Immutable Evidence Storage for Distributed Database Access Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Distributed databases face challenges in securely tracking and managing access to data across multiple sites and organizations, as existing solutions like blockchain require complex decentralized systems and significant resources.
Innovation Solution
A distributed database management system that monitors data operations, generates evidence information, and stores it in an immutable data structure to record user device associations with data operations, thereby enabling secure and transparent tracking of data access and updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a decentralized blockchain system is used to track data operations, then security and immutability are improved, but device complexity and computing resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized server as an intermediary component that manages the immutable data structure and handles data operation tracking. This mediator approach allows the distributed database nodes to maintain simplicity while achieving secure tracking through the centralized coordination of evidence generation and storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the tracking function by creating separate evidence structures that record data operations independently from the main database. Each data operation generates its own evidence package containing identification information, operation details, and timestamps, which are stored as discrete units in the immutable structure.
2Reliability
If a decentralized blockchain system is used to track data operations, then security is improved, but computing resources and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized server acts as an energy-efficient intermediary that consolidates the computational burden of tracking and verifying data operations. Instead of every node performing complex cryptographic operations, the server manages the immutable structure, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of data operation evidence in the immutable structure rather than requiring continuous synchronization across all nodes. This copying approach allows distributed storage of evidence without the computational overhead of maintaining a fully decentralized ledger with consensus mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If centralized control is used to manage data access, then ease of operation is improved, but security and trust are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by generating and storing evidence information before data operations are executed. Identification information, operation details, and timestamps are captured and recorded in advance in the immutable structure, ensuring that accountability is established prior to the actual data access or modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the immutable data structure provides verifiable records of all data operations. This feedback loop allows users to verify the authenticity and accountability of data access operations, maintaining trust while preserving the simplicity of centralized management.
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, a distributed database management system may monitor data operations performed by a plurality of user devices, wherein the data operations are associated with a distributed database. The distributed database management system may detect that a user device is to perform a data operation associated with a data structure of the distributed database. The distributed database management system may determine identification information associated with the user device. The distributed database management system may generate, based on the data operation, evidence information associated with the data operation, wherein the evidence information includes the identification information. The distributed database management system may store the evidence information in an immutable data structure to record that the user device is associated with the data operation. The distributed database management system may enable the user device to perform the data operation after the evidence information is stored in the immutable data structure.