Homework on Provenance - Questions with Answers
How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
By providing a platform where data can be stored permanently on a digital ‘stone’ where transactions/events can only be added to it. Because the information is copied over a network of multiple computers data can’t be easily manupulated.
Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
Because the normal database is centralized and governed by authority and data can be easily edited.
Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
Since data and information about any business can be openly accessed by the public, all information in relation to any business activity can be accessed. And because of that reason, it REMOVES the TRUST factor from any business relationship. Meaning, businesses can now easily VERIFY business partners Information and benefit from the transparency provided through blockchain.
2.Non-blockchain transactions are susceptible to both human error and human manipulation… as well as not being in real time and not being immutable…the integrity of both population of transactions and accuracy of said transactions in a non-blockchain database is thus inherently compromised and would require a manual audit to compensate for the explicit shortcomings as described.
By providing a trustless public ledger that shows the accounting and transactions in each step of the chain.
Because a normal database can be manipulated, and doesn’t combine the accounting with the transaction.
It removes trust from the equation and provides better data, allowing for better decision making.
How does blockchain enable digital provenance? by having a network of computer, each keep a ledger of all transactions with current balances in each address, every transaction is added to the ledger and cannot be removed or edited.
Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
Normal database allows editing and removing information and usually it’s single source of information instead of temper proof network of computers, each act as a database copy.
Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
It allow real time auditing instead of manual, also reducing human error and increase efficiency.
In addition, it can help in industries that need proof of current status, or quality assurance in tracking raw materials for example.
All data on the blockchain can be traced to its place of origin.
Bc. there isn’t a verification process with nodes like with the blockchain.
Bc. it promotes transparency.
Blockchain is a digital stone a date base where you only can add thing but not remove (immutability) them. It´s a public ledger everybody can trace things.
Normal databases can crash or get manupulated. They are not a decentraliced network. You have to “trust” a company which makes it opaque to the public and can´t be traced.
They can trace back all there ingredients. It provides real-time auditing. Don´t trust, verify!
Submitted by Aaron Roan Kramer
Homework on Provenance - Questions
How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
Blockchain provides a database for information about provenance. Because the records of the blockchain are permanent, the the original data remains available, and cannot be deleted or changed, to hide information. With a permanent record, people can see the history of transactions, food ingredient information, times and locations in supply chains, etc. Since the data entered into the blockchain database is immutable, there is less reliance on trusting people or organizations which might or might not be accurate or honest.
The transactions or events on the blockchain are reliable. Even if false information is put into a blockchain database (for example if a device does not function correctly, and puts the wrong size of a particular product as data on the blockchain), information about the time and place of the data, and the particular device which provided the data, are a permanent record on the blockchain. This makes tracking a particular source of data, and verification of particular data, easier. Using blockchain, one can more easily find which device has provided particular data.
Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
Data stored in a normal / traditional database can be changed by users. In centralized systems, such as with big social media, there can be attempts to provide users with so-called trusted sources of information, or trusted third parities (which may or may not be reliable). Additionally, because traditional databases are centralized, they are also more vulnerable to hackers, who might be able to change the stored data, since such an attack does not need to target as many devices (compared to blockchains).
Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
There is greater efficiency, because on blockchains, transactions or other data, are immediately combined with systems for accounting, auditing or tracking of information. The stored data is reliable, since it cannot be deleted or changed, and since it is verified by multiple, decentralized devices. Digital assets, such as bitcoin, are verified by powerful, decentralized networks, with multiple devices. Therefore less trust is needed regarding the reliability of data (such as the number of bitcoin in the world, which wallets control which bitcoin, and the various amounts of bitcoin in individual wallets).
Examples of application of blockchain provenance include: food ingredients, their sources, how they move through supply chains, and the states of ingredients at various times. Ingredients can be more reliably tracked and controlled, for freshness, in relation to special diets (such as vegetarian, kosher, halal, and organic food consumption). Industrial supply chains and logistics can also benefit from blockchain technology.
Provenance functions of blockchain also provide more reliable electronic records of ownership, and transfer of ownership, with a wide range of applications, including land ownership, stocks, bonds, and precious metals.
1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
Blockchain is a database (DB) with only write permissions, nothing written can be changed or removed (think of Runestone’s in the Viking age). Each record added (called transactions) to the DB will be verified by every PC (node) that has this same blockchain DB on it (i.e., Bitcoin). Due to this verification process for every transaction by all blockchain nodes, everything can be tracked chronologically to prove ownership of funds, NFT’s, etc. This is provenance, where ownership can be proven chronologically.
