Blockchain – How to Store Documents or Files
This post represents best practices in relation to storing documents or files in the Blockchain. The need to determine best practices arises from the fact that business between two or more parties ends up exchanging documents consisting of data related to the agreement, business details etc. One often questions whether one store’s document or file in the blockchain or the hash of the document/file in the Blockchain. Store documents in Blockchain – Best Practice/Recommendation As a best practice, it is not recommended to store the document (PDF format or otherwise) or file in the Blockchain. Different blockchain frameworks limit the size of the block which can be added to the blockchain. Although in blockchain network …
Bitcoin Blockchain – What is Proof of Work?
In this post, you will learn about what is proof of work in a Bitcoin Blockchain. Simply speaking, the proof of work in computing is used to validate whether the user has put enough effort (such as computing power) or done some work for solving a mathematical problem of a given complexity, before sending the request. For example, Go to any online SHA 256 calculator tool and try using a random number with the text “Hello World” as shown in the below screenshot. If the difficulty target is set as the hash value starting with one zero, you could see that the random number 10 results in hash value starting with zero. The number 10 …
Is Blockchain a Linked List like Data Structure?
In this post, you will learn about similarity and differences between linked list and Blockchain. The most trivial way to understand What is Blockchain is to visualize Blockchain as a crude form of the Linked List data structure that we read in one of our engineering classes. Simply speaking, a Blockchain can be defined as a linked list of a group of transactions (block) which is connected with each other using hash pointers rather than pointers as in the case of the linked list. The following diagram represents the Linked List data structure: The following diagram represents the Blockchain. Note some of the following characteristics of a block: Each block …
Learning Blockchain – Free Online Courses & Training – 1
This is the first blog representing a series of posts on enabling you to learn Blockchain online. Such posts would also represent some interesting projects for you to learn the different aspects of Blockchain implementation. This post is aimed to represent some links in relation to learning Blockchain concepts vis-a-vis free online courses, training. (Learning) Center for Blockchain Research (CBR) by Stanford: The following are free textbook and Coursera course on Cryptography: Free online Cryptography course on Coursera Free online textbook on applied cryptography (Case Study) Distributed Contracting Blockchain Network by Microsoft & EY: The diagram below demonstrates the following different aspects of blockchain: Permissioned blockchain registering entertainment, gaming industry …
How is Digital Signature used with a Document?
A digital signature scheme is primarily a mechanism of making sure the digital documents (such as email, contract documents etc) are not forged in between (integrity) when exchanged between two entities. In addition, it solves the problem of non-repudiation (when a person disagrees that he/she did not sign the document). A digital signature is nothing but a sequence of numbers which get generated with a document and later used to verify whether the document is signed with the appropriate private key. Creating a document with a digital signature comprises of the following: Creation of private-public key pair using key generation algorithm. The public key, as per the name, could be …
Kerala to lead Blockchain Training in India
Kerala becomes the first Indian state to set up a goal of providing Blockchain training creating to IT community stakeholders (primarily students) and create 25000 Blockchain professionals in 3 years time frame. They have designed a program called ABCD (Accelerated Blockchain Competency Development) Programme which comprise of courses such as following: Foundation training programme aimed to provide training in skills such as HTML, MEAN stack, GoLang etc. This programme comprises of 82 Hrs of classroom training and around 42 Hrs on self-learning activities (total of 124 hrs over a period of 6 months for students, 1 month for graduates and 6 weeks for working professionals). The course fee is Rs. …
Blockchain & Smart Contract for Quick Insurance Payouts?
In this post, you will learn about how Blockchain and Smart Contracts could benefit Insurance Claims Payout processes resulting in faster and smoother payouts. Blockchain is already having a positive impact on insurers and reinsurers by removing frictional costs by reducing the need for manual data inputting and multiple checks and data accounting between parties. Why delay in Insurance Claim Payouts? One of the painful aspects of insurance claims is delayed payouts. There are several reasons including some of the following which results in delayed claim processing and hence, delayed payouts: Type of insurance product/program: Different types of insurances result in the different duration of payouts on an average. Structure of the insurance program Level of cover …
Lessons on Blockchain & Cryptocurrency for MBA Students
Given that both, financial and non-financial businesses are trying to figure out how they could use Blockchain to impact their business in a positive manner, it is becoming imperative for MBA students to learn the basics of Blockchain & related technologies. The following are some of the topics which could be included in the course-curriculum for MBA courses related to Blockchain and cryptocurrency. Blockchain fundamentals Distributed ledger technology (DLT) Types of Blockchains (public, private/permissioned) Terminologies such as a unit of value, transaction, a block of transaction Consensus algorithms Authentication mechanisms for permissioned blockchain Blockchain platforms such as Ethereum, Hyperledger, Corda, EOS, Multichain etc. Smart Contracts Cryptocurrency – Bitcoin, Ether & Others Hard forks such as Bitcoin Cash Cryptocurrency exchanges Initial …
Why create Performance Appraisal System on Blockchain?
