\chapter{Introduction} % Main chapter title

\label{Introduction}

This chapter introduces the Clan project, articulates its fundamental
objectives, outlines the key components, and examines the driving
factors motivating its development.

\section{Motivation}

Peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies and decentralization have undergone
significant growth and evolution in recent years. These technologies
form the backbone of various systems, including P2P Edge
Computing—particularly in the context of the Internet of Things
(IoT)—Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), and Blockchain platforms such
as Ethereum. P2P architectures enable more democratic,
censorship-resistant, and fault-tolerant systems by reducing reliance
on single points of failure \cite{shukla_towards_2021}.

However, to fully realize these benefits, a P2P system must deploy
its nodes across a diverse set of entities. Greater diversity in
hosting increases the network’s resilience to censorship and systemic failures.

Despite this, recent trends in Ethereum node hosting reveal a
significant reliance on centralized cloud providers. Notably, Amazon,
Hetzner, and OVH collectively host 70\% of all Ethereum nodes, as
illustrated in Figure \ref{fig:ethernodes_hosting}.

\begin{figure}[H]
  \centering
  \includegraphics[width=1\textwidth]{Figures/ethernodes_hosting.png}
  \caption{Distribution of Ethereum nodes hosted by various providers
  \cite{noauthor_isps_nodate}}
  \label{fig:ethernodes_hosting}
\end{figure}

The centralized nature of these providers and their domicile within the
same regulatory jurisdiction—the United States—introduces vulnerability.
Such a configuration allows for possible governmental intervention,
which could lead to network shutdowns or manipulation by leveraging
control over these cloud services.

The reliance on cloud-based solutions is driven by their ease of use,
reliability, and the significant technical barriers associated with
self-hosting solutions. These barriers include the need for technical
expertise and the often unreliable nature of personally managed
hosting. Recognizing this gap, the Clan project is proposed to
alleviate these barriers, making the process of self-hosting as
straightforward and reliable as using a cloud provider. The goal is
to democratize the hosting of P2P nodes, enhancing the overall
robustness and autonomy of decentralized networks.