Introduction
Project Name: Sia Unified Manager aka SUM
Name of the Organization: Dapp Mentors Ltd.
Project Description:
The Sia grant program has a proven track record of funding various projects, with some currently active and others not. Our experience in developing products around the Sia Renterd service has given us the insight to see how we can consolidate most of the Sia projects under one umbrella called “Sia Unified Manager”.
The Sia Unified Manager will expand the capabilities of the Sia Renterd platform. It will create an all-in-one platform that brings together isolated third-party services and tools on the Sia network, allowing users to better manage and access their data. The original Renterd platform will still be used to initialize the Renterd node and configure storage contracts. However, the new system will focus on integrating Renterd third-party programs into one space to make it easier for users to use.
Sia Unified Manager can be understood as a Layer 2 application built on top of Renterd, running third-party programs and features. The original Renterd platform will continue to manage and host data as it currently does. Here are the core features SUM comes with.
Core Features
1. Integrated with Sia Renterd:
This proposed system will operate on a 4th port horizontally to the other Renterd ports (9980, 9981, 8080). It will be initially packaged as a docker image and will later be integrated into the Renterd binary if required. This approach will guarantee that the new system is included with Renterd, prebuilt, and configured for users’ immediate use without additional configurations.
2. Outstanding UI/UX Design:
The proposed system will have a modern and responsive interface that supports both light and dark modes. The current Renterd system gets the job done, but it is not responsive. We will pay close attention to the design of this system to provide users with the best possible experience while also maintaining the Sia brand guidelines for color schemes.
3. File Viewing Capabilities:
The current Renterd application allows users to upload and download their data amongst other functions. However, the new system will allow users to view their content without needing to download it. This means users will be able to watch videos, play audio, move files around, and open text and PDF files directly within the SUM application. This will provide users with an experience similar to Dropbox and Google Drive within the Renterd application.
4. File Sharing Features:
The Sia Unified Manager will allow users to easily share their data publicly using just a link. This feature eliminates the need to install another solution for content sharing, and it also enables viewers to even open the content without needing to download it first.
5. Automatic Database Backup, Export, and Import:
This feature is highly requested and important. It’s been discussed on the Discord server many times but isn’t available on the Renterd platform yet. We are concerned about the potential loss of data and the inability to easily export database content to a new Renterd node. We plan to integrate this feature into the system, allowing for automatic backups. Users will be able to receive their Renterd database backup at scheduled intervals via email and also import into new nodes at will.
6. Alerts and Notifications:
Right now, you’ll need an additional solution to monitor warnings from the Renterd service. While this may work for tech-savvy users, it’s not ideal for regular users. The proposed system will include an alert system that not only monitors the Renterd service but also sends timely notifications to users via email.
7. Bulk & Cross-Platform File Transfer Feature:
Currently, there is no simple way to transfer files directly from old file hosting services such as Google Drive and Dropbox to Sia Renterd. The project aims to address this by developing a bulk file transfer feature, similar to what SproutVideo offers. This feature will streamline the data migration process, allowing users to easily move their files from the mentioned providers to Sia Renterd, providing a seamless server-to-server file migration experience.
8. Access Control and Domain Whitelisting:
In Sia Unified Manager, we will introduce a fantastic feature that allows users to control the accessibility of their files. This feature lets users specify the websites or domains that can access their data. It aligns with the foundation’s mission of user-owned data by empowering users with greater control over who can view and download their files and from where.
9. Compatibility with Renterd Recent Changes:
The latest release of Renterd, version 1.1.0-beta.1, uses an environment variable flag system to select the blockchain (Main, Zen, and Anagami) on which to run a node. As we delve into development, we will consider these changes and introduce a method for determining which chain to run SUM, and whether SQLite or MySQL is being used as the database. This information will be particularly useful for the Automatic backup and export feature.
Who benefits from this project?
In a nutshell, our project will directly benefit “ALL USERS” of the Sia Renterd service in the following ways:
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All-In-One Unit: Users can now enjoy the mentioned features through a single Renterd instance, eliminating the need for multiple isolated third-party services. Features like Automatic Database Backup, Export, and Import will be accessible to all users from the user interface, allowing them to back up their files at scheduled intervals.
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Sia Ecosystem Expansion: The core features detailed in this proposal are all aimed at expanding the capabilities of Renterd in its current state. By implementing features such as File Sharing and Bulk & Cross-Platform File Transfer, the Sia Ecosystem will broaden its reach and bridge traditional file hosting providers (like Google Drive & Dropbox) and the emerging blockchain world.
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Better Privacy Control: With a modern, smart, and responsive user interface, along with features such as Access Control and Domain Whitelisting, users will have improved data management capabilities such as being able to move data from one folder to another and also have greater control over file sharing, as well as determining who can access the file and from where.
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Third-Party Docking Hub: The potential for the Sia Unified Manager project is limitless. We envision SUM as the platform for integrating all Sia third-party projects, or at least plugging third-party features into the Sia Renterd. This platform will bring numerous additional features, enriching Sia Renterd with superpower abilities for all her users.
How does the project serve the Foundation’s mission of user-owned data?
The main goal of the Sia Unified Manager project is to expand the capabilities of Sia Renterd and provide users with more tools to manage their data from a single Renterd instance. This aligns with the foundation’s mission to offer a blockchain that prioritizes data privacy and ownership. The key features outlined in this proposal aim to give Renterd users greater control over their data, including managing who can access and download their data, and from where.
Grant Specifics
Project Budget:
The total budget estimate for this project is 48.000 USD for 5 months, to be disbursed across a 5-month timeline. This budget will cover expenses for:
- The team’s salaries for a 5-month timeline.
- The salary for the UI/UX designer for a minimum of 1 month.
- Project cloud hosting cost.
- Testing and deployment.
The budget will be allocated for the following milestones:
- Milestone 1: Project UI/UX Design (8.500 USD; 1 month)
- Milestone 2: Behavioral Development (Frontend; 14.250 USD; 1.5 months)
- Milestone 3: Core Features Development (Backend; 14.250 USD; 1.5 months)
- Milestone 4: Features Integration & Testing (10.000 USD; 1 month)
Potential Risks
Risk 1: Renterd Upgrades Impact
We took note of the recent Renterd 1.1.0-beta.1 upgrade and will monitor its potential impact on our project which uses a single package and environment variables (called flags) to distinguish which one of the blockchains to run (Main, Zen, or Anagami). However, if this becomes problematic, we can always reach out to the development team. In the worst-case scenario, we can use a slightly older version of Renterd until any possible issue is resolved.
Risk 2: Development Complexities
There may be occasional brainstorming moments here and there during the project, mainly because some of the core features we are modeling into SUM were originally built using different programming languages and frameworks, each with its strengths and weaknesses. However, our familiarity with the Renterd API and access to the Sia dev team on the Discord server give us more confidence.
Future Plans
In the future, we aim to enhance Sia Unified Manager by integrating API endpoints, making it extensible to other web applications. This will enable Sia third-party services, including Renterd features and all Sia Unified Manager features, to be easily accessed by users outside of the Sia ecosystem.
We believe that our track record of delivering projects for the Foundation should give the committee enough reason to trust us. We kindly request that the committee see this project’s immense value to the Ecosystem and support us. Thank you!
Development Information
Will all of our project’s code be open-source?
Yes, all project code will be open-source and made available on GitHub.
Do we agree to submit monthly progress reports?
Yes, we agree to submit monthly progress reports in the forum.
Contact info:
Email: [email protected]
Any other preferred contact methods:
Forum: @DappMentors
Discord: Daltonic
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