Homework on Provenance - Questions

Blockchain and Bitcoin 101
#1195

Digital Provenance in the Blockchain it is achieved through a decentralized Ledger.
Through a Consensus Mechanism all transactions are verified by all the node and than are accepted as valid, or rejected. One’s a transaction has validated become immutable. Meaning, no one could modified or erase it. (Except in the remote scenario of the famous/infamous 51% attack).

A simple Database, controlled by a Single Entity, can easily manipulate by the same Entity,at they own convenience,any time.

Digital Provenance allow Transparency in a transaction process.

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#1196

  1. Blockchain acts like a ledger (public ledger) where every transaction is permanently recorded. These records or transactions can not be altered or deleted as copies are kept in a decentralized manner across nodes around the world.

  2. A regular database differs from blockchain in that it is controlled by a person, company or authority and can always be changed, deleted or manipulated. Data could also be entered incorrectly either by accident or deliberately meaning we have to place a lot of trust in the people with control that the information is accurate.

  3. Digital provenance means a business would be able to identify what went wrong and at what point in the supply chain there was a break down as records from start to finish can not be altered. An example might be a parcel for delivery goes through 3 couriers undamaged and is damaged when it reaches the customer. This would show damage occurred between the 3rd Courier and customer.
    DP means anything can be tracked from start to finish with records that can’t be changed. This limits trust required that procedures have been followed correctly.

Q3 has made me think about the accuracy of digital provenance. In relation to packaged food or products…The block chain data is only as accurate as the actual data entered. Unless you were able to test the “Tinned Tuna” for actual Sodium content compared to what is on the label. Block chain doesn’t catch and package tuna but would only show the path it took on the way to the supermarket.

  • Please help if I am missing something here??
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#1197

It is an immutable record of transactions or movement of potential goods\services that can be openly tracked by interested parties. This is novel because normal databases are centralized and can be potentially altered by the governing authority, making the data unreliable.The trustless nature of digital provenance eliminates this risk which makes it 100% reliable. Because of digital provenance, businesses can be 100% confident in the origin and processing of their materials which enables them to impart to their customers, with reliability, the quality of and/or morality involved in the production products from start to finish. Also, because blockchain is publicly accessible, Customer can also verify the accuracy of claims made by the maunufacturer.

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#1198

  1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
    Because Blockchain is decentralized, each transaction is in a network with multiple nodes or computers that has the same information and this information is immutable.

  2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
    Because it’s centralized and can be modified but a government or company.

  3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
    It provides the possibility to audit and have traceability of your products.

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#1199

How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
Every transaction is recorded, can not be removed. This process verifies.
Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
Information can be changed, altered and removed.
Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
Sets up trustlessness chain of events/transactions.

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#1200

1). How does blockchain enable digital provenance? Because each transaction can be tracked in REAL TIME. Auditors and accountants will not be necessary. This creates transparency in all transactions. No need to “trust,” only Verify.
2). Why a normal database doesn’t bring the same provenance? Because transactions can be deleted or edited. Trust is required.
3). Digital Provenance is a great benefit because companies can track the origins of their suppliers. One could verify that their supplier is telling you the truth. You are able to verify.

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#1201

Hey leontm, welcome to the ToshiTimes forum and Ivan on Tech community.

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#1202
  • How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
    Due to decentalised and trustless protocol.
  • Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
    Due to being centralised
  • Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
    Transaction Transparency
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#1203
  1. Blockchain enables digital provenance with real time auditing capabilities through public ledger. Its like knowing what Uncle Sam is doing with the money!

2.A normal database doesn’t have a public ledger which can convolute ones understanding on the inner workings of corporations. It takes a lot of time to do an audit on an actual business but with blockchain that time is cut significantly.

