scholarly journals A Framework to Evaluate Blockchain Interoperability Solutions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Belchior ◽  
Iulia Mihaiu ◽  
Sabrina Scuri ◽  
Nuno Nunes
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Decentralized Systems ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Chain Rules

<div><div><br></div><div>Decentralized ledger technology (DLT), in particular blockchain, is becoming ubiquitous in today's society. Just in the second quarter of 2021, centralized and decentralized exchanges had a volume of around $600 billion. Enterprises are adopting this technology, following the opportunity to expand to new businesses. However, they need to connect their existing systems and processes to blockchains securely and reliably. Blockchain interoperability (BI) is emerging as one of the crucial features of blockchain technology. Fueled by the need to eliminate data and value silos, they realize the necessary bridge between centralized and decentralized systems.</div><div>As BI is still maturing, there are many unsolved challenges. In particular, it is still difficult for developers and practitioners to have control over processes spawning across several DLTs.</div><div>In this report, we focus on the problem of managing cross-chain state in an integrated manner. First, we introduce the concept of cross-chain logic/cross-chain rules. After that, we present and discuss the results of our BI survey. Finally, we propose the BI evaluation framework, the first step to systematically evaluate BI solutions.</div></div>

scholarly journals A Framework to Evaluate Blockchain Interoperability Solutions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iulia Mihaiu ◽  
Rafael Belchior ◽  
Sabrina Scuri ◽  
Nuno Nunes
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Decentralized Systems ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Chain Rules

<div><div><br></div><div>Decentralized ledger technology (DLT), in particular blockchain, is becoming ubiquitous in today's society. Just in the second quarter of 2021, centralized and decentralized exchanges had a volume of around $600 billion. Enterprises are adopting this technology, following the opportunity to expand to new businesses. However, they need to connect their existing systems and processes to blockchains securely and reliably. Blockchain interoperability (BI) is emerging as one of the crucial features of blockchain technology. Fueled by the need to eliminate data and value silos, they realize the necessary bridge between centralized and decentralized systems.</div><div>As BI is still maturing, there are many unsolved challenges. In particular, it is still difficult for developers and practitioners to have control over processes spawning across several DLTs.</div><div>In this report, we focus on the problem of managing cross-chain state in an integrated manner. First, we introduce the concept of cross-chain logic/cross-chain rules. After that, we present and discuss the results of our BI survey. Finally, we propose the BI evaluation framework, the first step to systematically evaluate BI solutions.</div></div>

scholarly journals A Framework to Evaluate Blockchain Interoperability Solutions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Belchior ◽  
Iulia Mihaiu ◽  
Sabrina Scuri ◽  
Nuno Nunes
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Decentralized Systems ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Chain Rules

<div><div><br></div><div>Decentralized ledger technology (DLT), in particular blockchain, is becoming ubiquitous in today's society. Just in the second quarter of 2021, centralized and decentralized exchanges had a volume of around $600 billion. Enterprises are adopting this technology, following the opportunity to expand to new businesses. However, they need to connect their existing systems and processes to blockchains securely and reliably. Blockchain interoperability (BI) is emerging as one of the crucial features of blockchain technology. Fueled by the need to eliminate data and value silos, they realize the necessary bridge between centralized and decentralized systems.</div><div>As BI is still maturing, there are many unsolved challenges. In particular, it is still difficult for developers and practitioners to have control over processes spawning across several DLTs.</div><div>In this report, we focus on the problem of managing cross-chain state in an integrated manner. First, we introduce the concept of cross-chain logic/cross-chain rules. After that, we present and discuss the results of our BI survey. Finally, we propose the BI evaluation framework, the first step to systematically evaluate BI solutions.</div></div>

Cross-chain interoperability among blockchain-based systems using transactions

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Babu Pillai ◽  
Kamanashis Biswas ◽  
Vallipuram Muthukkumarasamy
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Emerging Technology ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Decentralized Systems ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Suitable Solution ◽  
Inherent Problem

Abstract The blockchain is an emerging technology which has the potential to improve many information systems. In this regard, the applications and the platform they are built on must be able to connect and communicate with each other. However, the current blockchain platforms have several limitations, such as lack of interoperability among different systems. The existing platforms of blockchain applications operate only within their own networks. Even though the underlying technology is similar, it relies on centralized third-party mediators to exchange or retrieve information from other blockchain networks. The current third-party intermediaries establish trust and security by preserving a centralized ledger to track ‘account balances’ and vouch for a transaction’s authenticity. The inability for independent blockchains to communicate with one another is an inherent problem in the decentralized systems. Lack of appropriate inter-blockchain communication puts a strain on the mainstream adoption of blockchain. It is evident that blockchain technology has the potential to become a suitable solution for some systems if it can scale and is able to cross communicate with other systems. For the multisystem blockchain concept to become a reality, a mechanism is required that would connect and communicate with multiple entities’ blockchain systems in a distributed fashion (without any intermediary), while maintaining the property of trust and integrity built by individual blockchains. In this article, we propose a mechanism that provides cross-chain interoperability using transactions.

