# Introduction of Solana **What is Solana?** Solana is an open-source project that implements a new, high-performance, unauthorized blockchain. The Solana Foundation is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and maintains open-source projects. **Strengths of Solana** If transactions are less than 176 bytes on average, the central database can handle 710,000 transactions per second on a standard Gigabit network. Centralized databases also use distributed system technology known as optimistic concurrency control to replicate and maintain high availability without significantly compromising transaction rates. \[HTKung, JTRobinson (1981)] In Solana, we show that these same theoretical limitations apply to blockchains in hostile networks. What's the core ingredient? Find a way to share time when nodes cannot depend on each other. When nodes become time-dependent, 40 years of distributed system research will suddenly be applied to the blockchain! **What is Solana Cluster?** A cluster is a set of computers that work together and can be viewed externally as a single system. A Solana cluster is a set of independently owned computers that work together (and sometimes against each other). Check the output of an untrusted user submission program. The Solana cluster can utilize an unchangeable record of events whenever users want to save time or programming interpretations of the event. One purpose is to track computers that have done meaningful work to maintain cluster execution. Another use may be to track the actual ownership of an asset. In each case, the cluster generates an event record called ledger. It is stored for the lifetime of the cluster. As long as someone somewhere in the world keeps a copy of the ledger, the output of the program (which may contain a record of who owns what) can be reproduced forever, regardless of the organization that started it. **What is SOL?** SOL is the default token name of Solana, which can be delivered to nodes in the Solana cluster in exchange for running on-chain programs or verifying output. The system can make small payments for part of the SOL called lAMports. It is named after Leslie Lamport, Solana's biggest technical influence. The value of the lamp is 0.000000001 SOL. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://doce.charactbit.com/technology-foundation/introduction-of-solana.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.