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When Ethereum shards (assuming it does) will the block numbers across the multiple shards be unique? I doubt it (I don't think the shards can have sequential block numbers and be independent of the other).
Assuming the block numbers across shards are not sequential, then can one distinguish them across chains?
I suppose the shard id plus the block number can be a unique identifier, so perhaps I already answered my own question, but does anyone know?
There can be different ways to view a sharded blockchain.
One way is to take a blockchain, and split it to different shards.
Another way is to view many different shard chains operating largely independently, and that there is a coordinating chain (in Ethereum called the beacon chain) that connects to all shards. In this view, the system is composed of shards. The beacon chain, and every shard chain, would have their usual sequential block numbers: they'd all start with a Block 0 as their genesis block.
Yes, each shard would have an id.
