths and support storage-enabled applications.
Xandeum is no longer building a standalone L1 blockchain. Instead, it is focusing on a scalable storage layer that complements Solana’s strengths.
For those of you who’ve been with us since the beginning, thank you for sticking around as we navigate these changes. We’re excited about the direction we’re heading and believe this new approach can support a broader class of storage-enabled Web3 dApps (sedApps).
For people who bought Nodes under the original Xandeum L1 plan, the team has been working on transition paths as the architecture evolves.
Xandeum is building decentralized storage infrastructure designed to complement Solana’s strengths.
