Weitere Ă€hnliche Inhalte Ăhnlich wie Blockchain- The Quiet Disruptor - A Guide and a primer to launch Blockchain & DLT solutions (20) KĂŒrzlich hochgeladen (20) Blockchain- The Quiet Disruptor - A Guide and a primer to launch Blockchain & DLT solutions1. Blockchain Technology â The Quiet Disruptor
JP Batra
Interim CTO, Blockchain Advisor
Global Blockchain Summit, Oct 3rd & 4th, 2019 Westminster, Colorado.
©Blue River International, Inc.
Original presentation slides have been slightly modified for readability. A summary narrative of the
presentation has been added for you to follow along. For example, instead of describing all the
âinefficienciesâ on slide #4, I have provided summary narratives only for two inefficiencies.
2. Inefficiencies we are used to
©Blue River International, Inc.
Keywords: #Blockchain #EmergingTech #EmergingTechnologies #POC #ProofofConcept #Innovation #ProductManagement
#CTO #CIO #CFO #Technolgy #DLT #DistributedLedgerTechnologies #R&D, #ResearchandDevelopment #NewTech
#BlockchainTechnologies #LearnBlockchain #Learning #TechnologyLeadership #TechnologySelection #EmergingMarkets
#BlockchainDeployment #JPBatra JP Batra #CEO Market Share, #Blockchain Explained, Blockchain Technology, Blockchain
Use Case, Blockchain POC, Blockchain Insurance, #Ethereum #HyperLedger #IBM Blockchain #Corda #R3 #B3i
4. We are used to inefficiencies in our daily and professional lives that we do not even think of anymore! Allow me to share a few that
Blockchain technologies can either remove, or significantly reduce.
Daily / Personal
No Traceability â We purchase organic apples at grocery stores. Other than a sticker labeled organic, and a leap of faith, we have no
idea whether the apple is organic or not as labels can fall off. Neither do we know which orchard the apples came from. Blockchain
technology can allow interested parties to trace the produceâs origin from the seed to the store!
Professional
Multi-party record keeping â Businesses transact with other businesses and consumers. There could be multiple parties involved in
complex transactions. These may include vendors, suppliers, partners, customers and competitors with whom data may have to be
exchanged.
Transactions produce records, and each party may have their own version that may or may not match the other partyâs version. Such
discrepancies may lead to a lot of back and forth with time wasted on reconciliation or records. Blockchain technology can reduce or
eliminate this issue by providing the same version of the truth to all trading partners and traceability right up to the very first
transaction. There is no more need for reconciling records with each other. Imagine the millions of dollars businesses can save by
using this technology.
©Blue River International, Inc.
5. Market Size â âThen and Nowâ
Fortune Business Insights 2017 Statista 2019
©Blue River International, Inc.
6. I have labeled my presentation âBlockchain - The Quite Disruptorâ as Blockchain does not receive as much attention as Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT). Even the media attention seems to be primarily focused on Cryptocurrencies that use
Blockchain technologies as their underpinnings.
The adoption rate on the slides show that this technology is being adopted at faster rate than predicted. Enterprises are rapidly
adopting Blockchain to improve operational efficiencies, transact faster, and gain other advantages derived from this technology that is
not readily visible to us in our daily lives. I.e., the silent adoption is leading to a quiet disruption and transformation where companies
are realizing its benefits without much fanfare.
For example, World Economic Forum predicts that by year 2025, 10% of the GDP will be affected, or stored on Blockchain technologies.
In 2017, Fortune Business Insights had projected Blockchain market size of approximately $21Bn by the year 2025. Fast forward to this
year, and Statista projects Blockchain market size to be approximately $23Bn by the year 2023 itself! So, if your company has not
already embarked on the Blockchain journey, now is the time to consider it. If you have not yet starting exploring this technology, now
may be a good time to consider learning more about this technology to stay relevant.
©Blue River International, Inc.
9. Before I discuss the key strengths of Blockchain, allow me to introduce the concept of public and private Blockchains at a high level. Public
Blockchains are open, permission less networks supported by thousands of computers. Bitcoin cryptocurrency is an application on a public
Blockchain. Anyone can read and write to a public Blockchain and view all the transactions flowing through the system. One cannot see who is
transacting with whom though, as transacting parties are represented by cryptographic keys.
A private Blockchain is a closed, permissioned system where trusted parties form an alliance or a consortium to use a private Blockchain. The
parties bring the infrastructure along with them. So, a private Blockchain is supported by a limited number of computers vs thousands of
computers on a public Blockchain. Only parties with permission to join the system can do so. Different parties on the private Blockchain may
have different permissions.
Businesses tend to use private Blockchain. For example, you could be a user of a Healthcare insurerâs private Blockchain platform supported by
its vendors, partners, suppliers and providers (e.g. Doctors).
Neither of my statements about a public and private Blockchains and their strengths are absolutes. For example, public Blockchain system can
be converted to a private Blockchain and vice-versa. Permission-less public Blockchain platforms like Ethereum can have Identity and Access
management implemented on it, and that implementation turns permissioned Blockchain.
