[BIP Draft] P2P UTXO Set Sharing

The discussion focuses on the challenges associated with hosting a snapshot on bitcoincore.org, explicitly detailing the potential risks and operational differences compared to other internet service operations. Hosting such files exposes the server to numerous security threats including Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, vulnerabilities in the network layer like BGP and DNS attacks, and possible compromises of admin accounts. Additionally, there are legal risks that could affect hosting providers or ISP connections, and regional reliability issues that might disrupt service.

Eric Voskuil points out that while these problems are common across many internet companies, addressing them typically involves substantial costs and ongoing maintenance efforts. The reliability and uptime of the bitcoin network, which has historically been commendable as highlighted by the data available at Bitcoin Uptime, set high expectations for any similar solutions. From his perspective as a developer, rather than a server administrator, Voskuil suggests that managing these hosting responsibilities would be significantly more labor-intensive than maintaining complex code lines. This comparison underscores the preference for software development over network administration due to the complexities and demands of managing an online service infrastructure.