Homework on Provenance - Questions

[Alessio]

1. By tracking every step of any activity involved through its network of ledgers
2. Because it doesn’t remove “trust” from the equation
3. Because it builds the foundation to a trustless, totally verifiable origin of processes and materials

[Earnst]

1. By using a shared ledger of transactions
2. Because data can’t be removed
3. It combines accounting and transactional layers (possibly bad for my accountant girlfriend)

[PekkoGekko]

How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
By having the same data over multiple computers, each having a copy of the ledgers, by being open for anyone to read or audit, by not being able to enter new data without it being verified by the other ledgers in the chain which also hinders anyone from manipulating data in the blockchain.

Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
Anyone with access to the database can alter or manipulate the data. It is not open for anyone to see the data in the database. It can also be hacked by someone wanting to manipulate or change the data.

Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
Increased security, less need for control (or trust). Real time auditing. Easy to track the data backwards and that the data is correct without further confirmation, ex third party.

[k_k]

How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
Many computers in network,
Each keeping a copy of the ledgers
Everybody can check ledger
Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
You can delete the data @ normal database. it is not open to everybody.
Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
It replaces trust within verifing. It gives you possibility of real time auditing.

[here_for_beer]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   Blockchain enables digital provenance because all entries are stored on a shared public leger

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   Normal databases can be tempered with, while blockchains are immutable (Viking stones)

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   each transaction can be traced to the source

[kevinkp]

How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
The immutability of the blockchain ensures transactions once committed cannot be altered. This provides an excellent means for tracking the history of transactions related to products and services as they are moved through a supply chain.
Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
RDBMs and No-SQL databases can always be modified. They were designed to solve issues other than just provenance, although provenance can be applied here to. However because transactions in databases are not immutable and there is no inherent cryptographic tracking mechanisms automatically applied it would require a lot of additional effort to achieve this.
Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
It ensures that auditing and reporting on transactions becomes more transparent and makes it simpler and easier to agree on a consensus between disparate parties. This ensures disputes between parties can be resolved more quickly and efficiently.

[cryptoangelnetwork]

1. How blockchain enable digital provenance? Blockchain enables digital provenance by tracing financial transactions and maintaining the original records.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance? A normal database doesn’t bring the same provenance because it has a lack of transparency and the database has to be trusted. We don’t know if the information is true and/or correct.

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses? Digital provenance is such a great benefit to many businesses because it creates transparency via computer verification. We can have access to real-time auditing that gives accurate information, along with it’s original data source that is accessible to everyone.

[Iceman085x]

Blockchain enables digital provenance by allowing tracking/ auditing transactions in real time, while removing the requirement of trust of the opposite/ 3rd party. With normal databases you have to rely on the fact that the other party is giving you the correct information. Digital provenance is a great benefit for businesses because it merges the accounting layer with the transactional layer of each transaction, making the overall process significantly more efficient.

[KHovadablock]

1. As a digital “Rune Stone” (loved that analogy btw), data/transactions can be added to the database, but cannot be removed.

2. Normal databases are editable, so is inherently flawed in the sense that data can be manipulated after the fact, which is why auditors exist.

3. As a former accounting employee in the cash supply chain division of a large financial institution, the ability to have both transactional and accounting/auditing capabilities all rolled into one database/ledger, is valuable beyond measure.

[Dimitri_N]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?

Blockchain is a database that is 100% transparent, public and can be traced in real time. Data can not be removed from the blockchain. Therefore all transactions made on blockchain can be tracked and audited instantly.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?

Normal database is centralized and not public. Data can be added, removed or manipulated. It takes lot of time and effort to make an audit. It requires user to trust a database owner.

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?

Digital provenence is a great benefit to many businesses because of it’s trustlessness. It’s also able to track supply chains from the very beginning to the very end. You can verify instatly origin of the ingredients, manufacturing, shipping, packaging etc. It’s always 100% accurate and can’t be manipulated.

