** CHANGES ARE EXPERIMENTAL (FOR TESTING ONLY)

Bockchain:
1. Optim: Multi-thread long-hash computation when encountering groups of blocks.
2. Optim: Cache verified txs and return result from cache instead of re-checking whenever possible.
3. Optim: Preload output-keys when encoutering groups of blocks. Sort by amount and global-index before bulk querying database and multi-thread when possible.
4. Optim: Disable double spend check on block verification, double spend is already detected when trying to add blocks.
5. Optim: Multi-thread signature computation whenever possible.
6. Patch: Disable locking (recursive mutex) on called functions from check_tx_inputs which causes slowdowns (only seems to happen on ubuntu/VMs??? Reason: TBD)
7. Optim: Removed looped full-tx hash computation when retrieving transactions from pool (???).
8. Optim: Cache difficulty/timestamps (735 blocks) for next-difficulty calculations so that only 2 db reads per new block is needed when a new block arrives (instead of 1470 reads).

Berkeley-DB:
1. Fix: 32-bit data errors causing wrong output global indices and failure to send blocks to peers (etc).
2. Fix: Unable to pop blocks on reorganize due to transaction errors.
3. Patch: Large number of transaction aborts when running multi-threaded bulk queries.
4. Patch: Insufficient locks error when running full sync.
5. Patch: Incorrect db stats when returning from an immediate exit from "pop block" operation.
6. Optim: Add bulk queries to get output global indices.
7. Optim: Modified output_keys table to store public_key+unlock_time+height for single transaction lookup (vs 3)
8. Optim: Used output_keys table retrieve public_keys instead of going through output_amounts->output_txs+output_indices->txs->output:public_key
9. Optim: Added thread-safe buffers used when multi-threading bulk queries.
10. Optim: Added support for nosync/write_nosync options for improved performance (*see --db-sync-mode option for details)
11. Mod: Added checkpoint thread and auto-remove-logs option.
12. *Now usable on 32-bit systems like RPI2.

LMDB:
1. Optim: Added custom comparison for 256-bit key tables (minor speed-up, TBD: get actual effect)
2. Optim: Modified output_keys table to store public_key+unlock_time+height for single transaction lookup (vs 3)
3. Optim: Used output_keys table retrieve public_keys instead of going through output_amounts->output_txs+output_indices->txs->output:public_key
4. Optim: Added support for sync/writemap options for improved performance (*see --db-sync-mode option for details)
5. Mod: Auto resize to +1GB instead of multiplier x1.5

ETC:
1. Minor optimizations for slow-hash for ARM (RPI2). Incomplete.
2. Fix: 32-bit saturation bug when computing next difficulty on large blocks.

[PENDING ISSUES]
1. Berkely db has a very slow "pop-block" operation. This is very noticeable on the RPI2 as it sometimes takes > 10 MINUTES to pop a block during reorganization.
   This does not happen very often however, most reorgs seem to take a few seconds but it possibly depends on the number of outputs present. TBD.
2. Berkeley db, possible bug "unable to allocate memory". TBD.

[NEW OPTIONS] (*Currently all enabled for testing purposes)
1. --fast-block-sync arg=[0:1] (default: 1)
	a. 0 = Compute long hash per block (may take a while depending on CPU)
	b. 1 = Skip long-hash and verify blocks based on embedded known good block hashes (faster, minimal CPU dependence)
2. --db-sync-mode arg=[[safe|fast|fastest]:[sync|async]:[nblocks_per_sync]] (default: fastest:async:1000)
	a. safe = fdatasync/fsync (or equivalent) per stored block. Very slow, but safest option to protect against power-out/crash conditions.
	b. fast/fastest = Enables asynchronous fdatasync/fsync (or equivalent). Useful for battery operated devices or STABLE systems with UPS and/or systems with battery backed write cache/solid state cache.
	Fast    - Write meta-data but defer data flush.
	Fastest - Defer meta-data and data flush.
	Sync    - Flush data after nblocks_per_sync and wait.
	Async   - Flush data after nblocks_per_sync but do not wait for the operation to finish.
3. --prep-blocks-threads arg=[n] (default: 4 or system max threads, whichever is lower)
        Max number of threads to use when computing long-hash in groups.
4. --show-time-stats arg=[0:1] (default: 1)
	Show benchmark related time stats.
5. --db-auto-remove-logs arg=[0:1] (default: 1)
	For berkeley-db only. Auto remove logs if enabled.

**Note: lmdb and berkeley-db have changes to the tables and are not compatible with official git head version.
	At the moment, you need a full resync to use this optimized version.

[PERFORMANCE COMPARISON]
**Some figures are approximations only.
Using a baseline machine of an i7-2600K+SSD+(with full pow computation):
1. The optimized lmdb/blockhain core can process blocks up to 585K for ~1.25 hours + download time, so it usually takes 2.5 hours to sync the full chain.
2. The current head with memory can process blocks up to 585K for ~4.2 hours + download time, so it usually takes 5.5 hours to sync the full chain.
3. The current head with lmdb can process blocks up to 585K for ~32 hours + download time and usually takes 36 hours to sync the full chain.

