This document discusses a scalable blockchain database called BigchainDB. It begins by discussing issues with traditional centralized databases and blockchains, then introduces BigchainDB as a hybrid solution that uses a federated consensus model between nodes running an enterprise-grade distributed database like MongoDB to provide blockchain attributes of decentralization, immutability and native digital assets at planetary scale. It provides examples of potential applications for BigchainDB across various sectors like IP, identity, finance, energy, supply chain and government. It also discusses the IPDB Foundation caretaker model for operating and maintaining BigchainDB nodes.

1. A scalable blockchain database
Dimitri De Jonghe
dimi@bigchaindb.com

2. Your assets, your claims

4. Trust by Institutions & Intermediaries

5. $ ping www.google.com
< PING www.google.com (172.217.17.36)
Digital Trust by Institutions & Intermediaries

6. Here’s
your
personal
data

7. 2008 - Bitcoin

8. Blockchain Disruption
Shared single source of
truth and conduct
Inter-
mediary
Trusted third parties
peer to peer
decentralized
centralized

9. Blockchain: a special “spreadsheet in the sky”
What’s special?
● Not a single instance owns it
● Members/clients can add to it
● If they follow the rules
● Rules are an integral part
● No one can change the history
(immutable)
● Writing to a blockchain is like
etching into stone
● Which allows us to issue assets
and transfer them

10. Shades of trust, reputation, blockchain...
Public: Open networks
Writers: Everyone can participate
Trust: World consensus
Applications:
● Decentralized apps
● Cryptocurrencies, programmable money
● Smart contracts
Private: Ecosystems, federations
Writers: Participants known/reputation
Trust: Federated consensus (eg
voting)
Applications:
● Disintermediation: Clearing & settlement
● Transparency: Supply chain, AML, audit
trails, provenance
● Ownership: exchange, partial, trustless

11. Internet of value: a programmable economy

12. To develop shared global
compute infrastructure,
we must first understand the
status quo of infrastructure,
…and how to change it
accordingly.

13. Status quo compute infrastructure
Modern apps use processing, file system, database
FILE SYSTEM
e.g. S3, HDFS
APPLICATION
PROCESSING
e.g. EC2, Azure
DATABASE
e.g. MySQL, MongoDB
PLATFORM
e.g. AWS, Google App Engine, Heroku
CONNECTNETWORKS
e.g.TCP/IP

14. Towards a decentralized compute infrastructure
FILE SYSTEM
e.g. S3, HDFS
APPLICATION
PROCESSING
e.g. EC2, Azure
DATABASE
e.g. MySQL, MongoDB
Bitcoin Blockchain?
PLATFORM
e.g. AWS, Google App Engine, Heroku
CONNECTNETWORKS
e.g.TCP/IP

15. Towards a decentralized compute infrastructure
FILE SYSTEM
e.g. S3, HDFS
APPLICATION
PROCESSING
e.g. EC2, Azure
DATABASE
e.g. MySQL, MongoDB
PLATFORM
e.g. AWS, Google App Engine, Heroku
CONNECTNETWORKS
e.g.TCP/IP
e-Cash/e-Gold
Bitcoin

16. Towards a decentralized compute infrastructure
FILE SYSTEM
e.g. S3, HDFS
IPFS, SWARM
APPLICATION
PROCESSING
e.g. EC2, Azure, Ethereum, Hyperledger, Tendermint, Lisk, Corda
DATABASE
e.g. MySQL, MongoDB
PLATFORM
e.g. AWS, Google App Engine, Heroku, Eris/Monax, BlockApps
CONNECTNETWORKS
e.g.TCP/IP,InterledgerILP
e-Cash/e-Gold
Bitcoin, zCash, Ripple,
Blockstream, Multichain

17. Towards a decentralized compute infrastructure
FILE SYSTEM
e.g. S3, HDFS
IPFS, SWARM
APPLICATION
PROCESSING
e.g. EC2, Azure, Ethereum, Hyperledger, Tendermint, Lisk, Corda
DATABASE
e.g. MySQL, MongoDB
???
PLATFORM
e.g. AWS, Google App Engine, Heroku, Eris/Monax, BlockApps
CONNECTNETWORKS
e.g.TCP/IP,InterledgerILP
e-Cash/e-Gold
Bitcoin, zCash, Ripple,
Blockstream, Multichain

