Launched in 2019, Towo Labs develops software and hardware infrastructure for blockchain users. Its best known product is XRP Toolkit, a "web interface" of XRP Ledger. Today, the Towo Labs team unveiled what is probably the most surprising location ever used by an XRPL validator.
XRP Ledger transactions are signed in former nuclear bunker
According to the latest Twitter thread by the TowoLabs team, starting from 2021, it runs an XRP Ledger validator in the Pionen White Mountains in Sweden. The data center that hosts the hardware for this validator is situated 30 meters beneath the streets of Stockholm in a former nuclear bunker.
This Pionen data center is operated by the oldest Sweden-based internet services provider, Banhof. To ensure the high uptime and full finality of XRP Ledger transactions, Towo Labs purchased impressive capacities.
Namely, the company obtained a bare-metal server featuring a 3.4 GHz hexa-core CPU, 64 GB DDR4 RAM, mirrored solid-stage drivers and redundant power supply units. This massive hardware kit is connected to the internet through 1 Gbit/s network link.
Surprisingly, the whole data center is extremely environmentally friendly. It consumes renewable energy only while its heat is used in the heating of local houseolds.
As covered by U.Today yesterday, U.S. meteorologist Eric Holthaus called Bitcoin (BTC) "aggressively anti-efficient" for its high electricity consumption.
"Amazingly independent"
Markus Alvila, cofounder and CEO of Towo Labs, added that the power of this unique data center will be harnessed by its team to validate the transactions of different blockchains.
According to him, the launch of validator "Gimli" was scheduled in accordance with the 2021 roadmap of his team. Meanwhile, XRP Scan, the explorer of XRPL transactions, outlined the independent essense of this facility.
I can confidently say this an amazing independently operated validator addition to the XRPL network.
Mr. Alvila attached the YouTube tour to his announcement and warned all XRPL enthusiasts about the upcoming maintenance of the new validator.
Alex Dovbnya
Denys Serhiichuk
