A distributed network, the distributed network comprising a replicated computing cluster, the replicated computing cluster comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein the distributed network is configured to perform, by a consensus subset of the plurality of nodes, consensus rounds, the consensus rounds being configured to reach a consensus on input blocks to be processed by the plurality of nodes; wherein each of the plurality of nodes of the replicated computing cluster is configured to run a replica, wherein each of the replicas is configured to run one or more computational units, wherein the one or more computational units are pieces of software which have their own unit state; perform consecutive processing rounds comprising a consecutive processing of the input blocks comprising a plurality of transactions in a deterministic and replicated manner, thereby computing a sequence of round states; perform software upgrades of the replica at handover states of the round states at pre-agreed handover rounds of the consecutive processing rounds; compile and/or compute a handover package, the handover package being configured to enable an obtainment of the handover state; and provide, upon request of another replica, via a communication interface that is independent of the software upgrades, the handover package; wherein the distributed network is configured to execute, by a permissible subset of the nodes of the replicated computing cluster 15), a joint signature on the handover package, in particular a threshold signature; perform the software upgrades from a current software version of the replica to a new software version of the replica by performing the processing rounds up to and including the computing of the handover state of the pre-agreed handover round with the current software version; installing the new software version; and performing the processing rounds subsequent to the handover round with the new software version starting from the handover state. run one or more computational units, wherein the one or more computational units are pieces of software which have their own unit state; perform consecutive processing rounds comprising a consecutive processing of the input blocks comprising a plurality of transactions in a deterministic and replicated manner, thereby computing a sequence of round states; perform software upgrades of the replica at handover states of the round states at pre-agreed handover rounds of the consecutive processing rounds; compile and/or compute a handover package, the handover package being configured to enable an obtainment of the handover state; and provide, upon request of another replica, via a communication interface that is independent of the software upgrades, the handover package; wherein the distributed network is configured to execute, by a permissible subset of the nodes of the replicated computing cluster 15), a joint signature on the handover package, in particular a threshold signature; perform the software upgrades from a current software version of the replica to a new software version of the replica by execute, by a permissible subset of the nodes of the replicated computing cluster 15), a joint signature on the handover package, in particular a threshold signature; perform the software upgrades from a current software version of the replica to a new software version of the replica by performing the processing rounds up to and including the computing of the handover state of the pre-agreed handover round with the current software version; installing the new software version; and performing the processing rounds subsequent to the handover round with the new software version starting from the handover state.