Of all the Blockchain strengths listed on the previous slide, the power of security, infrastructure, reliability, and fault-tolerance is reduced in a
private Blockchain as limited number of computers (known as nodes) support the network. Transparency is controlled, or is non-existent on a
private Blockchain.
With private and public Blockchain discussed, let us examine the strengths listed on the slide. Of these, immutability and reliability (or
traceability) of records since its inception on the Blockchain are its major strengths. They provide auditability as records once written cannot be
changed. Immutability provides assurances that the written records cannot not been tampered with.
With all trading partners and customers on the same Blockchain network, all the parties see the same version of the truth. I hope it is now clear
as to how Blockchain can solve inefficiencies and why it is being adopted so rapidly.
Let us examine at a high level how Blockchain works. My thoughts are that if you understood the interworking of Blockchain, you are ready to
apply Blockchain technology to any area you work in â Supply Chain, Healthcare, Finance, Insurance or any other field.
©Blue River International, Inc.
11. Transactions
Alice gives Bob
1 Bitcoin
Charlie sells car
To David
Tn
Hash of this
block: 00130
Block 1, prior
hash 0000
Transactions
T1
T2
Tn
Hash of this
block: 00329
Block 2, prior
hash 00130
Transactions
T1
T2
Tn
Hash of this
block: 00648
Block n, prior
hash 00329
List of transactions written in
blocks (shared ledger), multiple
copies on nodes (computers) on
network, nodes (group)
consensus on ledger contents
Decentralized, peer to
peer network,
anonymous, but fully-
transparent
Initially designed
for digital currency
Bitcoin
Chained by Cryptographic
hashes, all ledger copies in
synch.
Time-stamped,
append-only,
immutable
Smart Contract
Trust in a trustless environment Security Distributed Ledger
Technology (DLT)
Note: Hash sizes / length abbreviated. Public and Private Blockchain interworking can differ, and it generally does.
Blockchain Interworking
©Blue River International, Inc.
12. A narrative of Blockchainâs interworking may be too long. Please read Blockchain articles published on my LinkedIn profile for more
details. Links to other Blockchain articles are posted at the end of this presentation. Some of the key points of Blockchainâs
interworking are:
âą Blockchain is called âBlockchainâ as they are nothing but electronic ledgers of fixed size chained together to each other using
cryptographic hash of the previous block.
âą All the computers on a public Blockchain are connected to each other in a mesh configuration. Each computer is called a node.
Each node maintains the same copy of the ledger as others do. Else, it needs to download a fresh copy from its neighbor to remain
in sync with all the other nodes on the network.
âą Consider a âblockâ to be analogous to a sheet of paper in a notebook on which one can write any transaction â financial or
otherwise. Once the âsheetâ has filled up, its cryptographic hash is generated by all the participating computers. When 51% or
more of the computers on a public Blockchain agree that they got the same hash, then the âsheetâ of paper, or the transactions on
the block is committed on the Blockchain. From this point, the recorded transactions cannot be changed.
âą Private Blockchains may âcommitâ transactions differently as agreed by all the trading partners.
âą Once a block has filled up, another block is opened and linked to the previous block by posting the previous blockâs hash on the
current block. This is akin to a new sheet of paper in a notebook. The difference is that unlike a notebook that has limited number
of sheets, the public Blockchain never ends.
âą Public Blockchains are ideal for person to person transactions where trust is delivered through Blockchain technology without the
presence of an intermediary (e.g. a central authority, or a Bank). The two transacting individuals may not even know each other.
©Blue River International, Inc.
13. Myths and Facts
Myth Facts Remarks
Blockchain and Bitcoin are the
same
Bitcoin is simply an application on
Blockchain
This is the first implementation
of Blockchain
Blockchain is slow, and open to
everyone, not fit for business
This typically references public,
open, permission-less Blockchain
Private, closed, and permissioned
Blockchain is a common
enterprise implementation
Blockchain and Distributed
Ledger Technologies (DLT) are the
same
Blockchain is a type of DLT. Both
terms are not interchangeable
Blockchain shall cease to exist. Blockchain is a type of Distributed
Ledger Technology (DLT) which is
here to stay
Blockchain (writing in blocks)
may go away. Its flavors are
already entrenched
Blockchain verifies all data on its
network before committing the
transaction
Blockchain simply verifies all
ânodesâ have the same copy and
version of the truth. It does not
verify data accuracy
Blockchain does not verify
transaction itself. A person can
choose to record 2 + 2 = 5 if they
wish to!
©Blue River International, Inc.
14. Industry Consortium/Alliances Platforms (cross â
industry applicability)
Insurance
Banking
Technology Platforms -
Reusable Tech Platforms
Based on Tech standards
IBM, Linux Foundation
Healthcare Several smaller ones, e.g.
Aetna, Anthem, Healthcare
Service Corporation (HCSC)
as one example.
IBM Blockchain
Platforms, Consortiums & Alliances
©Blue River International, Inc.
16. Proof of Concept (POC)
âą POC verifies that the concepts used, and the Use Case has real-
world applicability.
âą The concept, and the solution can be developed further.
âą Tests whether intended benefits can be achieved or not. These
include:
âą Customer benefits by the new product or solutions.
