This document discusses how blockchain technologies can be leveraged in Alfresco projects. It begins with a brief overview of blockchain (immutable distributed storage of records, ability to share information in real time). It then explains how blockchain could be useful for integrating Alfresco with other systems by having components publish actions to a smart contract. The document demonstrates this approach for invoice management between Alfresco and an accounting system. It also provides examples of using blockchain for legal case management systems.

1. Alfresco & Blockchain
Discover how to leverage blockchain
technologies in your Alfresco project
Ben Chevallereau
Software Architect, Armedia LLC

2. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
Summary
• Mmmm, can you do a quick Blockchain 101?
• Ah ok, but how is it related to Alfresco?
• Amaziiiing but how can we implement this approach?
• No wayyyy! Can we see what it looks like?
• I have few extra questions…

3. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
Blockchain
101
• A blockchain …
– Is a distributed storage of ordered records
(called blocks)
– Is immutable by design
– Saves simultaneously transactions in many
different locations
– Allows to share the same information between
multiple partners in real time
– Offers a way to run basic code
A blockchain is not a database per se. It’s possible to do on-
chain or off-chain storage, but usually, you will only store the
critical information in the blockchain, and will store the rest of the
data in any storing capabilities (IPFS is a good candidate).

4. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
Blockchain
101
• Why is it so interesting?
– Data integrity by design
– More secure (easier to hack a
centralized database)
– Offers to share information
easily
– Can run some basic code
through smart contracts
– Offers the possibility of
eliminating the “middle man”

5. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
… And
Alfresco?
The question is: Why the blockchain
technology is interesting in an Alfresco
project?
Almost all Alfresco projects need to be integrated with other
products:
• Need to query a database to collect some information
• Receive documents via CMIS or custom API
• Connect to external system via REST API
• Offer a REST API to various systems to expose some
documents
• Implement a SOAP client
• Connect to an ESB

6. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
… And
Alfresco?
JDBC
REST
API
REST
API
CMIS
SOAP
JDBC
ESB

7. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
OK, and
How?
My demonstration will be based on:
• Invoice Management
• New invoices will be dropped into Alfresco
• Alfresco will inform the blockchain that a new invoice came
in
• An Account Payable system will be used to follow the
invoicing workflow (accepted, verified, paid)
• Alfresco will update automatically without any interaction
between the AP system and Alfresco

8. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
OK, and
How?
A blockchain can solve this issue by implementing
a smart contract:
• Each component of your architecture can publish what they
are doing;
• It will generate some events;
• Then, it’s under the responsibility of the rest of the
ecosystem to get the information that they need, and
potentially do some further actions.

9. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
OK, and
How?

10. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.

11. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
OK, and
How?

12. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
What does it
look like?
DEMONSTRATION

13. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
Practical
Applications
Legal case management systems (such as ArkCase):
• Provable chain of custody for evidence (every change in
custody reflected by a transaction in the blockchain)
• Proof of complete set of documents (every document in a
case file, and every change to every document, represented
in the blockchain, so the prosecution can prove it has not
suppressed evidence)
• Forensic security analysis (all user actions reflected in the
blockchain)

14. Learn. Connect. Collaborate.
Any
questions?

15. Ben Chevallereau
Software Architect, Armedia LLC
Thank you!
@armediallc
http://armedia.com
@bchevallereau
http://imben.me