Message exchange on base of a blockchain-based layered architecture

作     者：Roth, Uwe Djoua, Theophane Ngne 

作者机构：LIST ITIS Dept Secur & Privacy Grp 5 Ave Hauts Fourneaux L-4362 Esch Sur Alzette Luxembourg T Syst Int GmbH Cyberdef Opereat Ctr Bonn Germany 

出 版 物：《IT-INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY》 (IT Info. Tech.)

年 卷 期：2018年第60卷第5-6期

页      面：253-261页

核心收录：

学科分类：08[工学] 0812[工学-计算机科学与技术（可授工学、理学学位）] 

主　　题：Blockchain OSI-model layered network architecture distributed database message exchange 

摘      要：In this article, we propose an architecture that allows to exchange messages or data via a blockchain solution, while keeping the business process independent from the concrete blockchain. The project is the consequence of a need to have fast development of a blockchain based proof of concept that shows the feasibility of a business process, while knowing that in a future step the underlying blockchain solution has to be replaced for reasons of licensing or maximal data throughput. This is done by providing an architecture on base of layers, similar to the OSI-model, and encapsulates the used blockchain within a wrapper layer that covers all blockchain specific properties and only provides a transparent view on the reading or writing from and to the blockchain. The higher layers reimplement point-to-point communication and introduce confidentiality by the use of encryption techniques. The architecture has been tested and proven by implementing two different blockchain solutions that are shielded by specific wrapper layer implementations. This wrapper layer is responsible for the fragmentation of the sent data and their encapsulation into the concrete blockchain solution. The reconstruction of the data takes care of the data fragments being sent potentially out of order or being incomplete. A payload layer is introduced to provide pointto-point communication and to embed the main message inside a message structure. In collaboration with underlying layer it identifies for which message one is not the addressee and allow the underling layer to stop collecting unnecessary data. A crypto-layer finally provides ways of encrypting messages for one or many recipients. Having fixed layers not only allows to replace the underlying blockchain solution but also to extend or replace the other layers in case new security features or optimized protocols need to embedded. The proposed solution does not allow to use specific features like smart contracts and only provides undeniable