Blockchain-attached storage

BAS devices in a local pool

Blockchain-attached storage (BAS) is a type of storage solution that uses blockchain technology to store and manage data. In this type of system, data is stored on a decentralized network of computers, rather than on a single centralized server. This allows for increased security and data integrity, as the data is distributed across the network and cannot be easily altered or deleted (Nakamoto, 2008).

Blockchain technology uses a distributed ledger system to record and verify transactions (Buterin, 2014). This means that every time data is added to the blockchain, a record of the transaction is added to the ledger, which is then verified by multiple computers on the network. This process makes it extremely difficult for data to be altered or tampered with, making it a secure way to store and manage data (Zohar, 2015).

Blockchain-attached storage is often used in industries where data security is a high priority, such as finance, healthcare, and government (Kshetri, 2017). It can also be useful in situations where data needs to be stored and accessed by multiple parties, as it allows for secure and transparent sharing of data (Narayanan et al., 2016).

There are a number of notable examples of blockchain-attached storage solutions in use today, such as Functionland Fula (Functionland Inc, n.d.), Storj (Storj Labs, n.d.) and Sia (Sia, n.d.). These platforms allow users to rent out their unused hard drive space to store data, with the data being encrypted and stored on a decentralized network.

While blockchain-attached storage has the potential to revolutionize the way we store and manage data (Kshetri, 2017), there are also limitations and challenges to consider. For example, the scalability of blockchain technology is still a concern, as the decentralized nature of the network can make it slower and more expensive to process transactions compared to centralized systems (Eyal & Sirer, 2014). There are also ongoing efforts to address these limitations and improve the technology, including the development of new protocols and approaches to scaling (Buterin, 2014).

Overall, blockchain-attached storage represents a promising new way to store and manage data, offering increased security and data integrity through the use of decentralized networks and blockchain technology (Nakamoto, 2008).

Description

A BAS unit is a computer connected to a local pool of other BAS devices that provide data storage services to other devices on the pool and receive services from other devices. Although it may technically be possible to run other software on a BAS unit, it is usually not designed to be a general-purpose server. For example, BAS units usually do not have a keyboard or display, and are controlled and configured over the network, often using a browser or mobile application.

A full-featured operating system is not needed on a BAS device, so often a stripped-down operating system is used. For example, a stripped-down version of FreeBSD, an open source OS solution.

BAS systems contain one or more hard disk drives. And since the data resilience is provided by other devices it does not require to be set up as redundant storage containers or RAID.

Comparing with Cloud

Cloud requires users to pay a subscription fee to a central authority for the services they receive. However, BAS makes the users, owners of the internet and they provide services to each other and share resources together.

BAS is faster than cloud because data resides in a local pool consisting of neighboring other BAS devices.

Comparing with NAS

The key difference between network-attached storage (NAS) and BAS:

Both NAS and BAS provide resilient data, however, with different mechanisms.

NAS is simply providing a way to users to store files and data, however, BAS is a full ecosystem, where it creates a monetized open-source development ecosystem.

NAS is generally not as customizable in terms of hardware (CPU, memory, storage components) or low level software (extensions, plug-ins, additional protocols).

Comparing with Harddrive

Harddrives are simply a file storage, however, BAS is full decentralized application server.

History

BAS was introduced by Functionland Inc in 2021.

List of network protocols used to serve NAS

• Libp2p
• IPFS
• Layer 3 Blockchain
• Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)

See also

• Disk enclosure
• File virtualization
• Global Namespace
• List of NAS manufacturers
• Network architecture
• Server (computing)

References

Buterin, V. (2014). A next-generation smart contract and decentralized application platform. Ethereum White Paper. Retrieved from https://ethereum.org/greeter

Eyal, I., & Sirer, E. G. (2014). Majority is not enough: Bitcoin mining is vulnerable. In Financial Cryptography and Data Security (pp. 436-454). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

Kshetri, N. (2017). Blockchain technology and its potential use in the storage and management of electronic health records: A review. Health Information Science and Systems, 5(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13755-017-0092-y

Narayanan, A., Bonneau, J., Felten, E., Miller, A., & Goldfeder, S. (2016). Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies: A Comprehensive Introduction. Princeton University Press.

Nakamoto, S. (2008). Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System. Retrieved from https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf

Sia (n.d.). Decentralized storage platform. Retrieved from https://sia.tech/

Storj (n.d.). Decentralized storage platform. Retrieved from https://storj.io/

Functionland (n.d.). Crowd Storage Solution . Retrieved from https://fx.land/

Further reading

• [1] Fula Whitepaper
• [2] Fula GitHub

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