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Blockchain: Storing Data in Blocks and Making it Impossible to Hack
from The Integrator
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BLOCKCHAIN
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BLOCKCHAIN: STORING DATA IN BLOCKS AND MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO HACK
Sehrish Tariq's article gives insight into the digitally decentralized ledger, widely known as the blockchain, and its capability in conducting secure data transactions besides storing and recording them in the form of blocks.
Sehrish Tariq
Digital Content Specialist, JNS Media
The phrase "blockchain technology" has often been used along with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, etc. over the past few years. It is very difficult to make a layman understand a hypothetical term like blockchain. Therefore, this article intends to address the following questions "What is blockchain technology? What is its use? And more!
BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY
In the age of data storage and cyber intrusions, blockchain is said to be the major technique for storing data and makes it impossible to alter or hack. Across the network of computers involved in the blockchain, a distributed ledger known as a blockchain repeat and distributes transactions; thus, making it difficult to be hacked!
The most interesting thing about the blockchain is that anyone who is participating in this ledger can see the data but cannot corrupt it. Blockchain is a technology that can be used for a wide range of applications in several different sectors, including manufacturing, supply chains, and finance. It has become popular for many reasons. One of the important factors is “speed.”
It is the advancing technology for delivering information because it offers real-time, shareable, and entirely transparent data that is kept on a ledger. The data is accessible exclusively to members who participate in the transaction process. Recently, blockchain technology has become popular in the banking industry for the speed and protection that it provided.
What makes a blockchain database different from a traditional database is the structure it follows. A blockchain collects transaction details together in groups, known as blocks, that hold sets of information. Blockchains are chains of data linked together by blocks of data with certain storage capacities. When they are filled with data, they become closed and connected to previously filled blocks. All new information that follows the freshly added block is compiled into a newly formed block. It will also be added to the chain once filled. understand why anyone should opt for blockchain technology when already a traditional form of database is doing well in the market. The reasons are many, and a few of them are the following:
Accurate Information: In the blockchain, the data is visible only to the participating members. Apart from that, the data received is accurate and timely, and the user data will be shared with the person to whom the access is granted– it makes blockchain more secure.
Security: Validated transactions are immutable as they are recorded permanently. No one, not even a system administrator, can delete a transaction. This also is the basic reason for blockchain’s popularity, as all the information is protected and simultaneously reaches users on time when needed. Efficiency: The decentralized nature of blockchain is a significant characteristic. A central authority, such as a government or financial institution, verifies activities in conventional transactions. However, blockchain enables near-real-time transaction verification through the consensus of all users sharing the data that is making it a more efficient way of storing the information.
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION MISSIONS GATHER PACE IN THE UAE
YouGov survey of IT decision-makers highlights expanding, increasingly distributed app portfolios, growing multi-cloud investments
IT decision-makers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are doubling down on their digital transformation efforts, according to new research by market insight specialists YouGov.
Commissioned by F5, the findings highlight encouraging progress and awareness for emerging technologies set to underpin the nations’ future transformation plans.
“Businesses in the UAE are ramping up their abilities to provide fast, seamless digital experiences,” said Fadia Abi-Ayad, Regional Director - UAE & Gulf at F5. “We are now seeing that organizations are starting to anticipate greater automation as IT and operational technology convergence. In addition, they are also embracing the promise of AI to adapt to conditions that change faster than ever. At the heart of all this are applications, and their safe deployment across multiple clouds.” Driven by consumer demand and expanding app portfolios, most decision-makers ranked 5G top of their trends chart (62%), followed by multi-cloud networking (42%). The integration of IT systems with operational technology (OT) claimed third place (38%). Thirty-six percent also flagged the importance of Web Application and API protection (WAAP) services, which encompass WAF, DDoS protection, bot management, and API protection, and 34% are keeping an eye on AIOps platforms (combining big data and machine learning functionality to support all primary IT operations functions).
The focus of all respondents’ digital transformation missions centered on customer-centricity and operational efficiencies. Moreover, 44% are employing AI and machine learning to automate and optimize business processes for efficiency and/or effectiveness (e.g., fixing workflow bottlenecks in customer service). Forty-four percent are also automating business processes by integrating applications (e.g., multi-channel communications between chat and website, a seamless experience between a mobile app and desktop for a digital banking or e-health solution). In terms of specific digital transformation benefits, 46% hailed employee productivity improvements (improved collaboration and decision-making), followed by increased revenue (42%), operational IT efficiency (40%), and new business/market penetration opportunities (38%).