  1. Blockchain can track, verify, and transact with transparency.Track food, clothing, and many other statistics that will make logistics a breeze.
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#1204

  1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
    A Blockchain provides the ability for digital provenance by making available an unchangeable record of all the transactions (financial and otherwise) that have happened in that particular company/industry/sector etc. (ever since blockchain processes were adapted of course).
    Anyone seeking confirmation that such transactions are genuine has an incorruptible and reliable database to refer to. As we are living in an age where “tampering with records” has become the norm rather than the exception, such immutable records have become the need of the hour and many industries are adapting blockchain as proof of their honesty.
    A decentralized blockchain also makes it almost impossible to alter recorded transactions because documented proof of original transactions are already recorded on multiple nodes that are scattered geographically.
    Also, because this data is recorded digitally, the process of ascertaining it is much more efficient.

  2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
    A normal database would usually be owned and administered by a central authority (the owner/ the industry/the government) and as such is vulnerable to physical or mechanical damage as well as deliberate intent to modify.
    As the database is internal to the owner, and access to it has to be through the owner, the ease of establishing provenance through auditing will be much more difficult and time consuming.
    So a normal data base will not be as immutable or as guarded or as easy to access as a blockchain database.
    However, a normal data base is probably much less expensive to maintain for a business than a blockchain.

  3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
    Food and grocery supply chain businesses will benefit from digital provenance greatly as consumers can easily satisfy themselves about whether the label of their product is genuine e.g. free range, organic, environmentally-friendly, sustainably sourced, sustainably fished etc. Also, freshness of the produce is easily traceable. Such companies can differentiate themselves by having these details accessible to their customer base.
    Construction businesses can benefit by using digital provenance to ensure that the products they have used in Electro mechanical and plumbing works are not duplicated items of known and reliable brands.
    Contracting businesses can also ensure timely or milestone related payments for their works by using blockchains as a record of completed works and also to trigger related escrow payments.
    The textile industry can be discouraged from using unfair trade practices like child labour or inhuman working conditions as their manufacturing bases are documented in a blockchain process.
    As counterfeiting and duplicating is a major threat to many companies producing branded goods (hi-fashion, automobile spares etc), adopting blockchain to enable digital provenance is an ideal way the end user can be assured about the genuineness of the item being purchased.

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#1205

  1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
    Every transaction is broadcasted to all the nodes of the blockchain and is recorded in every node. Modifying an old transaction data needs more than 50% of the nodes to do it at the same time. This makes old data in the bloackchain is immutable and traceable.

  2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
    Normal database doesn’t have the publicity and immutability.

  3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
    It could eliminate the verification cost for provenance and build a trustless provision chain for the businiess.

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#1206
  1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
  • real-time transactions are placed on the blockchain that are immutable and can be audited in real-time
  1. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
  • a normal database is not distributed amongst thousands of nodes (if one machine makes a transaction, all other machines will look into local copy of their data ledger of the blockchain to verify if the transaction makes sense - Question if the sender has enough money)
  1. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
  • cut costs and increase efficiency by have real-time audits - No PWC
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#1208
  1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance.? Block chain allows for tracking of data including the history of raw materials that went into making the product. It is an open decentralized method of holding a trustless public ledger. Data can easily be exchanged, programed and create zero waste. Block chain is transparent and that is the goal of digital provenance.
  2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance.?
    A normal database fails to convey the necessary transparency, involves more control whereas the provenance is provides a trackable flow of resources.
  3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses. ?
    Setting up the programming may take some effort, however, the whole process from the sources of the supplies, the history, the certifications, can all build together for the brand value. Also, it can improve competition. Transparently a business can prove that it is trying to keep a small carbon print, or avoid use of sweat shops. Accuracy of record keeping becomes fundamental and waste is easier to control.
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#1209

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance? Blockchain technology uses a shared public ledger that allows users to track the provenance and authenticity of all transactions.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance? Normal databases allow users to add and remove information, whereas the blockchain allows users to only add information, thereby preventing double-spend and fraud.

