What is an Enterprise Blockchain?
Blockchain technology has become a fast-rising technology in this digital world, especially in the financial sector. Decentralization and peer-to-peer exchanges, bolstered by blockchain and distributed ledger technology, are increasing the efficiency of financial transactions around the world today. These technologies were developed primarily to facilitate rapid payments worldwide and to simplify conventional transaction processes.
See also: Bitcoin Dedicated Servers
Blockchain advanced with the introduction of smart contracts, paving the way for its use in a wider range of businesses. Current blockchain implementations are still largely concentrated in the financial industries, primarily for clearing settlements, international payments, and data security management. Businesses may now securely store and transport data using the top crypto exchanges.
According to Jupiter’s Research report on blockchain technology, banks will be able to save up to USD 27 billion on cross-border settlement transactions by the end of 2030, which represents a cost reduction of more than 11%. However, this article will provide an easy-to-understand overview of the enterprise blockchain, the types of enterprise blockchain, and how it can help your business resolve challenging issues.
What is an Enterprise Blockchain?
An enterprise blockchain is a type of permissioned blockchain that can be used to scale up commercial procedures like tracking supplies, settling international transactions or exchange of digital information both inside the company and with other companies. An enterprise blockchain technology is a ledger comprised of chronologically ordered, encrypted entries (also known as blocks) that may be used as a single data source across a dispersed network.
This is often a permissioned ledger that is only accessible to a small group of users, and the business has absolute control over users. Due to the ability to limit who can see their data, corporations believe this type better meets their objectives than a public blockchain network like Bitcoin. Blockchains come in a variety of forms, but they are all fundamentally shared digital records of data and financial transactions across several entities.
They also employ cryptography to prevent nefarious parties from changing the history of earlier transactions. Large and well-known companies in the world are already adopting enterprise blockchains in their business operation, such as Intel, Facebook, IBM, Walmart, and JPMorgan.
Features of an Enterprise Blockchain
The blockchain is distinguished by different qualities that combine to make it incredibly reliable and secure. These features include:
- Accountability: Every node in the network, which has a copy of the transaction history, is identified and is answerable for its activities.
- Permissioned: The blockchain is only accessible to authorized users. Permitting users to use the network is at the discretion of the network owner(s).
- Scalability: Enterprise blockchains may easily accommodate more transactions at the base layer because they are often less decentralized than Bitcoin.
- Distributed: Enterprise blockchain ledger can be duplicated across several nodes, allowing for the distribution of information across a network.
- Immutable: In enterprise blockchain, any verified record cannot be altered or tampered with by network users.
- Secure: The data is secured with cryptography encryption and other security technologies to prevent system hacking and fraud.
- Token-driven: Tokens are the means for conducting the secure exchange of value in all transactions and other interactions on the blockchain network.
Top Enterprise Blockchain Platforms for Enterprises
As your business adopts blockchain technology or develops creative uses for the current infrastructure, a blockchain platform allows you to build your blockchain application. In other words, a blockchain developer platform allows enterprise blockchain firms or service providers to create a tailored blockchain solution based on enterprise-specific requirements.
Numerous blockchain development platform solutions are available to suit different business requirements. Let’s examine the most widely used methods for supplying firms with reliable blockchain technology.
1. Ethereum
Ethereum is an open-source blockchain application platform that supports commercial operations to improve payments and agreement flows and facilitate quicker data exchange across many industries.
There are two types of Ethereum businesses can adopt; they are mainnet (permissionless) and private (permissioned) Ethereum. Coca-cola, Taco Bell, Walmart, and Nike are some companies that use the Ethereum blockchain platform.
2. Quorum
A quorum is an open-source blockchain platform that enables performance-driven, specialized apps. It can be used in various sectors to suit the demands of businesses like real estate, digital currency, supply chains, and others. Software developers can create blockchain applications using this platform on a private permissioned network or the public Ethereum Mainnet.
