Titulo Estágio
Using blockchain for certified data storage in P2P networks
Áreas de especialidade
Sistemas de Informação
Engenharia de Software
Local do Estágio
DEI
Enquadramento
The client-server nature, inherent to the cloud paradigm, is a good fit for a wide range of apps that need to be light on the user’s device, with the bulk of the data processed or stored away in a backend. However, that same nature inhibits a different class of apps, specifically those with added security and privacy concerns (namely, with constraints on the transport of sensitive data, even if encrypted); and those dealing with big data (since it is not feasible to constantly move e.g. several gigabytes of data back and forth between the client and the cloud).
Applications fitting these categories are better served by a peer-to-peer (P2P) architecture. The current relevance of P2P applications is demonstrated by the likes of Skype, BitTorrent, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, the trend towards P2P payments [1], and even research made by traditional cloud vendors such as Dropbox [2].
[1] http://bit.ly/1EMj1Jm
[2] http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2015/0358297.html
Objetivo
In this thesis, the candidate will research the issues that deal with the distributed management and storage of data in P2P architectures.
The goal is to develop a proof of concept that illustrates how to support data linking and management operations in the context of a P2P architecture, where blockchain [3] is used to ensure data provenance and integrity for distributed data.
The prototype should include operations for storing and retrieving of data on the peer network, ensuring the necessary level of redundancy (with replication of the dataset on the peer network), scalability (with a collection of peers contributing storage and access) and data provenance (using blockchain). Those operations can, in turn, be used to offer distributed open data [4]: leveraging the above advantages (redundancy, data provenance certification) to create a kind of peer-to-peer repositories akin to CKAN [5].
[3] http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21650295-or-it-next-big-thing
[4] http://opendatahandbook.org/guide/en/what-is-open-data/
[5] http://ckan.org
Plano de Trabalhos - Semestre 1
First, the student should learn about the state-of-the-art of the underlying technologies, which include the use of blockchain for data provenance and integrity certification, peer-to-peer distributed data (including InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) [6] and distributed hash tables), and distributed linked data concepts. This task will result in papers that will be submitted to international conferences and one of the chapters of the thesis.
The second task in this semester will be to reason about and conceive the software architecture for the proof of concept that will be developed in the second semester. This will result in part of the “Solution Description” chapter of the thesis.
[6] https://ipfs.io
Plano de Trabalhos - Semestre 2
In the second semester, the student will build on the previously developed architecture and refine it towards an implementation specification project. This will conclude the “Solution Description” chapter and will guide the actual implementation.
When concluded, the proof on concept will consist of a set of virtual machines forming the peer network, each hosting the developed software to expose the operations for storing and retrieving of data on the peer network, ensuring the required level of redundancy, scalability and data provenance. The implementation will be described in a chapter thesis, and, together with the previous chapter form the basis of a conference paper.
The last task of the semester consists of testing the proof of concept, validating the approach. The test results will be used to write a final paper and thesis chapter.
Condições
The student will have the opportunity to travel to present the papers that are accepted at international conferences, with expenses paid.
A scholarship may be available, conditional to an European project grant currently under assessment being approved. Regardless, the student will have the opportunity to integrate an international research team.
Observações
To learn more about the project, interested students can contact:
Paulo Rupino da Cunha, http://eden.dei.uc.pt/~rupino
rupino@dei.uc.pt
Paulo Melo, http://www.uc.pt/feuc/pess_serv/docentes/manuel_melo
pmelo@fe.uc.pt
Questions are welcome.
Orientador
Paulo Rupino da Cunha
rupino@dei.uc.pt 📩