A P2P Networking Simulation Framework For Blockchain Studies

Recently, blockchain becomes a disruptive technology of building distributed applications (DApps). Many researchers and institutions have devoted their resources to the development of more effective blockchain technologies and innovative applications. However, with the limitation of computing power and financial resources, it is hard for researchers to deploy and test their blockchain innovations in a large-scape physical network. Hence, in this dissertation, we proposed a peer-to-peer (P2P) networking simulation framework, which allows to deploy and test (simulate) a large-scale blockchain system with thousands of nodes in one single computer. We systematically reviewed existing research and techniques of blockchain simulator and evaluated their advantages and disadvantages. To achieve generality and flexibility, our simulation framework lays the foundation for simulating blockchain network with different scales and protocols. We verified our simulation framework by deploying the most famous three blockchain systems (Bitcoin, Ethereum and IOTA) in our simulation framework. We demonstrated the effectiveness of our simulation framework with the following three case studies: (a) Improve the performance of blockchain by changing key parameters or deploying new directed acyclic graph (DAG) structure protocol; (b) Test and analyze the attack response of Tangle-based blockchain (IOTA) (c) Establish and deploy a new smart grid bidding system for demand side in our simulation framework. This dissertation also points out a series of open issues for future research

Design of a blockchain-based platform for peer-topeer energy trading

Este trabajo busca introducir las bases y posibles usos de la tecnología blockchain, y su implementación a través de un algoritmo de gestión de energía distribuido junto a una interfaz gráfica que aproveche al máximo las ventajas de esta tecnología. El algoritmo actúa como un programa de energía con un día de anticipación en el que cada nodo participante en la red puede realizar intercambios de energía seguros con el resto de agentes de la microrred. Blockchain hace el papel de un agregador global que verifica los intercambios de energía y evalúa la convergencia del algoritmo a través de iteraciones. El esquema propuesto se ha implementado en Ethereum y los beneficios derivados de este son comparados a través de la simulación de diferentes escenarios. La interfaz gráfica de usuario se construye usando React y, junto con web3, permite a sus usuarios interactuar con blockchain a través de Internet. (...)This work aims to provide some insight about the blockchain technology and to propose a distributed energy management algorithm that takes full advantage of the blockchain technology through a graphic user interface. This platform serves as a one day-ahead energy schedule where each networked entity is allowed to make peer to peer (P2P) safe power trades with the rest of the microgrid agents. Blockchain serves as a global aggregator that verifies power trades and evaluate convergence across iterative steps. The proposed scheme has been implemented within Ethereum blockchain and its benefits are compared simulating different scenarios. The graphic user interface is built using React and, in conjunction with web3, allows its users to interact with blockchain through the internet.Universidad de Sevilla. Máster en Ingeniería Industria

Secure Aircraft Maintenance Records Using Blockchain (SAMR)

We propose to enhance the security and transparency of aircraft maintenance records in the aviation industry through the use of blockchain technology. A physical aircraft maintenance logbook is susceptible to being lost or destroyed. A nonexistent aircraft maintenance logbook hurts the confidence in integrity and reputation of the aircraft. Furthermore, fraud can occur through forgery of FAA personnel signatures and the installation of non-official aircraft parts. The scope of this work is to develop a secure blockchain that can store aircraft service records and information in a digital distributed ledger. By keeping the maintenance logbook on a digital ledger, records can be stored indefinitely in a trusted environment with the integrity of records guaranteed. Additionally, to achieve being a distributed ledger, a consensus algorithm PoET is used to display the global state accurately to all users. The SAMR blockchain uses the Linux Foundations open sourced software “Hyperledger” to facilitate an environment that mimics a real-world implementation. The Python Programming Language was used for SAMR\u27s implementation of the blockchain logic through creation of a permission-based blockchain for holding the maintenance records

OpenCollab: A Blockchain Based Protocol to Incentivize Open Source Software Development

Open source software is one of the fundamental building blocks of today\u27s technology dependent society and is relied upon by parties ranging from large technology corporations to individual hobbyist developers. The open question left for technologists is how to make open source software projects more sustainable. The rise of decentralized networks of self-organizing, self-coordinating users incentivized by valuable cryptographic tokens enabled by Ethereum smart contracts creates the possibility of a system with embedded economics for open source software development that aligns the incentives of all parties. We present two contributions that can serve as building blocks for a potentially better solution to open source software sustainability: a command line tool that enables a decentralized Git workflow without the need for a centralized service like Github and a proof-of-concept blockchain based protocol for incentivizing open source software development using a cryptographic token. Both contributions are implemented using Ethereum smart contracts

