Shared Blockchain Storage Nodes Reduce Data Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Distributed ledger systems (DLSs) face storage inefficiencies due to the need for all nodes to store entire copies of blockchain data, including 'cold' data that is infrequently used, leading to high storage costs without significant impact on processing efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where consensus nodes in a blockchain network send current state information to shared storage nodes, which store historic state information as a historic state tree with key-value pairs, allowing consensus nodes to retrieve and verify account states using hash values, thereby reducing storage burden on all nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all nodes store entire copies of blockchain data, then data reliability is improved, but storage cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides blockchain data into two segments: current state information stored at consensus nodes and historic state information stored at shared storage nodes. This segmentation allows consensus nodes to maintain only the necessary current state data for processing transactions, while historic data is centralized at shared storage nodes, significantly reducing storage requirements at each individual node while maintaining system reliability through the distributed shared storage architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces shared storage nodes as intermediary components between consensus nodes and the blockchain data. These shared storage nodes act as mediators that hold historic state information and serve multiple consensus nodes, eliminating the need for each consensus node to store complete historical data while ensuring data availability and reliability through the intermediary shared storage layer.
2Ease of operation
If all nodes store entire copies of blockchain data, then data accessibility is improved, but storage efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by storing different types of data at different locations based on their access patterns. Current state information is stored locally at consensus nodes where it is frequently accessed for transaction processing, while historic state information is stored at shared storage nodes where it is less frequently accessed. This differentiation optimizes storage efficiency by placing data where it is most needed while maintaining accessibility through the shared storage architecture.
3Quantity of substance
If consensus nodes store current state information and shared storage nodes store historic state information, then storage cost is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by designing shared storage nodes that can serve multiple consensus nodes simultaneously. These shared storage nodes perform multiple functions: storing historic state information, serving multiple clients, and maintaining data availability across the network. This universal approach reduces overall storage cost while managing complexity through standardized shared storage interfaces that abstract the underlying data storage details from individual consensus nodes.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for communicating and sharing blockchain data. One of the methods includes sending current state information associated with a current block of a blockchain to one or more shared storage nodes of the blockchain network; sending a hash value to the one of the one or more shared storage nodes for retrieving an account state stored in the historic state tree; receiving the account state in response to sending the hash value; and verifying, by the consensus node, that the account state is part of the blockchain based on the hash value.