The Sui team launched a new protocol called Walrus, aiming to rival FIL.

After successfully launching the Sui network and the DeepBook protocol, Mysten Labs is preparing to launch a new project - the Walrus protocol. Although there are many protocols in the decentralized storage market, Walrus has attracted widespread attention due to two major advantages: first, it outperforms existing storage solutions in terms of cost-effectiveness and security; second, it enables the programmability of stored data through the Sui network. As one of the most advanced decentralized storage protocols currently, the future utility and value of Walrus are worth paying attention to.

Three Major Features of Walrus

1. High storage cost efficiency

Walrus uses Red-Stuff encoding, achieving storage efficiency up to 100 times that of Arweave and FIL. Arweave requires the entire network to store all data, leading to high replication costs; while FIL can provide cheaper storage based on user needs, the low-cost options may increase the risk of data loss. Walrus, on the other hand, minimizes the probability of data loss while maintaining low replication costs.

In addition, as the number of nodes increases, the costs of Arweave will also rise. However, Walrus only requires a single data transmission over the network, with each node storing a portion of the data, which effectively reduces the burden on each node as the network grows. This structure allows the storage costs of Walrus to be significantly lower than those of Arweave and FIL.

2. Data Programmable

The most notable feature of Walrus is its "programmability". Traditional storage is just a simple data warehouse, whereas Walrus achieves programmable decentralized storage through the Sui network, giving stored data more functionality.

For example, when minting an NFT, the image file can be stored in Walrus, and its blob data object can be created on the Sui network, connecting with the NFT object. This solves the traditional NFT "incomplete" issue, making NFTs through Walrus true Web3 assets.

In addition, since the blob data of Walrus can be stored as Sui objects and controlled by Sui's Move smart contracts, the smart contracts can transfer the stored data to other users or automatically change ownership.

In contrast, Arweave and Filecoin have very limited dynamic integration with on-chain applications. While Filecoin has added some smart contract capabilities through FVM, its ability to modify and control data remains limited, and Walrus clearly outperforms both protocols in terms of programmability.

3. Flexible data access and deletion

One characteristic of existing storage protocols is that once data is uploaded, it can be accessed by anyone and cannot be deleted. This poses a significant limitation for organizations and enterprises that need to store sensitive data or require the ability to modify/delete data. Walrus allows users to discard or modify data when needed, which greatly enhances its application potential in traditional enterprises and Web2 companies.

It is important to note that what is deleted in Walrus is the blob data, and the transaction data unrelated to the deletion of blob data remains unchanged. Deleting blob data will not affect the integrity of the blockchain.

Collaboration between Walrus and the Sui Network

Walrus should not be seen as diverting attention from Sui, but rather as a storage stack designed to enhance applications on Sui. Walrus not only supplements the Sui network from a storage perspective but also actively influences the governance token SUI of the Sui network, making the two inseparable.

Mysten Labs paid great attention to storage issues during the initial design phase of Sui. Sui introduced a unique storage fund concept to address storage challenges. The fees submitted by users are divided into two parts: Gas fees related to computation and storage fees for data storage. Sui charges storage fees in advance when users upload data and allocates these funds to the storage fund.

Sui's on-chain data storage system has produced two effects: first, users can receive a refund of storage fees when they delete on-chain data, creating an economic incentive to reduce the capacity of the distributed ledger; second, by collecting storage fees in advance and using them as rewards for future validating nodes, it addresses the sustainability issues related to storage.

Walrus achieves programmability of data by storing large-scale blob data and managing its metadata as objects on Sui, allowing the data to exist without being directly stored on Sui. Ultimately, a symbiotic relationship is established between Sui and Walrus, with both sides complementing each other's shortcomings, creating unique advantages.

The Impact of Walrus on SUI

The use of Walrus will lead to more SUI being locked in the storage fund, creating a virtuous cycle. The increase in Walrus usage results in a decrease in SUI circulation, which is a positive signal for the Sui network, both from a network perspective and an asset perspective. It is expected that through Walrus, the Sui ecosystem will develop towards a more diversified direction.

The Potential of Walrus

Walrus is not limited to the Sui ecosystem; it can be used by any third party and may even become a strong alternative to existing storage protocols or serve as an alternative for other DA layers. This availability will extend the demand for SUI beyond the Sui network, with the hope of becoming a bridge that expands Sui in various directions.

The future prospects of Walrus are promising for three reasons: first, its operational mechanism is more efficient than existing storage protocols; second, it can perform tasks that current storage protocols cannot complete; third, it has a solid network and user base through the Sui network. If Walrus becomes a representative storage protocol of Web3, it has the potential to become a leading protocol in the storage field.