scholarly journals Test, Trace, and Put on the Blockchain?: A Viewpoint Evaluating the Use of Decentralized Systems for Algorithmic Contact Tracing to Combat a Global Pandemic

10.2196/26460 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e26460
Author(s):  
Moritz Platt ◽  
Anton Hasselgren ◽  
Juan Manuel Román-Belmonte ◽  
Marcela Tuler de Oliveira ◽  
Hortensia De la Corte-Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Asymptomatic Patients ◽  
The Common ◽  
Effective Case ◽  
Close Contacts

The enormous pressure of the increasing case numbers experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a variety of novel digital systems designed to provide solutions to unprecedented challenges in public health. The field of algorithmic contact tracing, in particular, an area of research that had previously received limited attention, has moved into the spotlight as a crucial factor in containing the pandemic. The use of digital tools to enable more robust and expedited contact tracing and notification, while maintaining privacy and trust in the data generated, is viewed as key to identifying chains of transmission and close contacts, and, consequently, to enabling effective case investigations. Scaling these tools has never been more critical, as global case numbers have exceeded 100 million, as many asymptomatic patients remain undetected, and as COVID-19 variants begin to emerge around the world. In this context, there is increasing attention on blockchain technology as a part of systems for enhanced digital algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. By analyzing the literature that has emerged from this trend, the common characteristics of the designs proposed become apparent. An archetypal system architecture can be derived, taking these characteristics into consideration. However, assessing the utility of this architecture using a recognized evaluation framework shows that the added benefits and features of blockchain technology do not provide significant advantages over conventional centralized systems for algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. From our study, it, therefore, seems that blockchain technology may provide a more significant benefit in other areas of public health beyond contact tracing.

scholarly journals Decentralization: An Incomplete Ambition

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Political Science ◽  
Social Order ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Decentralized Systems ◽  
Technical Term ◽  
Rhetorical Strategy ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Social Arrangements ◽  
High Standards ◽  
As If

Decentralization is a term widely used in a variety of contexts, particularly in political science and discourses surrounding the Internet. It is popular today among advocates of blockchain technology. While frequently employed as if it were a technical term, decentralization more reliably appears to operate as a rhetorical strategy that directs attention toward some aspects of a proposed social order and away from others. It is called for far more than it is theorized or consistently defined. This non-specificity has served to draw diverse participants into common political and technological projects. Yet even the most apparently decentralized systems have shown the capacity to produce economically and structurally centralized outcomes. The rhetoric of decentralization thus obscures other aspects of the re-ordering it claims to describe. It steers attention from where concentrations of power are operating, deferring worthwhile debate about how such power should operate. For decentralization to be a reliable concept in formulating future social arrangements and related technologies, it should come with high standards of specificity. It also cannot substitute for anticipating centralization with appropriate mechanisms of accountability.

scholarly journals Benefits of Blockchain Initiatives for Value-Based Care: Proposed Framework (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rongen Zhang ◽  
Amrita George ◽  
Jongwoo Kim ◽  
Veneetia Johnson ◽  
Balasubramaniam Ramesh
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Disruptive Technologies ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Nonfinancial Performance ◽  
Strategic Goals ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Value Based Care

BACKGROUND The potential of blockchain technology to achieve strategic goals, such as value-based care, is increasingly being recognized by both researchers and practitioners. However, current research and practices lack comprehensive approaches for evaluating the benefits of blockchain applications. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to develop a framework for holistically assessing the performance of blockchain initiatives in providing value-based care by extending the existing balanced scorecard (BSC) evaluation framework. METHODS Based on a review of the literature on value-based health care, blockchain technology, and methods for evaluating initiatives in disruptive technologies, we propose an extended BSC method for holistically evaluating blockchain applications in the provision of value-based health care. The proposed method extends the BSC framework, which has been extensively used to measure both financial and nonfinancial performance of organizations. The usefulness of our proposed framework is further demonstrated via a case study. RESULTS We describe the extended BSC framework, which includes five perspectives (both financial and nonfinancial) from which to assess the appropriateness and performance of blockchain initiatives in the health care domain. CONCLUSIONS The proposed framework moves us toward a holistic evaluation of both the financial and nonfinancial benefits of blockchain initiatives in the context of value-based care and its provision.

