https://medium.com/sentinel/launch-of-sentinels-new-website-at-sentinel-co-cb71cbee7259

Sentinel's new, user-friendly website is now live at http://sentinel.co.

2020 marks the beginning of the transition of Sentinel’s service offerings into the mainstream. Clear and straightforward brand identity.

By the end of 2020, Sentinel would have established:
> Private network integrations with several enterprises
> Integration with fiat payment channels
> Revenue model for dVPN bandwidth providers
> Tens of thousands of active daily users across iOS/Android/PC, 1TB + Day
> Active mainnet with dozens of reputed validators and a strong network bonded ratio

Currently Sentinel achieves nearly 1 TB of data consumption per day from thousands of unique and active daily users. Please see network stats at stats.sentinel.co

The $SENT #dVPN network has reached a new all-time-high in bandwidth consumption within a time frame of 1 week, crossing over 6.1 TB of usage between the 22nd of Feb and the 29th of Feb.

The previous timelines for the release of the new iOS and desktop app have been extended.

The new standalone #Tendermint based wallet is going through it's testing phase and will soon be released.

This wallet will allow users to delegate test tokens to the validators on the Turing-2 Test Network, viewable at http://explorer.sentinel.co.

Over $1000 worth of $SENT has been distributed to the #dVPN node hosts (http://nodes.sentinel.co) for bandwidth provided in the month of December 2019.

The team is in process of establishing relationships with fiat on-ramps allowing for mainstream users to pay in fiat on mainnet

The stand-alone Tendermint Turing-2 Confirmed Desktop wallet will be launched soon followed by the dVPN client. These new clients have been fully rebuilt and allow for easier use of access featuring package-free lightweight installers in addition to other optimizations that will allow for better UX

A critical update from $SENT, the previous monolithic structure of the Sentinel desktop client has been split into a microservice architecture based backend and front-end

@spidervpn users will be able to remotely access the #dVPN on their router

https://github.com/ironman0x7b2/client/blob/development/main.go

In the previous client, the UI and the application logic is in the same desktop client codebase which has been written in ReactJS.

There was no ability for other applications to integrate with the Sentinel dVPN network or for users to remotely manage their dVPN client

The new client features a binary file which starts a API server that allows for the UI to be imported from anywhere in the subnet.

On top of this binary anyone can write their own custom UI and also integrate dVPN and Sentinel account into their own app through the API server

What does this mean?

1) Remote management of Sentinel dVPN present in home router/raspi
2) Ability for enterprises/organizations to build applications ontop of the Sentinel network with dynamic UI that is maintained from their own server (users do not need to download a new installer for a UI update)
3) Ability for other applications to integrate Sentinel dVPN services and account system into their application

We will be releasing incentives in the future for developers who take advantage of the microservices architecture present on Sentinel.

The Sentinel Turing-2 Testnet can now be viewed at https://cosmiccompass.io/sentinel-turing-2

Thanks to team for configuring the client and supporting the network!

CosmicCompass.io, the multi-chain network navigator for @Cosmos is now live!

Network navigation is for:
- Investors : Graphical User Interfaces GUIs (just launched)
- Developers : APIs for User Interfaces (under development)
- Validators : Node Management Tools (under development)

Website: https://CosmicCompass.io

Know more about the project: https://medium.com/@CosmicCompassIO/launching-cosmic-compass-network-navigator-for-developers-validators-funds-investors-ba62db0428ed

Official announcement tweet: https://twitter.com/CosmicCompassIO/status/1238419395052851200?s=20

Follow us on Telegram: @CosmicCompassIO

The Sentinel Network is hitting all time usage highs, with over 12000 dVPN sessions on 13 March.

The future is only going to bring more demand.

https://twitter.com/Sentinel_co/status/1240362344087257097?s=19


See the usage for yourself 🔥🔥🔥
Stats.sentinel.co

(1/3)Discussion with regards to the future:

The Sentinel network will be transitioning from an anonymous underground 'dVPN' project into a real-world organization that has the aim of 'decentralizing the VPN ecosystem'.

The multi-billion Dollar VPN industry is rapidly expanding due to the utility of the VPN in almost every jurisdiction on earth. Whether it is for accessing geo-restricted content or increasing the security of the transmission of data being accessed over the internet, individuals all over the world are demanding for secure, cheap and reliable VPN services.

