# Tardigrade for Signal? How about dropping them a line? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ideas & Suggestions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2020, 5:58am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754 "2020-12-16T05:58:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jammerdan](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/jammerdan/32/1121_2.png) [@jammerdan](https://forum.storj.io/u/jammerdan)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 5:58am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/1 "2020-12-16T05:58:43Z")
@jocelyn: Here is the next one. Signal is a messenger recommended even by Edward Snowden for security. > **[Signal (software)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_(software))** > > Signal is an encrypted messaging service for instant messaging, voice, and video calls. The instant messaging function includes sending text, voice notes, images, videos, and other files. Communication may be one-to-one between users or may involve group messaging. > The application uses a centralized computing architecture and is cross-platform software. It is developed by the non-profit Signal Foundation and its subsidiary Signal Messenger LLC. Signal's software is free and open-source. Its mo... What I just learned is that they store the messenger files on Amazon S3: [Signal Messanger Architecture – IT Security Operations](https://sorincocorada.ro/signal-messanger-architecture/) > _Amazon S3 (Simple Storage Services)_ – is a web service offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). **It is used to exchange encrypted files between the Signal clients.** In contrast to the text messages which are relayed through the Signal-Server the files are temporarily stored using an external service. The protocol works as follows: the Signal client request an URL from Signal-Server, the server computes a [pre-signed URL](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonS3/latest/dev/PresignedUrlUploadObject.html) having a limited validity and sends it to the client, the client uploads the encrypted file to Amazon S3 and then sends the link to its peer. Amazon S3 services are accessed over HTTP and are billed based on usage. If you do not need file transfers this component can be omitted. Wouldn’t that be another great use case match for Tardigrade and add to the already secure messenger? Instead of storing user files in a centralized fashion, store them decentralized. It seems that Signal gets developed by the [Signalfoundation](https://signalfoundation.org/). Maybe it is worth to contact them? > **[Signal](https://github.com/signalapp)** > > Signal has 111 repositories available. Follow their code on GitHub. [https://twitter.com/signalapp](https://twitter.com/signalapp) > **[Login • Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/signal_app/)** > > Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world. [https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/requests/new](https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/requests/new) 2 side notes: - I had that idea and was wondering if all those Tardigrade nodes could even serve not just as file storage but also as messaging nodes for a secure messenger. - When I googled “Signal” I came across this site: [Integrate AWS Bucket S3 | Leadsbridge](https://leadsbridge.com/integrations/aws-bucket-s3/). They offer heaps of different integrations for their customers and claim to be official vendor for companies like Citibank, Porsche, Mazda. Maybe worth to look at that too. A S3 Tardigrade integration could open a door to access these large corporate customers and make them aware of the Tardigrade cloud storage solution. ---
**Author:** ![nerdatwork](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/nerdatwork/32/1135_2.png) [@nerdatwork](https://forum.storj.io/u/nerdatwork)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:17am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/2 "2020-12-16T06:17:13Z")
I just want to pat on your back for taking so much effort in finding potential clients for Storj. Keep up the good work. ---
**Author:** ![jocelyn](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/jocelyn/32/31_2.png) [@jocelyn](https://forum.storj.io/u/jocelyn)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:18am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/3 "2020-12-16T06:18:45Z")
@jammerdan thank you ---
**Author:** ![jocelyn](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/jocelyn/32/31_2.png) [@jocelyn](https://forum.storj.io/u/jocelyn)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:26am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/5 "2020-12-16T06:26:22Z")
Im looking through all these cool links now. Signal has a really interesting model. Im also really interested in their community approach ---
**Author:** ![kevink](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/kevink/32/6077_2.png) [@kevink](https://forum.storj.io/u/kevink)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2020, 6:27am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/6 "2020-12-16T06:27:36Z")
Signal seems interesting. If clients have to connect to that s3 backend, it might be more resource friendly for smartphones to not connect to the tardigrade network using uplink (because they need lots of connections to all the nodes) but a s3 gateway (which storjlabs is planning to deploy). But since it’s only used for files, it might be ok either way I guess. (I hope you’re applying for a job at storjlabs jammerdan 😃) ---
**Author:** ![jammerdan](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/jammerdan/32/1121_2.png) [@jammerdan](https://forum.storj.io/u/jammerdan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2020, 8:40am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/7 "2020-12-17T08:40:57Z")
> [@kevink](#): > > (I hope you’re applying for a job at storjlabs jammerdan 😃) 😁 . Thanks. A partnership with Signal would be amazing. Also for reputation. For Signal it would be a step to even more security. And for Storj it would be a valuable name to be associated with. ---
**Author:** ![jammerdan](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/jammerdan/32/1121_2.png) [@jammerdan](https://forum.storj.io/u/jammerdan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 11:14am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/8 "2020-12-23T11:14:48Z")
If Storjlabs manages Signal to use Tardigrade I am going to switch all my messaging over to Signal. 😁 🥰 🥰 🥰 😁 ---
**Author:** ![cml](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/cml/32/1121_2.png) [@cml](https://forum.storj.io/u/cml)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 4:02pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/9 "2020-12-23T16:02:55Z")
By the way, Signal server [is open source](https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Server) making any third party object storage solution possible. They already support minIO, an object storage server that is compatible with AWS S3. Shouldn’t be very hard to either add support to storj through minIO (it would have a broader developer reach) or in Signal Server directly. However if Storj Labs manages to have the official Signal server hosted in tardigrade that would be awesome news. ---
**Author:** ![Alexey](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/alexey/32/41_2.png) [@Alexey](https://forum.storj.io/u/Alexey)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 5:44pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/10 "2020-12-23T17:44:15Z")
To have a hosting you need a compute service unless your site is static (unlikely in case of Signal). The Tardigrade provide only storage, not computing. I do not know, how much storage is used by Signal. ---
**Author:** ![cml](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/cml/32/1121_2.png) [@cml](https://forum.storj.io/u/cml)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/11 "2020-12-23T18:30:22Z")
@Alexey I phrased it badly in the last paragraph indeed. I meant only object storage, they would have to host the remaining infrastructure elsewhere or keep what they have currently. ---
**Author:** ![jammerdan](https://storj.bcdn.literatehosting.com/user_avatar/forum.storj.io/jammerdan/32/1121_2.png) [@jammerdan](https://forum.storj.io/u/jammerdan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 5:53am UTC](https://forum.storj.io/t/tardigrade-for-signal-how-about-dropping-them-a-line/10754/12 "2021-03-08T05:53:22Z")
So here is a recent Amazon case study to prove the potential with messengers: Snapchat went for Amazon S3: > **[Snap re:Invent Keynote 2020](https://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/snap-reinvent/?did=cr_card&trk=cr_card)** > > Snap uses AWS to support its massive scale and rapid growth, reduce costs, and maintain a secure, reliable infrastructure. In this fireside chat, Jerry Hunter, Engineering SVP, talks about how AWS rapid innovation helps Snap create new experiences...