Google is launching is launching a cloud-based node engine service called Blockchain Node Engine (BNE). With Ethereum as the first blockchain, the BNE enables Web 3.0 companies to relay transactions, deploy smart contracts, and read or write blockchain data directly on Google Cloud, the company announced in a blog post on 27 October.
The new initiative by Google signals the firm’s growing attention to blockchain, crypto and Web 3.0 projects. According to Google Trends, searches for Web 3.0 on Google reached an all-time high in terms of peak popularity in 2022.
Earlier, the search engine giant had tied up with crypto exchange Coinbase to provide crypto payments for its cloud services. Furthermore, Google Cloud and BNB Chain announced a partnership to support the growth of Web 3.0 startups.
CoinSwitch had reported on 12 October that Google’s search engine added a feature to type an Ethereum address onto the search bar to check the amount of ETH in your wallet.
More about Blockchain Node Engine (BNE)
Google Cloud Blockchain Node Engine is a “fully managed node-hosting service that can minimize the need for node operations,” according to the blog post. Put simply, Google will be responsible for monitoring node activity and restarting them during outages. For perspective, a node is a computer that connects to and supports a blockchain network through validation and relaying transactions.
Functions like BNE engine are useful as it is difficult to deploy self-managed nodes and they require constant management.
BNE benefits for Web. 3.0 developers
Streamlined provisioning: Google Cloud’s Blockchain Node Engine can make syncing a full node from the first block faster and easier. This is done by allowing developers to deploy a new node with a single operation, with the option to specify the desired region and network.
Secure development: The service seeks to place nodes behind a virtual private cloud firewall, allowing only trusted machines and users to communicate with endpoints.
Fully managed operations: Google Cloud’s BNE is a fully managed operation that actively monitors the nodes and restarts itself during outages, reducing the need for a dedicated DevOps team.
