Cost-effective Ethereum and EVM compatible RPC node, is it possible?
Introduction
Currently, there are numerous JSON RPC providers for Ethereum and EVM-compatible blockchains available on the market, and their costs are generally comparable, ranging from approximately $40 to $55 per month. However, it is common for these providers to implement limitations, such as request limits per second, day, or month, and additional charges may apply if these limits are exceeded. Additionally, some providers may utilize computational units (CUs) as a means of pricing various request types differently, based on their processing requirements. A CU is a fundamental processing element within a computer system, responsible for executing the basic operations required to carry out a program. But, is it possible to offer the same service with fewer limitations and a much lower price?
When it comes to offering services, there are two main costs to consider: the people behind the scenes, and the hardware that makes everything run. For a more comprehensive understanding of the reasons how we achieved the lowest price in the market, read this follow-up blog. In this article, we're going to zoom in on the HW aspect. Having a great team to build and maintain the services is key, but don't forget about the hardware side of things. Running the hardware required for these services can add up, and is definitely a big part of the total cost of providing said services.
Hardware - limitations and opportunities
One of the biggest challenges for a Ethereum JSON RPC provider service is its storage performance. With the need to store terabytes of blockchain data, finding a storage solution that is both affordable and fast can be a tough task. Cheap storage options may not meet the speed requirements for serving blockchain data, and high-performance solutions tend to be more expensive.
But there's good news! In recent years, there have been major advances in cost-effective storage solutions that also offer high performance. One of the solutions to this storage challenge is fast SSD disks. This means we can now pack more processing power into a single EVM RPC server unit than ever before!
Cloud vs own hardware
These days, many software companies prefer to rent hardware in the form of cloud services, and JSON RPC providers are no exception. The appeal of lower maintenance costs is understandable, but it comes at a price - cloud fees for storage-intensive applications can be quite high. On the other hand, running your own hardware may have a lower cost in the long run, but it requires specialized knowledge on how to run the infrastructure effectively. So, it's a trade-off: go for the convenience of the cloud and potentially higher monthly fees, or invest in the expertise and hardware to run your own setup and potentially save on costs in the long run.
Running Ethereum RPC node on our own hardware
At our company, we've made the decision to run our nodes on our own hardware. This was driven by the cost savings that could be achieved by using the latest SSD storage drives and leveraging the expertise of our team. By doing this, we're able to offer reliable JSON RPC node providers at a much lower price and fewer limitations compared to our competition.
Summary
In essence, we've combined state-of-the-art storage technology with the knowledge and skills of our team, to deliver cost-effective high-quality Ethereum and EVM compatible JSON RPC services at a competitive price point.