Architecture

The bloXroute BDN is built on a globally distributed infrastructure designed to deliver low-latency propagation of blockchain data. This section introduces the core components of the network and explains how they work together to accelerate transaction and block delivery across supported chains.

Gateway

Each participant in the BDN runs a Gateway alongside their blockchain full node. The Gateway serves as the connection point between your node and bloXroute’s network.

• Communicates using the native protocol of your blockchain (e.g., Ethereum).

• Forwards blocks and transactions to and from the BDN.

• Does not validate the blockchain or store its state.

Control Plane

The Control Plane ensures the network remains performant and resilient by coordinating connections between Gateways and Relays.

• Determines optimal Relay connections based on the Gateway's IP geolocation.

• Continuously manages network topology.

• Provides peer discovery to maintain Gateway connectivity even if the Control Plane is unavailable.

Relays

Relays are high-performance servers that act as distribution hubs within the BDN. They’re globally distributed and optimized for minimal propagation delay.

• Transaction Relays: Propagate transactions across the network.

• Block Relays: Propagate compressed blocks.

• The split-relay architecture keeps transaction and block traffic separate and efficient.

Remote Blockchain Nodes

Gateways occasionally need access to blockchain data they cannot validate. In these cases, bloXroute provides remote full nodes to fulfill such requests.

• Used for fallback queries from your full node.

• Ensures uninterrupted service when local data isn’t sufficient.