Document maximum number of IBFT 2.0 validators (#895)

* Document maximum number of IBFT 2.0 validators Signed-off-by: Roland Tyler <[email protected]> * Space Signed-off-by: Roland Tyler <[email protected]> * Incorporate feedback Signed-off-by: Roland Tyler <[email protected]> * Non-validator clarification Signed-off-by: Roland Tyler <[email protected]> * Review feedback Signed-off-by: Roland Tyler <[email protected]>
hyperledger · Dec 15, 2021 · a60dc8a · a60dc8a
1 parent 4b18774
commit a60dc8a
Showing 1 changed file with 10 additions and 1 deletion.
diff --git a/docs/HowTo/Configure/Consensus-Protocols/IBFT.md b/docs/HowTo/Configure/Consensus-Protocols/IBFT.md
@@ -25,12 +25,21 @@ Existing validators propose and vote to
 [add or remove validators](Add-Validators.md#ibft-20). Adding or removing a validator
 requires a majority vote (greater than 50%) of validators.
 
-## Minimum number of validators
+## Validators
+
+### Minimum number of validators
 
 IBFT 2.0 requires four validators to be Byzantine fault tolerant. Byzantine fault tolerance is the
 ability for a blockchain network to function correctly and reach consensus despite nodes failing or
 propagating incorrect information to peers.
 
+### Maximum number of validators
+
+As the number of validators increase, the message complexity increases, which can decrease performance.
+In [network tests](https://wiki.hyperledger.org/display/BESU/Maximum+Validator+count+for+an+IBFT2+Network), IBFT 2.0 handles up to 30 validators with no loss of performance.
+
+Non-validator nodes don't affect performance and don't count towards the maximum limit.
+
 ## Genesis file
 
 To use IBFT 2.0, Besu requires an IBFT 2.0 [genesis file](../Genesis-File.md). The genesis file defines properties