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Glossary

The decentralized cloud, term by term.

ALEPH token

ALEPH is the native token of the Aleph Cloud network, used to pay for cloud services, stake as a node operator to earn rewards, and participate in governance. Paying with ALEPH carries a 20% bonus over USDC or card, and the token is available on six chains — Ethereum, Solana, Base, Avalanche, Binance Smart Chain, and Tezos.

AMD SEV

AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV) encrypts each virtual machine's memory with a unique key managed by a dedicated security processor, so the hypervisor and other VMs cannot read it. Aleph Cloud uses AMD SEV (and SEV-SNP) to power its confidential virtual machines, keeping workloads encrypted even from the node operator hosting them.

Blockchain indexing

Blockchain indexing organizes raw on-chain data into a queryable form so applications can retrieve it quickly instead of scanning the chain directly. Aleph Cloud runs indexers for ecosystems including Solana, Ethereum, and the Oasys L1 / HOME Verse L2 chains, giving dApps fast, structured access to blockchain data.

Compute Resource Node (CRN)

A Compute Resource Node is a server in the Aleph Cloud network that executes workloads — virtual machines, serverless functions, and GPU instances. Anyone meeting the hardware requirements can operate a CRN and earn ALEPH rewards for the resources they provide.

Confidential computing

Confidential computing protects data while it is being processed, not just at rest or in transit, by running workloads inside a hardware-based trusted execution environment. Aleph Cloud delivers it through AMD SEV-powered confidential VMs, so sensitive workloads stay encrypted in memory even from the infrastructure operator.

Confidential virtual machine (CVM)

A confidential virtual machine encrypts its memory and CPU state with AMD SEV so that workloads and data stay shielded even from the node operator running them. Aleph Cloud CVMs make it possible to process sensitive data on decentralized infrastructure without trusting the hardware host.

Content addressing

Content addressing identifies a file by a cryptographic hash of its contents (a CID) rather than by its location on a particular server. When you host a website on Aleph Cloud it is pinned to IPFS and served by its content ID, so the same content can be retrieved from any node that holds it.

Core Channel Node (CCN)

A Core Channel Node is the backbone of the Aleph Cloud network, managing data propagation, message validation, and integrity. Operating a CCN requires an initial stake of 200,000 ALEPH plus 500,000 ALEPH staked by other participants to activate it, and each CCN can connect up to five Compute Resource Nodes.

Credits

Credits are Aleph Cloud's prepaid balance for paying for cloud resources: you top up by converting ALEPH tokens or stablecoins into credits and spend them as you use compute, storage, and hosting. The credit system removes the requirement to hold tokens directly and lets workloads draw down balance continuously as they run.

Decentralized cloud computing

Decentralized cloud computing distributes compute and storage across a global network of independent nodes instead of centralized data centers. Aleph Cloud provides compute, storage, and hosting powered by a community of node operators, delivering censorship resistance, no vendor lock-in, and no single point of failure.

Decentralized storage

Decentralized storage spreads data across many independent nodes so no single entity controls it and there is no single point of failure. Aleph Cloud offers it through IPFS-based immutable volumes and its own native storage primitives, ensuring data redundancy, integrity, and availability across the network.

DePIN

A Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) coordinates independently operated hardware — servers, storage, compute — through a blockchain and token incentives rather than a single corporation. Aleph Cloud is a DePIN: its network of 115+ core channel nodes and 640+ compute nodes is run by independent operators rewarded in ALEPH.

Dynamic NFT

A dynamic NFT is a non-fungible token whose metadata can change after minting — reflecting in-game events, scores, or external data — instead of staying fixed. Aleph Cloud powers dynamic NFTs for projects like Ubisoft's Captain Laserhawk via a serverless service that updates token metadata, accepting only changes signed by the contract owner.

GPU instance

A GPU instance is a virtual machine with dedicated graphics-processing hardware for AI inference, ML training, rendering, and simulations. Aleph Cloud offers decentralized GPU instances starting at $0.055/hour, with configurations up to 12 vCPU and 72 GB of RAM, billed pay-as-you-go.

Instance

An instance is a virtual server provisioned on the Aleph Cloud network for general computing needs, equivalent to a VPS. Instances run standard Linux distributions with SSH access and root control, and can be deployed in confidential (CVM) or GPU variants on the decentralized network.

IPFS

IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) is a peer-to-peer protocol that stores and serves files by content address across a distributed network of nodes. Aleph Cloud uses IPFS to host Web3 websites — your files are pinned to IPFS and exposed through a gateway, replicated across nodes for censorship resistance and high availability.

microVM

A microVM is a lightweight, fast-booting virtual machine that isolates a workload with far less overhead than a traditional VM. Aleph Cloud has provided micro-virtual-machine resources across networks such as Ethereum, Solana, Cosmos, and Tezos since 2020, underpinning its serverless functions and instances.

Node operator

A node operator runs a server that contributes resources to the Aleph Cloud network — either a Core Channel Node that secures and propagates data or a Compute Resource Node that executes workloads. Operators earn ALEPH rewards for the reliability and capacity they provide to the network.

Pay-as-you-go (PAYG)

A payment model where compute resources are billed continuously per unit of time used instead of through upfront commitments. On Aleph Cloud, PAYG streams ALEPH from the consumer to the network for exactly as long as the workload runs.

Serverless function

A serverless function runs your code on demand without you managing or provisioning a server, scaling automatically with usage. Aleph Cloud lets you upload a script and execute it on the decentralized network, and the same serverless infrastructure backs services like its dynamic-NFT metadata API.

Staking

Staking on Aleph Cloud means locking ALEPH tokens to help secure the decentralized compute network and earn rewards proportional to the amount staked. Staking is gasless, non-custodial, and has no lock-up; participants can delegate to a node operator, with a 10,000 ALEPH minimum to back a Core Channel Node.

Trusted Execution Environment (TEE)

A Trusted Execution Environment is a secure, hardware-isolated area within a processor where code runs in complete isolation from the rest of the system, so even the host OS or server operator cannot access its contents. Aleph Cloud applies TEE principles through AMD SEV to run confidential VMs for sensitive Web3 workloads.

Verifiable Random Function (VRF)

A Verifiable Random Function generates random numbers together with a proof that anyone can check, so the randomness can be trusted as fair and unmanipulated. Aleph Cloud's VRF solution powers transparent, provably-fair mechanics such as Ubisoft's Champions Tactics champion mint.

Virtual Private Server (VPS)

A Virtual Private Server is a dedicated virtual machine with its own CPU, RAM, and storage, giving you root control via SSH. Aleph Cloud's decentralized VPS instances run on a distributed network of compute nodes — from 1 to 12 vCPU and 2 to 24 GB RAM — starting at $0.0143/hour (~$10.44/month), with storage included.

Web3 hosting

Web3 hosting serves websites from decentralized infrastructure like IPFS across a distributed network of nodes, with no single server to take down. Aleph Cloud's Web3 hosting supports frameworks such as Next.js, React, and Vue.js, offers a free tier for static sites, and supports custom and ENS domains.