Energy Considerations in Blockchain-Enabled Applications

Blockchain-powered smart systems deployed in different industrial applications promise operational efficiencies and improved yields, while mitigating significant cybersecurity risks pertaining to the main application. Associated tradeoffs between availability and security arise at implementation, however, triggered by the additional resources (e.g., memory, computation) required by each blockchain-enabled host. This thesis applies an energy-reducing algorithmic engineering technique for Merkle Tree root and Proof of Work calculations, two principal elements of blockchain computations, as a means to preserve the promised security benefits but with less compromise to system availability. Using pyRAPL, a python library to measure computational energy, we experiment with both the standard and energy-reduced implementations of the Merkle Tree for different input sizes (in bytes) and of the Proof of Work for different difficulty levels. Our results show up to 98\% reduction in energy consumption is possible within the blockchain\u27s Merkle Tree construction module, such reductions typically increasing with larger input sizes. For Proof-of-Work calculations, our results show an average energy reduction of 20\% across typical difficulty levels. The proposed energy-reducing technique is potentially applicable to other key elements of blockchain computations, potentially affording even greener blockchain-powered systems than implied by only the Merkle Tree and Proof of Work results obtained thus far

Security in DHT-based peer-to-peer networks

Questa tesi riguarda il problema dell’integrazione dei meccanismi per la gestione di reputazione e dei processi di lookup nelle reti peer-to-peer basate su DHT (Distributed Hash Table) e l’applicazione di tali tecniche a scenari di reti chiuse e gerarchiche con particolare riferimento al livello di sicurezza e efficienza dello storage e del backup delle risorse. La soluzione proposta rappresenta una combinazione delle tecniche per la valutazione di reputazione e degli strumenti per i sistemi di computer distribuiti come protezione dagli specifici attacchi causati dai peer maliziosi in sistemi P2P collaborativi. Inoltre, e’ stata proposta l’applicazione dei meccanismi DHT nell’ambito delle reti di computer gerarchiche, in particolare nelle reti aziendali. L’obiettivo di questo lavoro e’ quello di offrire una soluzione ai problemi derivanti dall’utilizzo di una architettura centralizzata tramite l’introduzione del sistema di organizzazione dei dati inerente all’ambito P2P basato sugli algoritmi DHT in una rete aziendale.This thesis addresses the problem of integration of reputation management mechanisms and other instruments used in distributed computing environment with lookup processes in DHT-based peer-to-peer networks in order to improve resilience of such systems to destructive actions of malevolent or faulty components. The goal of this integration is to obtain a more efficient, less expensive (in terms of data transferred, computational resources involved and time spent) and possibly simple solution to cope with the specific problems of DHT-based environment. A particular accent has been given to DHT-based environments with a collaborative nature. Another issue considered in this work regards the application of DHT mechanisms to lookup and data retrieval processes in hierarchical collaborative environments, in particular, in enterprise networks. This approach exploits advantages of the P2P data organization system based on DHTs to avoid some problems inherent in systems with centralized architectures

Facilitating cross-chain cryptocurrency exchanges: An inquiry into blockchain technology and interoperability with an emphasis on cryptocurrency arbitrage

Since the introduction and proliferation of the blockchain-based cryptocurrency Bitcoin, alternative cryptocurrencies also based on blockchain technology have exploded in number. It was once believed that one, or very few, cryptocurrencies would eventually dominate the market and drive out competitors. This assumption, however, was incorrect. Thousands of cryptocurrencies exist concurrently. The vast number of cryptocurrencies leads to a problem—what if the cryptocurrency that an individual possesses does not meet their current needs as well as another cryptocurrency might? The attempt to solve this problem has led to the rise of many cryptocurrency exchanges and exchange schemes. In this paper, we will discuss the motivations for an individual to be interested in exchanging two or more cryptocurrencies by describing and comparing various popular cryptocurrencies with different desirable attributes. While we will discuss these attributes, this paper will give special focus to arbitrage in particular. In addition, we will describe various cryptocurrency exchange schemes and their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, we contribute to the understanding of cryptocurrency exchangeability and interoperability by comparing the historical price data of several cryptocurrencies to determine how often arbitrage has been possible in the past