Solana Network Continues to Freeze as Validators Attempt Second Restart

Validators of the Solana network were preparing a second restart attempt on Saturday to restore service to users of the blockchain, as the deep freeze on the network continued. The validators had concluded that synchronizing a restart and forking the chain was the best way to fix the issue. However, the first restart attempt failed as validators realized they had chosen the wrong restart point, causing further delays.

The problems that began with sluggish transaction processing have escalated into a near complete shutdown of activity on Solana. Block production on the chain has stopped, and transactions are not being processed or validated. This has left users unable to move their on-chain crypto assets, which are currently frozen until the critical backend infrastructure comes back online.

Several hours into the crisis, key voices in the Solana ecosystem were still trying to identify the root cause of the issue. One theory was that a “fat block” had congested the blockchain’s mechanics. Notably, the network was in the process of moving to an upgraded version shortly before the problems began.

Validators, working in conjunction with developers at Solana Labs, were attempting to restart the chain again and had received about 70% of the total stake behind the move at the time of writing. However, the network requires an 80% supermajority to proceed with the restart.

The ongoing issues with the Solana network highlight the risks associated with blockchain technology and the importance of ensuring critical infrastructure is in place to maintain the integrity of the network. While the network’s developers and validators work to restore service, users of the Solana network can only wait and hope that their assets will soon be accessible again.