Local State Storage for Distributed Ledger Auditing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for auditing distributed ledger networks (DLNs) are inefficient and resource-intensive, particularly when auditing multiple accounts or transactions, as they often require forking the entire network, which consumes significant computational resources and incurs high transaction fees.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a state data storage module that allows for local storage of modifications to smart contract data, enabling auditors to analyze smart contract behavior without forking the DLN, by redirecting 'write' operations to a separate storage overlay and using test transactions that store outputs in a different storage system, thereby avoiding changes to the main state data storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire distributed ledger network is forked for auditing purposes, then complete audit capability is achieved, but computational resource consumption and transaction fees increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the auditing process from the main distributed ledger network by creating a separate forked copy that contains only the necessary state data for auditing. This allows audit operations to be performed on the segmented forked ledger without affecting or requiring the entire main network to be forked, thereby reducing computational resource consumption while maintaining complete audit capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential state data from the main distributed ledger and places it into a separate forked ledger structure. By taking out only the necessary data components required for auditing rather than forking the entire network, the system achieves audit capability while minimizing computational resource usage and transaction fees.
2Productivity
If frequent network forking is performed to audit multiple accounts or transactions, then comprehensive auditing is achieved, but transaction fees and resource usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal forked ledger structure that can serve multiple auditing purposes simultaneously. Once the forked ledger is created with the necessary state data, it can be used to audit multiple different accounts and transactions without requiring separate forking operations for each audit request. This multi-functional approach improves auditing efficiency while reducing the quantity of transaction fees paid, as the same forked infrastructure serves multiple auditing needs.
3Ease of operation
If the main state data storage is modified during auditing, then test transaction execution is enabled, but data integrity of the original ledger is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a forked ledger as an intermediary structure between the auditor and the main distributed ledger. This intermediary allows test transactions to be executed and state modifications to be made during auditing operations, while the original main ledger remains untouched and preserves its data integrity. The forked ledger acts as a safe sandbox environment that mediates between the need for test execution and the requirement for data stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the necessary state data from the main ledger into a forked ledger structure. This copying process enables all subsequent test transaction executions and state modifications to occur on the copied data rather than the original, thereby maintaining the ease of operation for testing while preserving the stability and integrity of the original ledger data.
Data Source
AI summary
Distributed ledger-based networks (DLNs) employ self-executing codes, also known as smart contracts, to manage interactions occurring on the networks, which may result in the generation of a massive amount of DLN state data representing the interactions and participants thereof. The instant disclosure discloses systems, apparatus and methods that allow interactions to occur on the DLNs without modification to stored data, thereby improving the storage capabilities of the networks.