The Ethereum network will undergo a scheduled upgrade in block number 9,069,000which is expected to occur Saturday, December 7, 2019. The exact date is subject to change due to variable times and time zones.
Please upgrade your node before Sunday, December 1, 2019 to account for variable block times.
ethernodes.org has kindly provided the Istanbul node statistics and a countdown timer located at https://ethernodes.org/istanbul. etherscan.io has provided a countdown timer located at https://etherscan.io/block/countdown/9069000. You can monitor the network update in real time in http://forkmon.ethdevops.io/.
What is Istanbul?
Istanbul is the name given to this network update. Previous network updates have been called by other names, such as constantinople, spurious dragonY Byzantium.
As an Ethereum user or Ethereum holder, is there anything I need to do?
If you use an exchange (like Coinbase, Kraken, or Binance), a web wallet service (like Metamask, MyCrypto, or MyEtherWallet), a mobile wallet service (like Coinbase Wallet, Status.im, or Trust Wallet), or a hardware wallet (such as Ledger, Trezor, or KeepKey), you don’t need to do anything unless your exchange or wallet service tells you to take further steps.
As a miner or node operator, what should I do?
Download the latest version of your Ethereum client:
NOTE: Harmony (ethereumJ) is now a deprecated client and will not be supported in Istanbul. Besu is a mainnet compatible Ethereum client written in Java.
What happens if I am a miner or node operator and I don’t participate in the upgrade?
If you are using an Ethereum client that is not updated to the latest version (mentioned above), your client will sync with the pre-fork blockchain once the update occurs. You will be stuck in an incompatible chain following the above rules and will not be able to send ether or trade on the Ethereum network post-update.
What is a network upgrade in Ethereum-land?
A network upgrade is a change to the underlying Ethereum protocol, which creates new rules to improve the system. The decentralized nature of blockchain systems makes upgrading the network more difficult. Network upgrades on a blockchain require cooperation and communication with the community as well as the developers of the various Ethereum clients in order for the transition to go smoothly.
What happens during a network update?
Once the community agrees on what changes should be included in the update, the protocol changes are written to the various Ethereum clients such as geth, Parity, and Nethermind. Protocol changes are triggered on a specific block number. Any nodes that have not updated to the new rule set will be left in the old chain where the old rules will still exist.
What changes are taking place in Istanbul?
The changes that are implemented in Istanbul are defined by EIP. Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) describe the standards for the Ethereum platform, including core protocol specifications, client APIs, and contract standards. Please refer to the EIP listing specific changes going to Istanbul at EIP-1679. Please see also this article from Ethereum Cat Herders which summarizes all the changes and explains our extensive testing process.
Thanks!
A big thank you to the Ethereum community and all Ethereum developers across all clients and platforms who came together to provide feedback, ideas, and contributions.
DISCLAIMER: It is an emerging and evolving highly technical space. If you choose to implement the recommendations in this post and continue to participate, you should make sure you understand how it affects you. You should understand that there are risks involved, including, but not limited to, risks such as unexpected errors. By choosing to implement these recommendations, you alone assume the risks of the consequences. This publication and recommendations are not a sale of any kind and do not create warranties of any kind, including, but not limited to, those relating to the Ethereum network or the Ethereum clients referenced herein.