Sentinel will be working with entrepreneurs and existing organizations to help them establish their own white-labelled VPN company at minimal cost or difficulty.

The question is, why would entrepreneurs want to work with Sentinel?

Painpoints/barriers to entry for a new VPN organization:
1) Cost of client development (mobile/desktop)
2) Management of nodes/handling DCMA requests
3) Potential security threats/risk of getting hacked

(2/3) How can Sentinel help?

1) Free open-source clients available for branding customization

2) Community-based network of node farms (example Alpha) who have the ability to abstract away the difficulties of DCMA mitigation from the VPN companies

3) Provably end-to-end encrypted ‘dVPN’ network

The responsibilities of the VPN companies include:
1) Legal registration and integration with the on-ramp
2) Proprietary method of customer acquisition (e.g demographically targeted SEO/SEM campaigns)

The Sentinel dVPN will remain active and will cater to the crypto community, allowing for payment through SENT token, and other Cosmos IBC supported tokens and stablecoins.

VPN companies white-labeled on the Sentinel dVPN will cater to the mainstream audience and accept only fiat payment with conversion happening in the back-end through on-ramps.

Sentinel is currently in discussion with several on-ramp providers, and the integration of fiat for payment of VPN subscriptions is essential before shift to mainnet.

(3/3) The on-ramp would have the responsibility of converting the fiat into the SENT tokens before it is distributed to the trusted community ‘node farms’.

We have exhibited tremendous growth in the usage of the network reaching all-time-high records in usage on a regular basis – stats.sentinel.co - , now lets convert this into a monetized economy.

Development required for this vision to commence:
1) Completion/launch of Private Nets
2) Completion/launch of V2 Clients
3) Subscription based payment models and bandwidth metering

Tentatively we will be expecting to see the completion of these releases (minus advanced payment models) by the end of May

We are expecting to commence the white-labeling with the first member of the enterprise ecosystem being SpiderVPN UK

The #Sentinel network has reached an All-Time-High bandwidth usage (in 24hr) of over 1.6 TB. This far exceeds the previous records set and shows the ever-increasing utility of the $SENT #dVPN

Now it is time to convert this 'free' economy into a monetized self-sustaining system

There will be multiple dVPN applications operating in the Sentinel ecosystem. While Sentinel will focus only on crypto/stablecoin transactions and market demographics, other dVPN applications built on Sentinel will be targeting the mainstream and the general 'layman' who can only be converted through region specific marketing campaigns and local currency supported subscription packages.

Website and all collateral will be modified to reflect the refined and focused narrative of Sentinel.

https://twitter.com/Sentinel_co/status/1246691792986066944

The current version of the $SENT Desktop #dVPN has been re-released for #Linux, #Mac, #Windows, with the updated
@infura_io APIs. Token transfers on the #Ethereum ERC-20 network and the dVPN on the #ETH testnet are now re-active through the client.

DOWNLOAD:

https://github.com/sentinel-official/sentinel/releases/tag/v0.1.3

https://sentinel.co/downloads

The #dVPN on the #Tendermint testnet will be reactivated with the upcoming launch of the v2 client. The community based validators present on the Turing-2 testnet will be validating these dVPN test transactions

We are proud owners of the 'Sentinel' domain on the @HNS Handshake Network.

The $SENT #dVPN application will be integrating the #Handshake #HNS #DDNS into the network, allowing users to connect to decentralized websites hosted on Handshake through a secure dVPN.

Jan - Feb Node Incentivization is now complete with community based node hosts receiveing SENT in exchange for bandwidth provided to the free SENT dVPN network.

View the community hosted nodes and their performance at nodes.sentinel.co

Community members will soon have access to nodes that are extremely competitive in pricing.

stats.sentinel.co

The $SENT free #dVPN is rapidly expanding to new demographics and has reached an all-time 24HR high bandwidth consumption of 3.2 TB.

While consumption has been growing rapidly, the network is processing as much bandwidth as the average TOR exit node.

Along with the upcoming 'mainstream facing' white-labeled #dVPN organizations in Sentinel's ecosystem, the aggregate node count and bandwidth consumption across all networks will only increase exponentially.

Monetization and sustenance of a practical economic model is key.

#Sentinel bids farewell to the mortal form of the immortal soul of Toni Lane. Toni was an advisor at Sentinel who was working behind the scenes on the efforts leading to the current process of formalization and legitimization that $SENT is currently going through.