18. Towards a decentralized compute infrastructure
FILE SYSTEM
e.g. S3, HDFS
IPFS, SWARM
APPLICATION
PROCESSING
e.g. EC2, Azure, Ethereum, Hyperledger, Tendermint, Lisk, Corda
DATABASE
e.g. MySQL, MongoDB
BigchainDB, IPDB
PLATFORM
e.g. AWS, Google App Engine, Heroku, Eris/Monax, BlockApps
CONNECTNETWORKS
e.g.TCP/IP,InterledgerILP
e-Cash/e-Gold
Bitcoin, zCash, Ripple,
Blockstream, Multichain

19. 70 GB
3 tx/s
What about planetary scale?

20. Netflix uses 37% of Internet bandwidth
Using a modern distributed “big data” database
http://techblog.netflix.com/2011/11/benchmarking-cassandra-scalability-on.html
Writes / s vs. # nodes

21. What’s the difference between a database and a csv file?
Querying. From M’s of records, find the relevant ones.
1 Line of standard code, optimized
vs
50-500 lines of slow custom code, unoptimized

22. How do “big data” databases scale?
Answer: Distribute storage across many machines, i.e. sharding
A “consensus” algorithm keeps
distributed nodes in sync.

23. Native assets
How to build a scalable blockchain database (BigchainDB)
1. Start with an enterprise-grade distributed DB, e.g. MongoDB
2. Engineer in blockchain characteristics
• Each DB node is a federation node
Decentralized /
Shared Control
• Append-only
• Chain hashes
Immutable /
Audit Trails
• “Own” = have private key
• Asset lives on the database

24. Federated Consensus Architecture
Blockchain Consensus
Database Consensus
IMPLEMENT A 2 PHASE CONSENSUS
FEDERATION
Single Database
or
MongoDB RethinkDB
Database Options

25. Decentralized programming

26. BigchainDB: Big Data meets Blockchain
- a blockchain database
Immutability
Decentralized Control
Native Assets
Scalable
Queryability
Operationalized
Traditional
Databases
Traditional
blockchains
BigchainDB

27. Blockchain as a DB - Applications

28. Vertical:
IP – Music rights
Value proposition:
A streaming service owned by all

29. Vertical:
IP – Digital art
Value proposition:
Enables creators of digital art to get
compensated, via claiming attribution &
licensing
ascribe

30. Vertical:
Identity
Value proposition:
Low-friction assurance, sovereign
personal data
Authenteq
©ITU/L.Berney, (CC BY

31. Vertical:
Government – Land Registry
Value proposition:
Low-cost registry, less risk of corruption
BenBen
©ITU/L.Berney, (CC BY

32. Vertical:
ID - Education Credentials
Value proposition:
reduce fraudulent degrees, lower HR
friction
Recruit

33. Vertical:
Energy
Value proposition:
manage $ flow in energy deregulation

34. Vertical:
Supply Chain / Health
Value proposition:
government-mandated
transparent $ flow

35. Generating Opportunities: Vertical x Benefit
Decentralized /
Shared Control
Immutability /
Audit trail
Tokens /
Exchanges
Intellectual Property
Identity
Finance
Energy
Government
Dig art – ascribe
Supply Chain
R3
Retail marketplace -
OpenBazaar
RWE You?
You?
You?
Res( )nate
Tangent90 Everledger
Recruit
BenBen

36. • For everyone, everywhere
• Free until heavy usage, then pay web service style
• Initial tech is BigchainDB
• Member caretakers will operate validating nodes

37. IPDB Caretakes (so far)
Blockstack
COALA
Dyne.org
Internet Archive
OpenMedia
UnMonastery
ascribe / BigchainDB
Consensys
Eris/Monax Industries
Protocol Labs (IPFS)
SmartContract.com
Synereo
Tendermint

38. Dimitri De Jonghe
dimi@bigchaindb.com
@DimitriDeJonghe
https://be.linkedin.com/in/dimitridejonghe
+32 496 80 94 14
My projects:
https://ascribe.io
https://bigchaindb.com
https://ipdb.foundation
https://github.com/bigchaindb
https://interledger.org
http://datanews.knack.be/ict/nieuws/bigchaindb-maakt-blockchain-principe-schaalbaar/article-normal-720789.htm
l
Thanks for listening