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses? Digital provenance is a great benefit to many companies because it allows them to keep track of the origin and quality of their raw materials, leading to greater supply chain efficiencies.

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#1210

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?

Blockchain is a publicly transparent digital ledger of transactions,
maintained and based on networked computers.

A record of every transaction entered into a blockchain ledger since its creation,
is maintained and redisplayed in real time in both: every subsequent transaction,
and in every networked computer in which every subsequent transaction occurs.

Therefore, any and every transaction may be tracked and traced at any time.

Next, the blockchain code only allows for input entry of the data of a transaction,
and once the transaction is completed, it may not be changed or deleted.

A completed transaction basically becomes “Read Only”.

Therefore, provenance - which is the origin, history, and record of ownership of a thing,
is enabled and provided for through this publicly transparent network of unalterable, verifiable data.

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

A “normal” database is able to be altered, and therefore cannot provide accurate provenance
in the true and strict definition of the term.

Also, “normal” databases are not duplicated over publicly transparent networks in the way that a blockchain is. The network phenomenon of redundancy also provides assurance against loss of data.

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

This digital provenance is not based on trust between fallible humans,
it is based on factual, unalterable digital code.

Therefore, the code actually provides the trust that what it declares to be true, IS true -
what it states to be so, IS so.

Therefore, businesses can truly rely on such things as claimed inventory,
claimed ingredients, claimed performance of every kind -
manufacture, delivery, receipt, and any other performance parameter or metric
which a business needs to monitor.

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#1211

  1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance? Blockchain is a public distributed ledger, digital ledger that is decentralized, permissionless and permanent. Also traceable and verifiable. Addition to ledger is possible but no information can be removed.

  2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance? Normal databases are centralized, controlled, private, and can be edited. Information can be added and removed.

  3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit for many businesses? Removes the need for trust alone. Transactions and and supply chain can be tracked and verified. Quality of product can be verified from start to finish.

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#1212
  • How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
  • Decentralised as a public ledger where each transaction can be traced and tracked.
  • Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
  • Information can only be added and not removed
  • Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
  • provides transparency and verification of transaction or product
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#1213

Homework on Provenance - Questions

  1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
    It allows all transactions (be they be financial assets, raw materials, or any other flows or movements) to be traced and recorded. Then at the same time be accounted for digitally and in real-time. In so doing anyone viewing on the blockchain can tally that an item has been sourced from the location it is said to have been sourced from and account for the items and pathway such a transaction states it has come through.

  2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
    A normal database cannot record a transaction and the accounting for that transaction at the same time. The two processes are separate layers and require separate input or agencies to conduct those two tasks.

  3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
    Digital provenance provides a number of benefits to businesses;
    a) It allows them to speed up the audit of a transaction - and potentially doesn’t have to include a middle agency to conduct the auditing for their business. So costly external audits may eventually be a thing of the past!
    b) It brings a new level of scrutiny to the business or to the consumer allowing them to track and confirm if an item actually does come from the source it states on an invoice or a list of ingredients or constituent materials that is mentioned on a label or information document.
    c) Through that scrutiny, digital provenance has the potential also to strike against ‘graft’ - corrupt, falsified or inaccurate information, delivery/or not of items.

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#1214
  1. By allowing trackability of items. You can only add to the blockchain, not delete or alter in anyway. It is a permanent, visible accountability that creates transparency.
  2. Other databases can be altered and changed thereby destroying trust and transparency.
  3. Businesses will no longer need scheduled audits. The audits can be constantly ongoing. It will also enable tracking of items or ingredients if you are a food company. You can see at all times where things are on the supply chain.
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#1215
  1. It is immutable and public. You can only enter data in the blockchain, once it is in it cannot be altered. The whole blockchain is publicly accessible for everyone to verify its contents.
  2. There is someone maintaining it, which means that you have to trust that person/ organization.
  3. Every step of the production process can be made public and verifiable for the organization and customers
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