Her vibrant energy will never leave us.

Over 50,000 people have downloaded the #sentinel #dvpn #android app on @googleplay.

All over the world people are starting to recognize the advantages of a decentralized 'dVPN' when it comes to privacy and security.

Download the app now:
http://ow.ly/Ujax30qyOGI

The Sentinel ecosystem is looking forward to it's ongoing process of expansion to the stage of it's Tendermint based mainnet.

There has been a significant amount of development on the Tendermint based V2 Client and private nets which will be updated to the main Github.

https://medium.com/sentinel/sentinel-network-the-transition-to-tendermint-within-the-cosmos-network-9e0022bfb03c

The Sentinel team looks forwards to being able to have significant contribution to the Cosmos SDK in the future and will only be increasing the resources and bandwidth dedicated to development ontop of Cosmos.

Sentinel's Contribution to the Cosmos SDK

1. Fixed an issue the In IBC prototype where there were problems with incorrect sequences in the process of relaying transactions between chains. https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/2896

2. Fixed an issue relating to queries where the data doesn't have proofs https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/3236

3. Fixed an issue which led to a block delay in querying the account, implemented a new query method to resolve the delay. . https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/3767

4. Reported the wrong implementation of Private key and Public key interfaces and proposed the best method to implement. For the full description check https://github.com/tendermint/tendermint/issues/373

5. Requested and suggested a way to develop a solution to get the information (including time remaining) related to blocks that had yet to be synced. For the full description https://github.com/tendermint/tendermint/issues/3365

Tendermint based modules developed for Sentinel's Tendermint dVPN app

6. For Sentinel, creation and implementation of a deposit module, custom built to maintain status pertaining to locking of tokens. https://github.com/sentinel-official/hub/tree/development/x/deposit

7. For Sentinel implemented a mechanism for locking and releasing tokens based on the application requirements, wherein this case the user had to lock tokens in order to initiate a DVPN subscription https://github.com/sentinel-official/hub/blob/development/x/vpn/handler.go#L158

The white-labelled enterprises on the Sentinel dVPN network will be and the integrating with real-world fiat payment channels and the payment gateway structure for the Sentinel Tendermint applications will be focusing on time-based subscriptions payment models.

The payment for the dVPN service through Sentinel's white-label channels will happens off-chain (e.g credit card) and a user Tendermint based account is given authorization to consume unlimited bandwidth from the network for a specific amount of time.

https://goz.vgng.io/ Unofficial GOZ Leaderboard

The Game of Zones is has officially begun and Sentinel is currently ranked at #3 (potentially subject to significant change). The Game of Zones is a highly competitive competition and involves many organizations with significant experience with the Cosmos SDK and Tendermint core.

The Sentinel team wishes the other competitors the best of luck and looks forward to excelling in the competition in order to receive an accolade similar to what the team received during the Game of Stakes competition that was conducted before the launch of the Cosmos Mainnet.

The $SENT zone is one of the 2 zones that is connected to the #GOZ hub from the beginning of the competition with no disruption and this is not due to luck.

When the hub was lagging, we managed to update the client with the old block header which met the RPC endpoint's time.

After day 3 of the Game of Zones, #Sentinel is still at the top of the leaderboard for Phase 1 of the competition.

https://dash-goz.p2p.org/public/dashboards/rJLRgzu4d4CzW5vvs9udxXApVMavR4QqJotzdbm4?org_slug=default

Sentinel is planning to transition from its Ethereum based mainnet to its Cosmos based mainnet.

Its performance in the competition shows the competence of the development team with the understanding of the Cosmos ecosystem.

The Sentinel Turing-2 Cosmos testnet can be viewed at explorer.sentinel.co. A new client for the Tendermint testnet will be released in the coming days allowing for users to simulate in-wallet delegation and transfers in preperation for the mainnet.

The swap to the mainnet will only happen after Sentinel transitions from an anonymous underground team into its official corporate structure with its foundation being located in Switzerland. The process of formalization is underway.

The new $SENT Android #dVPN Update is now available on the Google #PlayStore as well as on the #Sentinel Github.

Join over 50,000 users who have downloaded the application from the PlayStore today!

Thanks to the community for consistent feedback.

Some users are facing ongoing connection issues with specific servers and the team is consistently identifying and resolving these.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.sentinel.sentinellite&hl=en