Arweave: Decentralized Data Storage

kimutai (37)in #blockchain • 6 years ago

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What is Arweave

Arweave is a decentralized network established on blockchain technology and has the capabilities of high throughput, cheap prices and permanent data storage. This latest technology is embedded in the blockweave which is a blockchain like configuration provides on chain solutions on the basis of Proof Of Access mechanism.

Why Arweave

Arweave main objective is to unravel data storage issues with existing blockchains and provide concrete solutions. We have seen that these days, one will have to incur a certain cost in order to access content. Again, content in blockchains is never stored permanently. One of Arweave’s objective is to offer permanent secure data storage solutions at inexpensive rates which are fully owned and managed by users ie they are decentralized and censorship free.

Arweave’s Decentralized Data Storage
Decentralization goes side by side with blockchain. Blockchain brought decentralization to the internet and the advantages it offers to the humans. In union with the decentralization was transparency and safety which it has provided from time to time. Decentralization preforms well providing us with security as it promised but the area where decentralization faces many challenges is the data storage.
The rolling out of blockchain platforms led to the establishment of decentralized applications which were designed on these platforms. Some App developers felt it wise to store data of chain as much as possible because it would be cheaper that way but the problem here is it would be difficult to access that data. Access of the data tend to affect the functioning of these application. The on chain data storage solutions are present although very expensive. For example Ethereum once hosted on-chain storage on its blockchain but the debt accumulated by these applications and their users was so huge that the whole project had to be closed.
Most of the challenges that caused these problems were linked to deprived agreement mechanisms which cause the need of participation of all nodes inside these platforms. Arweave’s platform provides a solution to these problems by formulating better agreement mechanisms through an advanced architecture called proof-of-access mechanism.
The current history may be right or wrong but we never find out unless there is provided hard tangible evidence that what is in books and what people claim really happened. This challenge comes when data and information is altered or forged before storage. These alteration of data may either be intentional or non-intentional but at most occasions it is intentional exceeding the aims and goals of the formatting parties. These creates the need to have a secure data storage system that offers lower cost and fast transaction speed without the worry of alteration and forging of data before storage.

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Arweave’s platform unveils the technology that is designed to deliver on chain data storage solutions and all its technologies to its users. Some of the technological innovations that Arweave offers include;
 Blockweave: Blockweave is a recently established innovation that was unveiled with the Arweave’s platform that ensures there is efficient storage and transmission of information. Blockweave is designed with block hash and wallet which effectively minimizes the necessities required by nodes to participate in authentication of transactions. These will lead to a reliable and efficient decentralized data storage system and a faster transaction period.
 Proof Of Access: Arweave’s platform will have the Proof of work working side by side with Proof Of Access consensus Mechanism which will make it possible for blocks to be created at a faster rate since it does not require previous created blocks but randomly selects any previous block to create a new block.
 Wildfire: Wildfire generates a positive competitive environment among the miners. Arweave’s team are optimistic to store huge amounts of data to be in its platform. Storing these large volumes makes it necessary for them to be disseminated on request of a fast space.
 Blockshadow: Arweave introduced Blackshadows whose main purpose is to partially decouple transactions from blocks and only sends minimal block shadow that allows reconstruct a full block in order to increase transactions quantity and permit fast block consensus.

Why I believe this is a great project ready for takeoff!

Arweave has one major advantage giving it an edge in data storage and transactions: Arweave team has been working on this venture since back in 2017 and have tested a beta version which achieves about 5000 transactions per second. Areweave is about to launch one of its products, the main net, and it will be done just after launching crowdsale. This is great timing as it very favorable in terms of marketing and investment goals. People will be participating in a project whose product is live and can be tested.