Skip to main content

​
The Latest Gossip on BFT Consensus

This report provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of various Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) consensus protocols, particularly in the context of distri

​
Abstract

This report provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of various Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) consensus protocols, particularly in the context of distributed systems and blockchain technology. It surveys a broad range of classical and modern BFT protocols, categorizing them based on their approaches to achieving consensus in asynchronous or partially synchronous environments, even when some nodes are malicious. The paper discusses fundamental concepts like message complexity, rounds of communication, and resilience to Byzantine failures. It highlights the trade-offs inherent in different BFT designs, such as security assumptions, performance overhead, and scalability limitations. The authors aim to consolidate knowledge in the BFT space, offering a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to understand the landscape of distributed consensus mechanisms and their applicability to building robust and decentralized systems. Authors: Ethan Buchman, Jae Kwon, Zarko Milosevic Publication: arXiv preprint Publication date: 2018-01-01

​
Key findings

  • Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) is crucial for achieving consensus in decentralized systems despite malicious participants.
  • Various BFT protocols exist, each with different trade-offs in terms of performance, security, and communication complexity.
  • Understanding the assumptions (e.g., synchrony, network model) of BFT protocols is essential for their correct application.
  • The paper serves as a survey and taxonomy of BFT consensus mechanisms relevant to distributed systems.

​
Citation

Ethan Buchman, Jae Kwon, Zarko Milosevic (2018). The Latest Gossip on BFT Consensus. arXiv preprint. https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.04938
Canonical knowledge ID: research:the-latest-gossip-on-bft-consensus