âą Profits or value (for non-profits) can be derived.
âą POC tests responseâs strength
âą Disrupting markets, gaining advantage, or opening new markets.
âą Responding to competitor threats rapidly.
Global Blockchain Summit
©Blue River International, Inc.
17. To summarize, we have discussed inefficiencies in business and in our daily lives that can be by Blockchain. We discussed its key
strengths, and how the technology works. We have also touched upon private vs public Blockchains, and that private Blockchains are
more suitable for business, though this is not an absolute statement.
You may be excited to apply Blockchain technology to help your employer gain a competitive advantage or reap the benefits of
process improvements, or both. You may be considering launching a Blockchain solution to deal with a competitor threat rapidly, or to
gain a competitive edge.
My innovation and R&D* experiences, and experiences in launching new products, services and emerging technologies has taught me
to evaluate a proposed solution very meticulously. If you arenât already doing this, my suggestion is that you do so also by developing
a well thought of use case, an MVP, and a POC to test your theory. Doing so shall help you understand what works and what needs
adjustments. It shall also help you understand through your responseâs strength whether Blockchain is the right answer, or can
conventional technologies deliver a better outcome. Please remember that Blockchain is still evolving, and Blockchain talent is not
readily available.
I shall now tie all the Blockchain discussions with a review a hypothetical use case. I have created a healthcare insurance example,
though similar solution approaches are applicable to many other use cases also.
* AT&T Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies, CableLabs, US WEST Advanced Technologies (now CenturyLink) and others.
©Blue River International, Inc.
19. Assume that your healthcare insurance company has a private Blockchain solution. It has four parties or entities connected to the solution with different
roles and permissions. Each entity can perform role based functions. They can join the network, and role based permissions provide them with a read
and/or write capabilities. In this hypothetical case:
You, the patient (or a customer) has read permission only, and your contract is stored on the Blockchain platform. No longer do you have to look for files at
home where you may have stored the hard copy of your insurance contract. Neither do you have to figure out what your deductibles and premiums are.
They are all available on the Insurerâs Blockchain. Only you, and authorized parties (like insurer) can view your data. As long as you are paying your
premiums, your account is current. Payments after deductibles are met are automatically released when you file a valid claim through the use of Smart
contracts (Note: I discussed Smart Contracts during my presentation).
The provider (e.g. a Doctor) can perform limited read/write and can submit claims to the insurer. The provider and insurer agreement is accessible to both
the parties. Both see the same version of the contract. Smart Contracts encode common understanding of the contract terms and payment release that get
automatically triggered when valid claims are filed by the provider.
Government may have a need for compliance reports. Government systems can either pick up the data from the insurer Blockchain, or the insurer can send
the data to compliance authorities. Government has read capabilities only for data relevant to them.
A competitor may have a need to connect to the insurerâs Blockchain for limited data exchange. It may have records of the patients who moved from their
system to the insurerâs that it needs to provide to the insurer. And, both may have other data exchange needs too. The permissions here are very restrictive
allowing the competitor to only access and/or provide data that is relevant for business between the two parties.
As you may have figured out, by being on the same Blockchain solution, all the connected parties see the same version of the truth for the information
relevant to them. Multi-party inefficiencies are removed. Due to immutability of records, auditing the transactions, and tracing its history becomes easy. The
insurer does not have to spend time and money tracking the old records. Interoperability, another major issue with data exchange between trading
partners get addressed by being connected to the same Blockchain solution. Security and reliability of the solution increases as all the trading partners
(except customers) bring infrastructure as agreed upon with each other. The gains for everyone is huge.
One cautionary note that if you work for a mid-size or a large company, Blockchain solution would (and should) only be a part of the companyâs solution
ecosystem. It shall co-exist with conventional technologies. If you work for a startup, then Blockchain may be the core of your solutions or offers.
©Blue River International, Inc.
20. Conclusion and Observations
âą Currently, Blockchain is predominantly a transformative technology
âą Blockchain early adoption risks include talent unavailability, and technology maturity
risks
âą Developing Use Cases and testing them by conducting POC helps bring the right solution
to the market
âą Consortiums, alliances, and consortium led platforms standardize business between
participating companies
âą Name-tech (e.g. Insuretech, Health-tech, FintechâŠ) are creating both transformative and
disruptive business models
Thank you!
©Blue River International, Inc.
21. Related Articles
âą Blockchain Demystified! â Blockchain explained in plain English.
âą Business Considerations - Beyond the hype, Blockchain or Database - which one is
right for you? Part â I â Discusses business aspects of technology selection prior
to conducting a POC.
âą Technology Considerations - Beyond the hype, Blockchain or Database â which
one is right for you? Part II â Discusses technical aspects of technology selection
for an effective POC.
âą Trust - A key Leadership Skills! â A leadership article on how I develop trust
rapidly on my assignments. You can use some of these applicable to you whether
you are an employee or a consultant.
Thank you!
Global Blockchain Summit
©Blue River International, Inc.
22. JP Batra
Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Founder
Blue River International, Inc.
JP.Batra@BlueRiverIntnl.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jpbatra
Twitter: @jpbatra
©Blue River International, Inc.