DBNode: A Decentralized Storage System for Big Data Storage in Consortium Blockchains

TL;DR

This paper introduces DBNode, a decentralized storage system tailored for consortium blockchains like Hyperledger Fabric, focusing on data privacy, access control, and efficient storage using erasure coding and smart contracts.

Contribution

It presents a novel storage architecture specifically designed for consortium blockchains, addressing privacy and access control with innovative data partitioning and smart contract mechanisms.

Findings

Enhanced data availability through hash-slots and mirror strategies

Efficient storage with hierarchical erasure coding

Access control managed by smart contracts

Abstract

Storing big data directly on a blockchain poses a substantial burden due to the need to maintain a consistent ledger across all nodes. Numerous studies in decentralized storage systems have been conducted to tackle this particular challenge. Most state-of-the-art research concentrates on developing a general storage system that can accommodate diverse blockchain categories. However, it is essential to recognize the unique attributes of a consortium blockchain, such as data privacy and access control. Beyond ensuring high performance, these specific needs are often overlooked by general storage systems. This paper proposes a decentralized storage system for Hyperledger Fabric, which is a well-known consortium blockchain. First, we employ erasure coding to partition files, subsequently organizing these chunks into a hierarchical structure that fosters efficient and dependable data storage. Second, we design a two-layer hash-slots mechanism and a mirror strategy, enabling high data availability. Third, we design an access control mechanism based on a smart contract to regulate file access.