Vitalik Reminds Node Operators to Update Client Before Bellatrix Upgrade

The Bellatrix hard-fork is the latest update on the Beacon Chain that will prepare it for the merge, and if node operators don't are not updated for the latest client, they may sync with the pre-fork channel.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin reminds node operators to update their clients ahead of the Bellatrix hard fork scheduled for September 6. Buterin said the planned update will be the last update that prepares the Beacon chain, the Proof of Stake (PoS) chain, for the merger.

The merge should still take place between September 13 and 15. What's happening today is the Bellatrix hard fork, which is *preparing* the channel for the merge. Still important though - be sure to update your customers!

An Ethereum client is the software that allows Ethereum nodes to read blocks on the blockchain and smart contracts. A "node" is the running piece of client software. To run a node, one must first download an Ethereum client application. A node can be executed by different Ethereum client software which varies according to the programming language used and the code base.

Ethereum node operators must comply with the Bellatrix upgrade by updating its consensus layer clients before epoch 144896 on the Beacon chain. The upgrade is scheduled for 11:34:47 UTC. This upgrade consolidates the PoS chain with the current runtime layer and is the last key update before the merge.

Before the Bellatrix upgrade, 73.5% of all node operators were merge ready, meaning 26.5% of node operators had not yet upgraded their clients. The Ethereum Foundation has warned that an outdated client will be...