Avalanche Cortina 8 - Partial Sync

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🛠️ 🛠️ #Avalanche Cortina 8 is out: github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/releases/tag/v1.10.8 🛠️ 🛠️ This is the last release in a series of database migrations. It is optional but recommended. 🔍 Release Focus: P-Chain Pruning/Indexing + Primary Network Partial Sync + Subnet Validator Diff Regression Fix

✅ Compatibility Check: VM Interface (v27) ✅ Cortina 8 does NOT modify the VM interface. If you are running a Custom VM on v1.10.5-v1.10.7, it will work with v1.10.8.

🚧 ATTENTION OPERATORS 🚧 AvalancheGo@v1.10.8 prunes unused P-Chain block data when starting up for the first time (in the background). You will see elevated disk/CPU/memory usage for the first ~10 hours after upgrading. **This is expected.**

P-Chain Height Pruning/Indexing Cortina 8 deletes rejected blocks from disk (we stopped writing them a few releases ago) and reformats the disk format of accepted blocks to be more minimal. Additionally, this release indexes blockIDs by height. github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/pull/1719

P-Chain Height Pruning/Indexing (continued) With this release, all chains on the Primary Network are now height indexed. This unblocks the rollout of concurrent block fetching during bootstrapping (which should dramatically reduce the time it takes to sync a new node).

Primary Network Partial Sync One of the most common feature requests we've heard is to reduce the overhead of running an #Avalanche Subnet. Cortina 8 introduces a new sync mode that allows **Subnet API** nodes to ONLY INDEX THE P-CHAIN (no X/C). github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/pull/1769

Primary Network Partial Sync (continued) The mode can reduce Primary Network overhead (CPU/Disk) by 80%+ for node operators that only support Subnet APIs without disabling the ability to verify AWM messages.

PNPS (continued pt. 2) WARNING: This mode makes it impossible to verify the integrity of P-Chain Atomic Imports (which require validating Atomic Exports on X/C). You will rely on the consensus of the Primary Network alone to determine tx validity in this mode.

Subnet Validator Diff Regression Fix Cortina 7 introduced a regression in validator diff calculation on nodes running Subnets (can cause sputtery block production and temporary instability after a validator unstakes). Cortina 8 fixes this. github.com/ava-labs/avalanchego/pull/1833

Validator Diff Regression All Subnet operators running v1.10.7 should update to v1.10.8 to avoid any inconvenience due to this regression. Shoutout to the @dexalot team for helping to debug this issue. 🙏

As always, if you are looking for a job in crypto, check out my mega thread covering all the roles we are hiring for at @avalabsofficial 👀 👀 👀: twitter.com/_patrickogrady/status/1613608950896947200

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: typefully.com/_patrickogrady/RNZotUt