Ethereum (ETH) developers have confirmed that the prerequisites, shadow forks, have been completed successfully for the highly anticipated Merge blockchain upgrade.
Shadow forks allow developers to test timing assumptions to ensure network security during continuous updates. In preparation for the Merge upgrade, Ethereum developers implemented the first shadow fork on April 11, 2022.
Almost six months later, Nethermind, an Ethereum research and engineering company, confirmed the successful transition to Mainnet-Shadowfork-13, the latest shadow fork, signaling that the network is ready to migrate to Proof of Stake ( PoS) consensus mechanism.
Successful migration in Mainnet-Shadowfork-13 (the last shadowfork before The Merge) for all Nethermind nodes!#TheMerge #Ethereum #Nethermind #MSF13 pic.twitter.com/sddPPwSR1u
— Nethermind (@nethermindeth) September 9, 2022
The migration into the Mainnet-Shadowfork-13 (the last shadowfork before the Merge) has been successful for all Nethermind nodes!#TheMerge #Ethereum #Nethermind #MSF13 pic.twitter.com/sddPPwSR1u- Nethermind (@nethermindeth) September 9 , 2022
The testnet allowed Ethereum developers to practice operating nodes, deploy contracts, and test infrastructure, among other features. Thus, shadow forks allow developers to measure the implications of network upgrades before they happen.
As part of the upgrade, the community needs to update their Ethereum clients and run the combination of execution layer and consensus layer.
Also Read: Merger: Top 5 Misconceptions About Ethereum Early Upgrade
CEO of cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX, Alexander Höptner, emphasized the need to pay special attention to the upgrade of Ethereum to avoid service disruptions.
Speaking to Cointelegraph, Höptner explained:
“You just have to be, say, wake up and see what’s going on. There is a risk of high volatility. And so you need to make sure your services are up and running. […] We don’t see any significant disruption outside of volatility.”
The CEO also said that the success of Merge will depend on the support of the community.