Averate procesing times (with full pow computation):
lmdb-optimized:
1. tx_ave = 2.5 ms / tx
2. block_ave = 5.87 ms / block
memory-official-repo:
1. tx_ave = 8.85 ms / tx
2. block_ave = 19.68 ms / block
lmdb-official-repo (0f4a036437fd41a5498ee5e74e2422ea6177aa3e)
1. tx_ave = 47.8 ms / tx
2. block_ave = 64.2 ms / block

**Note: The following data denotes processing times only (does not include p2p download time)
lmdb-optimized processing times (with full pow computation):
1. Desktop,  Quad-core / 8-threads 2600k  (8Mb) - 1.25 hours processing time (--db-sync-mode=fastest:async:1000).
2. Laptop,   Dual-core / 4-threads U4200  (3Mb) - 4.90 hours processing time (--db-sync-mode=fastest:async:1000).
3. Embedded, Quad-core / 4-threads Z3735F (2x1Mb) - 12.0 hours processing time (--db-sync-mode=fastest:async:1000).

lmdb-optimized processing times (with per-block-checkpoint)
1. Desktop,  Quad-core / 8-threads 2600k  (8Mb) - 10 minutes processing time (--db-sync-mode=fastest:async:1000).

berkeley-db optimized processing times (with full pow computation)
1. Desktop, Quad-core / 8-threads 2600k  (8Mb) - 1.8 hours processing time (--db-sync-mode=fastest:async:1000).
2. RPI2. Improved from estimated 3 months(???) into 2.5 days (*Need 2AMP supply + Clock:1Ghz + [usb+ssd] to achieve this speed) (--db-sync-mode=fastest:async:1000).

berkeley-db optimized processing times (with per-block-checkpoint)
1. RPI2. 12-15 hours (*Need 2AMP supply + Clock:1Ghz + [usb+ssd] to achieve this speed) (--db-sync-mode=fastest:async:1000).

4 files changed, 101 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/src/blocks/CMakeLists.txt b/src/blocks/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0ad885388
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/blocks/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2014-2015, The Monero Project
+# 
+# All rights reserved.
+# 
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are
+# permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+# 
+# 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of
+#    conditions and the following disclaimer.
+# 
+# 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list
+#    of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other
+#    materials provided with the distribution.
+# 
+# 3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be
+#    used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific
+#    prior written permission.
+# 
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY
+# EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
+# MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL
+# THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
+# PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+# INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT,
+# STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF
+# THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+
+if(APPLE)
+    add_library(blocks STATIC blockexports.c)
+    set_target_properties(blocks PROPERTIES LINKER_LANGUAGE C)
+else()
+	add_custom_command(OUTPUT blocks.o COMMAND cd ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} && ld -r -b binary -o ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/blocks.o blocks.dat)
+    add_library(blocks STATIC blocks.o blockexports.c)
+    set_target_properties(blocks PROPERTIES LINKER_LANGUAGE C)
+endif()
+
diff --git a/src/blocks/blockexports.c b/src/blocks/blockexports.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cea72b299
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/blocks/blockexports.c
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#include <stddef.h>
+
+#if defined(__APPLE__)
+#include <mach-o/getsect.h>
+
+#if !defined(__LP64__)
+extern const struct mach_header _mh_execute_header;
+#else
+extern const struct mach_header_64 _mh_execute_header;
+#endif
+
+const unsigned char *get_blocks_dat_start()
+{
+    size_t size;
+    return getsectiondata(&_mh_execute_header, "__DATA", "__blocks_dat", &size);
+}
+
+size_t get_blocks_dat_size()
+{
+    size_t size;
+    getsectiondata(&_mh_execute_header, "__DATA", "__blocks_dat", &size);
+    return size;
+}
+
+#else
+
+#if defined(_WIN32) && !defined(_WIN64)
+#define _binary_blocks_start binary_blocks_dat_start
+#define _binary_blocks_end binary_blocks_dat_end
+#else
+#define _binary_blocks_start _binary_blocks_dat_start
+#define _binary_blocks_end _binary_blocks_dat_end
+#endif
+
+extern const unsigned char _binary_blocks_start[];
+extern const unsigned char _binary_blocks_end[];
+
+const unsigned char *get_blocks_dat_start(void)
+{
+	return _binary_blocks_start;
+}
+
+size_t get_blocks_dat_size(void)
+{
+	return (size_t) (_binary_blocks_end - _binary_blocks_start);
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/blocks/blocks.dat b/src/blocks/blocks.dat
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..249956e75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/blocks/blocks.dat
diff --git a/src/blocks/blocks.h b/src/blocks/blocks.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..76a08c89d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/blocks/blocks.h
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#ifndef SRC_BLOCKS_BLOCKS_H_
+#define SRC_BLOCKS_BLOCKS_H_
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+const unsigned char *get_blocks_dat_start();
+size_t get_blocks_dat_size();
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+
+#endif /* SRC_BLOCKS_BLOCKS_H_ */