scholarly journals Empirical Evaluation of Privacy Efficiency in Blockchain Networks: Review and Open Challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 7013
Author(s):  
Aisha Zahid Junejo ◽  
Manzoor Ahmed Hashmani ◽  
Mehak Maqbool Memon
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Smart Contracts ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Research Challenges ◽  
Open Research ◽  
Memory Time

With the widespread of blockchain technology, preserving the anonymity and confidentiality of transactions have become crucial. An enormous portion of blockchain research is dedicated to the design and development of privacy protocols but not much has been achieved for proper assessment of these solutions. To mitigate the gap, we have first comprehensively classified the existing solutions based on blockchain fundamental building blocks (i.e., smart contracts, cryptography, and hashing). Next, we investigated the evaluation criteria used for validating these techniques. The findings depict that the majority of privacy solutions are validated based on computing resources i.e., memory, time, storage, throughput, etc., only, which is not sufficient. Hence, we have additionally identified and presented various other factors that strengthen or weaken blockchain privacy. Based on those factors, we have formulated an evaluation framework to analyze the efficiency of blockchain privacy solutions. Further, we have introduced a concept of privacy precision that is a quantifiable measure to empirically assess privacy efficiency in blockchains. The calculation of privacy precision will be based on the effectiveness and strength of various privacy protecting attributes of a solution and the associated risks. Finally, we conclude the paper with some open research challenges and future directions. Our study can serve as a benchmark for empirical assessment of blockchain privacy.

scholarly journals Test, Trace, and Put on the Blockchain?: A Viewpoint Evaluating the Use of Decentralized Systems for Algorithmic Contact Tracing to Combat a Global Pandemic (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moritz Platt ◽  
Anton Hasselgren ◽  
Juan Manuel Román-Belmonte ◽  
Marcela Tuler de Oliveira ◽  
Hortensia De la Corte-Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Asymptomatic Patients ◽  
The Common ◽  
Effective Case ◽  
Close Contacts

UNSTRUCTURED The enormous pressure of the increasing case numbers experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a variety of novel digital systems designed to provide solutions to unprecedented challenges in public health. The field of algorithmic contact tracing, in particular, an area of research that had previously received limited attention, has moved into the spotlight as a crucial factor in containing the pandemic. The use of digital tools to enable more robust and expedited contact tracing and notification, while maintaining privacy and trust in the data generated, is viewed as key to identifying chains of transmission and close contacts, and, consequently, to enabling effective case investigations. Scaling these tools has never been more critical, as global case numbers have exceeded 100 million, as many asymptomatic patients remain undetected, and as COVID-19 variants begin to emerge around the world. In this context, there is increasing attention on blockchain technology as a part of systems for enhanced digital algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. By analyzing the literature that has emerged from this trend, the common characteristics of the designs proposed become apparent. An archetypal system architecture can be derived, taking these characteristics into consideration. However, assessing the utility of this architecture using a recognized evaluation framework shows that the added benefits and features of blockchain technology do not provide significant advantages over conventional centralized systems for algorithmic contact tracing and reporting. From our study, it, therefore, seems that blockchain technology may provide a more significant benefit in other areas of public health beyond contact tracing.

scholarly journals Benefits of Blockchain Initiatives for Value-Based Care: Proposed Framework

10.2196/13595 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. e13595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rongen Zhang ◽  
Amrita George ◽  
Jongwoo Kim ◽  
Veneetia Johnson ◽  
Balasubramaniam Ramesh
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Disruptive Technologies ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Nonfinancial Performance ◽  
Strategic Goals ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Value Based Care

Background The potential of blockchain technology to achieve strategic goals, such as value-based care, is increasingly being recognized by both researchers and practitioners. However, current research and practices lack comprehensive approaches for evaluating the benefits of blockchain applications. Objective The goal of this study was to develop a framework for holistically assessing the performance of blockchain initiatives in providing value-based care by extending the existing balanced scorecard (BSC) evaluation framework. Methods Based on a review of the literature on value-based health care, blockchain technology, and methods for evaluating initiatives in disruptive technologies, we propose an extended BSC method for holistically evaluating blockchain applications in the provision of value-based health care. The proposed method extends the BSC framework, which has been extensively used to measure both financial and nonfinancial performance of organizations. The usefulness of our proposed framework is further demonstrated via a case study. Results We describe the extended BSC framework, which includes five perspectives (both financial and nonfinancial) from which to assess the appropriateness and performance of blockchain initiatives in the health care domain. Conclusions The proposed framework moves us toward a holistic evaluation of both the financial and nonfinancial benefits of blockchain initiatives in the context of value-based care and its provision.

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