The story of blockchain has been developing for 40 years. However, as not every person on Earth has a computer science degree from MIT, blockchain is still very vague for many people. There are lots of things we talk about all the time, having no background of what it is at the core, and decentralized networks are one of such fancy concepts. So, here we are to explain the basics of network structures, what is blockchain infrastructure, the tech and tools involved in it, and where all rivers of the on-chain data flow.
Continue reading; we promise to be entertaining yet meaningful.
What is blockchain infrastructure?
The shortest answer is a network where each participant has all the data about all other participants and what happened in the network, all updated simultaneously and acting within the roles and purposes. But it’s not that easy. Blockchain infrastructure as a term is used widely in different contexts meaning not exactly the same things. This term may mean:
1. Underlying blockchain hardware, software, and network components—the network itself. There are hundreds of existing chains today, and their number is going to grow:
2. Systems and processes involved in setting up, securing, and maintaining nodes—the services (like Web3 APIs) related to decentralized networks. 3. Tools and libraries designed for developing and deploying applications on top of the chain—the software used to work with nodes as an environment.
So this makes things a little more complicated, but you can rely on those three main words when it comes to understanding what is leading blockchain infrastructure: it can be treated as a network, service, and software.
Another way to understand a decentralized chain is to imagine it as a cake with layers.
Each new layer opens another dimension of functionality that any blockchain has. And each layer has its pack of technological solutions that make the whole technology fast, secure, and attractive. We’ll review them below.
What is Blockchain Infrastructure as a Service, and how does it work?
Now, according to the name, blockchain infrastructure as a service or simply Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) is about providing access to the nodes and special software related to connections, scaling, storing, transmitting, and other solutions. Blockchain IaaS lets developers save time on the setup of the node infrastructure, giving them access to the complete configuration of the chain they need.
The way any decentralized IaaS or BaaS works is the same. Imagine you have a cool idea for a blockchain game where players can collect and trade unique digital items. To launch this game on-chain, you'd need to have an infrastructure for it—a giant digital playground.
As BaaS builders, we help you set up the “swings, slides, and sandboxes” (the node infrastructure—from blockchain hardware to any software additions) so you can focus on your stuff—designing your game (the application) with all the cool items and trading features.
After we start our communication, here’s what you can ask us to do for your project:
Building the blockchain: We set up and manage the nodes that keep track of everything happening in your game world, like who owns which items and how many there are.
Keeping it safe: We make sure the game is secure and protected from anyone trying to cheat or mess with your game.
Make it easy to connect with other technologies and tools: We enable your players to connect any wallet to your game or have a chance to log in using some special cryptographic keys.
Make it scalable: We develop a unique predictive autoscaling tool to prepare your game for any traffic load.
In summary, Dysnix, a blockchain infrastructure services provider, can deploy a node based on your specific requirements and offer any infrastructure services for your existing infrastructure. After a short tech talk, everything you need for your project can be easily added.
Our decentralized infrastructure solutions live in many different projects you may have heard of:
Be sure to check them out to see examples of the variety of available chain services from our team. But before jumping right in, let’s continue to learn what is blockchain as a service and discover the basic theory behind various services.
Blockchain infrastructure service tech and tools: Short guide with examples
Core infrastructure management
Node providers set up, secure, and maintain validator or full nodes across various blockchain networks. Popular companies: Dysnix, Infura, Alchemy, Stakefish.
Decentralized network monitoring is represented by tools for checking the health and performance of node networks (e.g., block confirmation times, gas prices, network congestion). Providers: Etherscan, Blockchair, Blockdaemon, IoTeX Hub.
Development tools and services
Smart contract platforms streamline writing, testing, and deploying smart contracts for various blockchain protocols. Popular teams to explore: Truffle, Remix, Embark, Hyperledger Caliper.
Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) are designed for network development, offering features like syntax highlighting, debugging tools, and integration with smart contract deployment platforms. IDEs to discover: Visual Studio Code (with extensions like Remix), Atom (with Etherlime extension), Truffle Suite.
Web3 API provider, API access, and development kits (SDKs) provide programmatic access to node functionality, allowing developers to integrate decentralized features into their applications. Examples to browse: Web3.js, Etherscan API, Blockcypher API, Hedera Hashgraph API, Chainlink (uses own oracles for external data).
Security and identity management
Key management solutions secure storage and management of cryptographic keys used for interacting with networks. Tech to explore: Ledger Vault, Portis, Keystone by ConsenSys, Fortmatic.