2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
Normal databases allow full CRUD permissions (Create, Read, Update, Delete); these permissions can of course be restricted to certain users, but allowing anyone with update/delete permissions removes the ability for true provenance as a user could alter transactions to incorrectly show ownership of funds, NFTs, etc. Blockchain doesn’t give anyone update/delete permissions and can be used for true provenance.
3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
This removes the need to hire auditing services, where only qualified/certified individuals can verify and prove your ownership after time intensive research and verification. Blockchain (at least in the case of Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc) on the other hand, allows for secure public ledgers where anyone (and at any time) can audit transactions that have already been verified by (potentially more) 100,000 nodes. Being digital and automatic, businesses greatly benefit from this as it’s decentralized, it happens automatically and can be trusted since it’s already verified by thousands and thousands of nodes.
All of the data on the blockchain is traceable and cant be changed or deleted which enables digital provenance
A regular database can be manipulated by the creators or anyone who is given the authority to change the data within.
being able to trace data right to the origin makes troubleshooting a lot easier and one can pinpoint the exact point of failure to rectify the problem in the future.
How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
JL: Blockchain keeps a ledger across it’s network of all transactions that occured and is immutable.
Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
JL: Transactions in a normal database can be subject to the amendment of the owner. The governance of a database can also be very opaque.
Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
JL: Reduces cost and time to verify the validity of an activity/transaction.
Easy and in-discriminatory access
1.) through a public ledger where all blockchain transactions are mapped completely transparently and the nodes have to confirm the transaction. You get things in it, but you dont get things out of it. completetey trustless.
2.) because there you can change things from the path and that means that you can change the provenance any time you want and its hard to handle.
3.) you can say that this is to 100% true what is in the ledger and its censorship resistant. Also you can auditing in real time what means it easier to handle.
2.Traditional databases operate on centralized servers and closed networks, therefore not being a public ledger, in which participants can verify the complete history of transactions.
3.Digital provenance allows network participants to transact in a trust-less and verifiable manner.
Blockchain enables digital provenance because it acts as a complete log of data that is factual. Everything is logged into the same place.
A normal database may or may not store all of their data in the same place. However there could be user error as it all relies on a trust system. The blockchain does not lie.
Digital provenance is a great benefit to many businesses because they can more easily keep track of their accounts, all in the same place. Also they can have a better understanding of their products, for example, where they come from, ingredients, etc…
How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
A blockchain creates an unalterable record of digital transactions, which shuts out fraud and unauthorized activity. Data on the blockchain is stored across a network of computers When one of these computer peers sends information to another, a transaction is generated. When this happens, the transactions need to be validated using the consensus algorithm. The data is stored in ”blocks” of information and then linked together in a permanent “chain.” When a new block is added to the chain, it makes the previous blocks even harder to modify. Once these digital transactions are recorded on a blockchain, they can’t be changed or deleted. On a blockchain, all transactions are time-stamped and date-stamped, so there’s a permanent record. Thus, a blockchain holds important information and allows anyone to check its validity (e.g. is this product organic? -OR- where ingredients or materials are sourced).
Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
A normal database is a centralized ledger that is overseen by 1 party (e.g.,administrator) that gives them the ability to edit/modify the 1 database vs. multiple computers where the information stored in a decentralized database cannot be modified and is validated by all the nodes using consensus before becoming a permanent non-changeable record.
Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
Digital provenance provides transparency, giving the ability for anyone to validate and trace the information in this decentralized database (e.g. is this product organic? -OR-where ingredients/materials are sourced).
Food traceability makes it possible for us to trace all the steps a food has taken from its origin, all the way until it ends up at the consumer level (e.g., giving consumers details about where food was grown, caught or raised. knowing how food was produced. knowing how food was transported, etc.). This can help control the risks that can affect the food supply chain.
1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
Blockchain enables provenance by ensuring that all transactions can be traced, can not be changed, and can be readily verified by the participating peers.
2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
Normal databases are centralized and the data is available only to the database host. Furthermore, the data in the database is not immutable – it can be deleted and modified easily, and while there is traceability, it is not to the same, absolute level of traceability provided by blockchain.
3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
It provides businesses the ability to have zero doubt as to what happened – and when, and by who – with their account/data.
Blockchain is public, immutable ledger technology - all transactions on the blockchain are recorded, they are un-editable, and can be viewed by anyone - hence, enabling digital provenance
Normal databases don’t provide the same provenance because they can be edited
Digital provenance is a great benefit to many businesses because it removes the need for trust in transactions and accurate accounting, while increasing business efficiency and saving time and money