In this post, I would discuss the need for creating a performance appraisal system by making use of Blockchain, Smart Contracts, and Cryptocurrency such as PATB (PAT on the Back) Coin. This article is in continuation to the article I posted on LinkedIn with the title as A Decentralized Performance Appraisal System using Blockchain & Smart Contracts? Performance Appraisal – Need for Greater Trust, Transparency, and Rewarding Experience In age-old performance appraisal review system, the performance review is done by a couple of guys including the immediate manager/team leads and the reviewer. While some managers (and/or team leads) maintain the record of the all-round contribution of the employee throughout the year, most of …
AI – Three Different types of Machine Learning Algorithms
This post is aimed to help you learn different types of machine learning algorithms which forms the key to artificial intelligence (AI). Machine learning algorithms Representation or Feature learning algorithms Deep learning algorithms The following represents different types of learning algorithms in form of a Venn diagram. What are Machine Learning (ML) Algorithms? Machine learning algorithms are the most simplistic class of algorithms when talking about AI. ML algorithms are based on the idea that external entities such as business analysts and data scientists need to work together to identify the features set for building the model. The ML algorithms are, then, trained to come up with coefficients for each of the features and how are they …
InsurWave Blockchain Platform – Technology & Other Details
Insurwave is claimed to be world’s first marine insurance blockchain platform launched as a result of a joint venture by Ernst & Young (EY), GuardTime and insurance industry participants. This looks to be a permissioned blockchain platform requiring the member organizations (maritime companies, brokers, insurers, and reinsurers) to be authorized prior to becoming part of the Blockchain consortium. InsurWave Blockchain Platform is used to? The blockchain platform is used to achieve some of the following objectives: Store data related to assets Store data about identities, risk, and exposures Associate date to smart contracts Connects assets, transactions, and payments Integrate this information with insurance contracts. What’s the technology behind InsurWave? The following are some of the key aspects of the technology used …
LuminJS – How to Highlight Text in HTML Pages
If you have been looking for some utility which could assist in highlighting the text or paragraph on the web or HTML pages, here is a new Javascript kid in the town. It is called as LuminJS. LuminJS is a Javascript library which could help in achieving some of the following objectives: Highlight the text on the web page in an animated manner. One could configure speed and styling (color) of the highlighting. One could create typing effect by making use of colors. Control the text which needs to be highlighted. One could use the progress bar for controlling purpose. Highlight the HTML nodes along with its children nodes. One …
Blockchain & Cryptocurrency – Key Concepts to Know
The following are some of the most popular Blockchain and Cryptocurrency jargons or terminologies or concepts that are good to know when you are delving into technology landscape of Blockchain. Blockchain (What is Blockchain Technology?) Genesis block: The first block of a blockchain. Merkel’s tree algorithm: It is fundamental to blockchain technology. Simply speaking, a Merkle tree summarizes all the transactions in a block by producing a digital fingerprint of the entire set of transactions, thereby enabling a user to verify whether or not a transaction is included in a block. Cryptocurrency Cryptocurrency exchanges: These are businesses which allow users to trade cryptocurrencies for other assets. Distributed ledger: Blockchain is one type of …
Angular 6 – How to Create PWA (Progressive Web App)
In this post, you will learn about steps that are required to create a progressive web app (PWA) with Angular 6. Unlike Angular 4 and Angular 5, it is very easy and quick with Angular 6. Just one command and you are done. The following are the steps required to create PWA with Angular 6. Create an angular app using the following command: Go to the root folder, (ProjectName). Execute the following command: The above command does some of the following: Adds the @angular/service-worker package Enables service worker to build support in the CLI. Imports and registers the service worker in the app module. Creates the service worker configuration file …
How to Upgrade from Angular 5 App to Angular 6
In this post, you will learn about How to update or migrate your Angular 5 app (using Angular 5.1 or Angular 5.2 version) to use Angular 6.0.0. The following are some of the points covered: Pre-requisites Upgrade/Update steps for migrating Angular 5 to Angular 6.0.0 app. Pre-requisites The following needs to be done before you start on the migration: Make sure your NodeJS version is Node 8 or later. Make sure your code used HttpClientModule and the HttpClient service instead of HttpModule and Http service. Make sure to import animation services from @angular/animations rather than @angular/core. Upgrade/update Angular 5.* to Angular 6.0.0 The following commands need to be executed as part of …
Java – Configure MySQL for Google Appengine (Standard)
In this post, you will learn about how to configure MySQL properties in your Spring Boot application for deploying it on Google AppEngine (Standard) environment. This article assumes that the MySQL database is set up as part of Google Cloud SQL fully-managed database service. The following will be covered: Configuration properties in Application.properties Configure POM entries in pom.xml file Configuration properties in Application.properties In application.properties file, while working with Spring Boot app with JPA repository, you need to have following configuration properties in application.properties file. The below assumes that you have a MySQL database with name as dbname and username/password as root/root. In above properties, the instance connection name can be …
I found it very helpful. However the differences are not too understandable for me