Consensus system downtime recovery

1. A computer-implemented consensus method to be implemented on a blockchain maintained by a number (N) of nodes, wherein one of the nodes acts as a primary node and the other (N−1) nodes act as backup nodes, and the method is performed by one of the N nodes, the one node being one of the backup nodes under a current view, the method comprising:

under the current view, obtaining a pre-prepare message from the primary node;

multicasting a prepare message to at least some of the primary node and the other (N−2) backup nodes, the prepare message indicating an acceptance of the pre-prepare message;

obtaining (Q−1) or more prepare messages respectively from (Q−1) or more of the backup nodes, wherein Q (quorum) is (N+F+1)/2 rounded up to the nearest integer, and F is (N−1)/3 rounded down to the nearest integer;

storing at least a minimal amount of consensus messages for recovery after one or more of the N nodes crash, wherein the minimal amount of consensus messages comprise the pre-prepare message and at least (Q−1) of the (Q−1) or more prepare messages;

performing a system restart;

loading the stored minimal amount of consensus messages;

based on the loaded minimal amount of consensus messages, multicasting a view change message comprising the loaded minimal amount of consensus messages to change the current view to a new view; and

under the new view, obtaining (Q−1) or more different prepare messages, multicasting a commit message corresponding to the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages, and obtaining Q or more commit messages corresponding to the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

before obtaining the pre-prepare message from the primary node, the method further comprises obtaining one or more transaction requests from at least one of: a client, the primary node, or one or more of the other backup nodes; and

the pre-prepare message comprises an order of one or more transactions corresponding to the one or more transaction requests.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the minimal amount of consensus messages comprise:

only the pre-prepare message and the (Q−1) prepare messages.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the (Q−1) or more prepare messages include the multicast prepare message; and

the Q or more commit messages include the multicast commit message.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining from a new primary node a new view message indicating that the new primary node has received Q or more view change messages each indicating that a node that sent one of the Q or more view change messages agrees to the view change message;

multicasting a different prepare message to at least some of the backup nodes including the new primary node, the different prepare message indicating an acceptance of the new view message; and

obtaining the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages respectively from (Q−1) or more of the backup nodes, wherein the one of the nodes is still one of the backup nodes under the new view.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining, from each node of Q or more of the backup nodes, a view change message indicating that the each node of Q or more of the backup nodes agrees to the view change mes sage;

multicasting to at least some of the backup nodes a new view message indicating that the one node acting as a new primary node under the new view has received the Q or more view change messages; and

obtaining the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages respectively from (Q−1) or more of the backup nodes.

7. A consensus system for maintaining a blockchain, wherein a number of N nodes maintain the blockchain with one of the N nodes acting as a primary node and the other (N−1) nodes acting as backup nodes, the consensus system acting as one of the N nodes, the one node being one of the (N−1) backup nodes under a current view and comprising one or more processors and one or more non-transitory computer-readable memories coupled to the one or more processors and configured with instructions executable by the one or more processors to cause the system to perform operations comprising:

under the current view, obtaining a pre-prepare message from the primary node;

multicasting a prepare message to at least some of the primary node and the other (N−2) backup nodes, the prepare message indicating an acceptance of the pre-prepare message;

obtaining (Q−1) or more prepare messages respectively from (Q−1) or more of the backup nodes, wherein Q (quorum) is (N+F+1)/2 rounded up to the nearest integer, and F is (N−1)/3 rounded down to the nearest integer;

storing at least a minimal amount of consensus messages for recovery after one or more of the N nodes crash, wherein the minimal amount of consensus messages comprise the pre-prepare message and at least (Q−1) of the (Q−1) or more prepare messages;

performing a system restart;

loading the stored minimal amount of consensus messages;

based on the loaded minimal amount of consensus messages, multicasting a view change message comprising the loaded minimal amount of consensus messages to change the current view to a new view; and

under the new view, obtaining (Q−1) or more different prepare messages, multicasting a commit message corresponding to the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages, and obtaining Q or more commit messages corresponding to the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

before obtaining the pre-prepare message from the primary node, the operations further comprise obtaining one or more transaction requests from at least one of: a client, the primary node, or one or more of the other backup nodes; and

the pre-prepare message comprises an order of one or more transactions corresponding to the one or more transaction requests.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein:

the (Q−1) or more prepare messages include the multicast prepare message; and

the Q or more commit messages include the multicast commit message.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining from a new primary node a new view message indicating that the new primary node has received Q or more view change messages each indicating that a node that sent one of the Q or more view change messages agrees to the view change message;

multicasting a different prepare message to at least some of the backup nodes including the new primary node, the different prepare message indicating an acceptance of the new view message; and

obtaining the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages respectively from (Q−1) or more of the backup nodes, wherein the one of the nodes is still one of the backup nodes under the new view.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining, from each node of Q or more of the backup nodes, a view change message indicating that the each node of Q or more of the backup nodes agrees to the view change message;

multicasting to at least some of the backup nodes a new view message indicating that the one node acting as a new primary node under the new view has received the Q or more view change messages; and

obtaining the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages respectively from (Q−1) or more of the backup nodes.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for maintaining a blockchain, wherein a number of N nodes maintain the blockchain with one of the N nodes acting as a primary node and the other (N−1) nodes acting as backup nodes, the storage medium being associated with one of the N nodes, the one node being one of the (N−1) backup nodes under a current view and configured with instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

under the current view, obtaining a pre-prepare message from the primary node;

multicasting a prepare message to at least some of the primary node and the other (N−2) backup nodes, the prepare message indicating an acceptance of the pre-prepare message;

obtaining (Q−1) or more prepare messages respectively from (Q−1) or more of the backup nodes, wherein Q (quorum) is (N+F+1)/2 rounded up to the nearest integer, and F is (N−1)/3 rounded down to the nearest integer;

storing at least a minimal amount of consensus messages for recovery after one or more of the N nodes crash, wherein the minimal amount of consensus messages comprise the pre-prepare message and at least (Q−1) of the (Q−1) or more prepare messages;

performing a system restart;

loading the stored minimal amount of consensus messages;

based on the loaded minimal amount of consensus messages, multicasting a view change message comprising the loaded minimal amount of consensus messages to change the current view to a new view; and

under the new view, obtaining (Q−1) or more different prepare messages, multicasting a commit message corresponding to the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages, and obtaining Q or more commit messages corresponding to the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages.

13. The storage medium of claim 12 , wherein:

before obtaining the pre-prepare message from the primary node, the operations further comprise obtaining one or more transaction requests from at least one of: a client, the primary node, or one or more of the other backup nodes; and

the pre-prepare message comprises an order of one or more transactions corresponding to the one or more transaction requests.

14. The storage medium of claim 12 , wherein

the (Q−1) or more prepare messages include the multicast prepare message; and

the Q or more commit messages include the multicast commit message.

15. The storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining from a new primary node a new view message indicating that the new primary node has received Q or more view change messages each indicating that a node that sent one of the Q or more view change messages agrees to the view change message;

multicasting a different prepare message to at least some of the backup nodes including the new primary node, the different prepare message indicating an acceptance of the new view message; and

obtaining the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages respectively from (Q−1) or more of the backup nodes, wherein the one of the nodes is still one of the backup nodes under the new view.

16. The storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:

obtaining, from each node of Q or more of the backup nodes, a view change message indicating that the each node of Q or more of the backup nodes agrees to the view change message;

multicasting to at least some of the backup nodes a new view message indicating that the one node acting as a new primary node under the new view has received the Q or more view change messages; and

obtaining the (Q−1) or more different prepare messages respectively from (Q−1) or more of the backup nodes.