[MikeM]

Provenance answers:

1. Blockchain is a digital ledger that contains all the transactions since the beginning. All transactions are verified by a decentralized network of computers and cannot be changed once they are verified. It is possible to see the source of the transaction originated in the ledger. No one source has to be trusted because all transactions can be verified by the network.
2. A normal database can be changed by a central authority and is not verified by a network of computers.
3. Businesses won’t have to rely on auditing to verify their accounts.

[Cryptek]

• How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
  You can just add transaction on a blockchain , you can’t update it and it is available on all the computer of the network

• Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
  In a normal database, you can update and delete a row but in a blockchain you can just add a new transaction. It is also centralized / owned but the user. In a blockchain the complete database is available on all the computer of the network. So you can compare and check the transaction easily.

• Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
  more transparency, less cheat so the final customer can trust the information displayed by the company about the product because the company can’t modify it.

[ivory_elephant]

1. Blockchain enables digital provenance through its function as a distributed ledger. Blockchain’s technology has 3 features that combine to make it especially suitable for ensuring the provenance of financial and physical transactions. First, the nature of the blocks themselves, where data cannot be edited after they are published on the chain. Secondly, the validation of blocks on the chain using private and public keys ensure that transactions are practically impossible to forge. Finally, the distribution of the ledger throughout a decentralized system of nodes which ensures that any attack on an individual node would not be able to compromise the integrity of the system.

2. A normal database does not have the same features, it is cenrally stored - implying a single point of failure. Input to the database is done by a single party to the transaction, requiring trust in that party. And it is possible to edit the data after it is entered to the database.

3. The benefits of digital provenance are wide ranging depending on the business. If we take an international trading company, provenance would reduce the cost of transactions as fewer inspections of the goods would be necessary due to the certainty regarding the quantity, quality and origin of the goods. A digitally assured provenance would reduce the time of transactions and improve the fungibility of the goods as the contract could be sold with the goods in transit to a third party.

[yodasaysso]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance? It is a Public Ledger that allows for both Privacy Encryption and Automated or Manual Auditing.
2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance? The blockchain is built like a “digital stone” that data can be added to but cannot be removed. Normal databases are built to allow data addition and removal.
3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses? It allows for “cradle to grave” of materials and products in supply chains and it allows for fast “trustless” transactions and transparent auditing.

[TonyD]

1.) By being transparent, allowing everything to be seen and unable to be deleted/edited. Essentially, it’s all a trustless ledger, that’s easily traceable/audited by the single entity

2.) Because normal databases are able to be edited at will, require trust, and are opaque so not everything is clear. Also, normal databases could require 3rd parties to handle important data

3.) Because it allows for less 3rd parties to need to get involved, it’s easy to trace anything, and is transparent

[epicangel]

Hi all!
I have a question pertaining to provenance.

What is to stop a supplier from entering incorrect information from the beginning? And follow up is with all the copies of basically false info does that legitimize false or incorrect information?
Thanks

[JasonM]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?

This is enabled as the blockchain contains every transaction, meaning there is a visible auditable trail from start to now. Also, the blockchain is public.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?

Normal databases have the functionality to grant admin access to individuals, who can make modifications that are potentially undetectable.

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?

Transparency built into the solution.

[DanJackFish]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   Blockchain enables digital provenance by synchronising data across multiple decentralised nodes and backing up all information in a publicly accessible immutable ledger.
2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   Typical databases are not decentralised or trustless which disproportionately distributes network authority and reduces overall security, accessibility and verifiability.
3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   It allows for large databases to be managed with significantly greater efficiency, functionality and interoperability.

[LuizCyriloA]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   Immutability/decentralization(we can only add/no one can change) and ability to trace the provenance.
2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   The data can be changed/corrupted in the normal database.
3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   They can trust the data.

[Jmroach]

1. • All the information on product/transaction is present and open to see allowing you to track the entire journey.
     2.- Because transactions are centralized on the database causing a large ‘trust’ factor in where the product is actually coming from. With blockchain everyone has a copy.
     3.- You will be able to see exactly where your product/transaction has been.