Identity management systems are used for user authentication and authorization within decentralized applications (dApps) A popular service solution you can find here: Civic, Decentralized Identity Foundation (DIF), uPort, Sovrin.
Scalability and interoperability solutions
Layer 2 scaling solutions are related to technologies like sidechains and rollups that address the scalability limitations of base layer blockchains by processing transactions off-chain. Example providers: Polygon (Matic Network), Optimism, Arbitrum, Immutable X.
Interoperability protocols enable communication and data exchange between different blockchain networks. Tech to discover: Cosmos IBC, Polkadot, Chainlink (facilitates interoperability through oracles), Wanchain.
Data management and storage
Decentralized storage (dStorage) offers secure, tamper-proof data storage in a distributed manner. See more companies: Filecoin, Arweave, Siacoin, Storj Labs.
Oracles bridge the gap between chains and the real world by providing external data feeds to smart contracts. These teams can do it: Chainlink, Band Protocol, The Oracle Network, DIA.
Blockchain analytics tools
Blockchain analytics and forensics tools are used to analyze blockchain data to track transactions, identify suspicious activity, and support compliance efforts. View specialized teams: Chainalysis, CipherTrace, TRM Labs, Coinfirm.
Mempool browsers provide real-time insights into the mempool, which is the temporary pool of pending transactions waiting to be confirmed within this part of cryptocurrency infrastructure. Examples: RPC Fast, Etherscan mempool, Blockchair mempool, IoTeX Hub Explorer.
Transaction simulators allow developers to test and simulate transactions on the special crypto infrastructure before submitting them to the network. Examples: RPC Fast, Remix IDE Simulator, Truffle Develop, Infura Testnets.
All these tools are here just to show you the abundance of blockchain technology, which is blooming with new infrastructure solutions serving the goals of its inhabitants. For example, crypto infrastructure has many more specified tools for its performance. As cryptocurrency infrastructure is a promising future of global finance, the best minds come to this industry and bring their innovation every day.
Blockchain infrastructure requirements you can request from us
As a potential client, you have to clear up a range of infrastructure requirements with the BaaS provider to ensure their project runs smoothly and securely. Here's a breakdown of some key areas to consider, using Dysnix as an example of a BaaS provider.
Basic network selection and node management option
Supported chains: Clearly define which blockchain networks (e.g., Ethereum, Hyperledger Fabric) your project requires.
Node management options: Specify if you need us to manage full or validator nodes for your chosen network.
Geographic distribution (optional): If decentralization and geographic distribution are crucial for your project, you might specify preferred node locations.
Security and access control
Keys management: Determine if you need us to offer secure key management solutions for your project's cryptographic keys.
Access control: Define user access levels and permission structures for interacting with your blockchain application.
Compliance requirements: Outline any specific industry regulations or standards your project must adhere to.
Scalability and performance
Transaction throughput: Specify the expected transaction volume your application will handle to ensure the infrastructure can accommodate it.
Latency requirements: Define acceptable latency (transaction processing time) for your application's functionality. But Dysnix keeps it as low as it is technically possible, so just skip this point with us.
Scalability options: Depending on your project’s nature, we’ll offer the best-fitting scalability option to help your application grow without even mentioning it—from simple math modeling to predictive autoscaling solutions.
Development tools and integrations
Supported programming languages: Specify your programming languages to ensure our environment integrates seamlessly.
API access and SDKs: Check if we offer APIs and SDKs compatible with your development tools for easy integration into your application.
Deployment and CI/CD pipeline integration: We can build a CI/CD for your project without breaking a sweat to boost the development and deployment.
Other details to discuss
Data storage: Explore our data storage options, considering solutions like decentralized storage specified for your project.
Disaster recovery plans: We back up each project with disaster recovery protocols to ensure business continuity in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Technical support: Choose the technical support you need, including response times and expertise relevant to your project.
So, there you have—a list of questions to discuss on our first call. We’ll be glad to meet such a potential client as you are with all this knowledge!
Meet our engineers to discover how your blockchain project may look like through our vision
Thanks for taking an overview of blockchain as a service. It’s hard to squeeze it into a few words without starting to drown in the jargon.
Explore what is blockchain infrastructure further at your own pace: dive into specific use cases that pique your interest, or join our small Web3 community, where industry leaders discuss the challenges and how they solve them. There's a wealth of knowledge waiting to be discovered!
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