MODERNIZING APP PORTFOLIOS AND SERVICES
YouGov noted both growth and increased distribution of app portfolios; 31% of respondents work for organizations with between 100 and 500 applications in play. Nineteen percent juggled portfolios of between 500 and 1000 apps.
Zooming in further, application services are increasingly deployed in a variety of different environments, with a high percentage of organizations using a mix of
Fadia Abi-Ayad
Regional Director - UAE & Gulf, F5
models. Forty-four percent use the public cloud, 40% leverage managed services, and 36% use onpremises solutions. The popularity of edge (32%), co-location (27%), and Software-as-a-Service (22%) deployments further underline a shift toward app heterogeneity.
Navigating Multi-Clouds
Seventy-one percent of UAE respondents indicated that cloud services spending was up in the past year. In related projections, 36% expect more than 50% of their app portfolio to be hosted in the cloud within the next three years.
The most prominent emerging strategic cloud trends over the next three years include Security-asa-Service (34%), SaaS (31%), and private cloud services (31%). When asked about app deployment challenges across multiple clouds, 36% said they struggled to manage the complexity of management tools and APIs. In addition, 35% highlighted the difficulty in applying consistent security policies across all apps.
RESEARCH TECH
RIVERBED
RIVERBED REVEALS UAE FINDINGS OF UNIFIED OBSERVABILITY SURVEY
Mena Migally
Regional VP - META, Riverbed
Riverbed has unveiled the findings of a new survey from leading market research firm IDC, which revealed that a unified view of digital infrastructure is essential for IT teams that must improve the digital user experience while boosting overall organizational productivity. Informed by the findings of this survey, Riverbed is focusing its presence at the show on helping customers address this important market need and will demonstrate leading Alluvio unified observability. Mena Migally, Regional VP - META at Riverbed commented, “At GITEX, we will demonstrate how Unified Observability empowers all IT professionals with insight that they can act upon, thus allowing senior IT leaders to direct their attention to strategic initiatives that drive business outcomes. This is especially important given our survey shows that 44% of UAE respondents agree their organization struggles to hire and retain highly skilled IT staff.” Sponsored by Riverbed, the new survey revealed that IT teams are struggling to effectively manage highly distributed digital infrastructures and deliver digital experiences that meet increasingly high customer expectations. The survey of 1,400 IT workers across 10 countries uncovered the following in the UAE: • 93% of respondents currently use observability tools yet 55% of them believe those tools are too narrowly focused and fail to provide a complete and unified view of their organization’s operating conditions • 53% said the lack of unified observability restricts the IT organization's ability to meet business requirements, and 52% said it makes their job and the job of their staff/peers more difficult • 61% of respondents believe that their most well-trained IT staff spend too much time on tactical responsibilities, and 57% of respondents agree their organization needs to find ways to enable lower-skilled IT staff to find and fix issues. • 60% of organizations use six or more discrete tools for IT monitoring and measurement, and 59% said the tool limitations hold back productivity and collaboration • 56% of organizations have difficulty analyzing correlations and 45% struggle to derive actionable insights
As observability becomes the responsibility of C-level technology executives (CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, etc.), companies in the UAE are also investing more dollars in observability solutions. In the survey, 86% of UAE respondents said their observability budgets will rise in the next two years, and 41% said their budget will increase more than 25%. At GITEX, Riverbed will showcase its Alluvio Unified Observability and Riverbed Acceleration portfolios that help organisations overcome today’s complex IT environments and sprawling data, to deliver seamless and secure digital experiences to users everywhere and accelerate performance. At GITEX, Riverbed can be found in Concourse 2 – Stand CC2-26, and the theme for this year’s stand is “Illuminate, Accelerate and Empower Every Digital Experience.” Top executives from Riverbed’s regional leadership, sales, and presales teams will be attending GITEX Global 2022. Attendees can meet them at the Riverbed stand, Concourse 2 – Stand CC2-26, the Riverbed kiosks on the stands of our distributors, Mindware (D1 in Hall 3); StarLink (B1 in Hall 1); and Crestan (C30 in Hall 2), as well as on the stand of our valued partner, Microsoft (D1 in Hall 7). Survey Details: The survey respondents came from seven industries (financial, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, technology, government, and professional services). Over 75% of respondents represented large enterprises (1000+ employees) and 70% held Director or above positions within their respective IT organizations.