3. Hyperledger
Hyperledger is a modular blockchain platform that allows businesses to build a strong blockchain ecosystem with the help of a large, open-source network. It streamlines workflows by removing many levels of inefficiency and establishing trust.
Businesses can conduct direct transactions through a peer-to-peer network with the help of Hyperledger, which guarantees their security and transparency. Examples of companies that use hyperledger are Intel and SAP Ariba.
4. Corda
Corda is an industry-leading consortium and open-source platform. This DLT application-supporting permissioned platform enables businesses to conduct secure transactions across a private network. Fast and secure transaction agreements between nodes are made possible by relying on asynchronous byzantine fault tolerance (ABFT) methods.
Also, it provides smart contract capability to simplify the exchange of contracts and digital documents. Examples of companies that use corda in their operation are banking giants HSBC and Bank of America.
See also: How To Setup Bitcoin
Types of Enterprise Blockchain
There are three types of enterprise blockchains, and they differ in their level of decentralization and security. The type of enterprise blockchain you will adopt depends on the business you run or what your business needs. Types of enterprise blockchain include:
1. Private (Permissioned) Blockchain
Private blockchains are closed networks accessible only to users permitted by the central entity. Private blockchains depend on a central node to verify transactions, making them vulnerable to intrusions. The system would be in danger if the central node were attacked. But there are advantages to private blockchains as well.
Transaction-verification speed rises, and scalability is enhanced when the number of parties on the network decreases. On a secure private blockchain network, businesses can conduct business without worrying about sensitive data being accessed by the public.
2. Hybrid Blockchain
Hybrid blockchain networks integrate the features of private and public chains. The advantages of the two blockchain systems are preserved while addressing their flaws. A hybrid blockchain enables businesses to close off certain areas while leaving the rest of the network open.
Since the owner cannot change data without the consent of other nodes, data integrity is higher on a hybrid blockchain. Hybrid networks also offer higher security because consensus is shared among all network nodes.
3. Consortium Blockchain
Consortial blockchains are similar to public blockchains in that they have a decentralized, peer-to-peer structure. Every member of the network has a copy of the distributed ledger, and no single entity has influence over the system.
A consortium blockchain is still a private network but differs because a group and not a single entity select who can join the network. A consortium blockchain is frequently the result of cooperation between various organizations seeking a safe, reliable, and efficient means of communication.
Why Is the Enterprise Blockchain Important for Business?
Many businesses adopt enterprise blockchain due to the following reasons:
1. It Enhances Transparency
Enterprise blockchain is a distributed ledger that maintains data and transaction consistency across all nodes. The implication is that the same data is available to all network users, improving transparency while drastically reducing verification time.
2. Improves Efficiency
Adopting blockchain enterprise solutions allows companies to ease data exchange and business processes. With enterprise blockchain, transactions are completed more quickly and effectively, eliminating the need for intermediaries in many operations and maintaining data accuracy across all nodes.
3. Better Security
Blockchain technology provides a more secure method of maintaining records. It generates an unchangeable, encrypted record that is connected to the prior transaction. It is impossible to fabricate data because of the immutable nature of the record. Additionally, data is stored across a network of computers and may only be changed with the agreement of all participants.
4. Automation
Smart contracts are used by businesses to expedite the agreement verification process. Smart contracts minimize human interference and engagement from outside parties. Additionally, they have the ability to start subsequent events, such as payments, once all necessary paperwork has been submitted.
Conclusion
Blockchain was thought to be a means to duplicate Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies with practical applications. But there are many advantages to the blockchain system, and more businesses are now diving into offering blockchain solutions. Businesses that have recognized the promise of blockchain are progressively implementing it for smart contracts, cross-border payments, document management, the Internet of Things (IoT), and much more.
ServerMania is a server hosting company that provides a wide range of fully customizable dedicated, cloud, hybrid, colocation, bitcoin dedicated server hosting, and IP transit services to help increase performances and efficiency.
About the author
