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Decentralized and private cloud data storage: https://sia.tech https://sia.tech The benefit from using blockchain is that your data will be safely replicated a

by Geee 6y ago

Decentralized and private cloud data storage: https://sia.tech https://sia.tech The benefit from using blockchain is that your data will be safely replicated and accessible from the cloud, and at the same time you are the sole owner of the data. Only your private key can access the data. In this case, blockchain also facilitates a decentralized marketplace for sellers and buyers of data storage.

lucb1e 6y ago
> your data will be safely replicated and accessible from the cloud, and at the same time you are the sole owner of the data. Only your private key can access the data. So it's like an FTP drive where the hosting company makes backups and you encrypt the files before uploading, like Tarsnap? Trying to come up with any difference (advantageous or no) I guess the point is that there isn't a single owner? Nobody liable to keep your data available, but also not a single party that can go bankrupt or some such?
- Geee 6y ago
  Yes, it's similar to just encrypting yourself and then using AWS S3 or something. That's not a differentiator, but usually people object decentralized solutions because they fear that anybody could access the data. So it's built into the protocol itself, and you can't accidentally send unencrypted data to the network. For most users, the real benefit is price. Also, there might be users who can't use AWS S3 for example, because it's not available in their country for some reason. There is liability, but it's handled through smart contracts. The hosts have to insert collateral to the system, which they lose if they can't hold their end of the data contract. The data is also replicated to multiple hosts, and encoded with erasure correcting code (with user selected redundancy) which protects against host failures.
  - lucb1e 6y ago
    Thanks for the reply! I hadn't thought of that this might drive down costs due to making competition way easier, censorship is definitely another consideration, and smart contracts for liability could also totally work with deposits. I'm not switching just yet because it's not solving a problem I'm having, but fair is fair: you've convinced me this is another legitimate use case for blockchain technology. That's very rare so I'm happy :)
jkepler 6y ago
See also https://tardigrade.io/ https://tardigrade.io/.

by Geee 6y ago

lucb1e 6y ago

> your data will be safely replicated and accessible from the cloud, and at the same time you are the sole owner of the data. Only your private key can access the data. So it's like an FTP drive where the hosting company makes backups and you encrypt the files before uploading, like Tarsnap? Trying to come up with any difference (advantageous or no) I guess the point is that there isn't a single owner? Nobody liable to keep your data available, but also not a single party that can go bankrupt or some such?

Geee 6y ago
Yes, it's similar to just encrypting yourself and then using AWS S3 or something. That's not a differentiator, but usually people object decentralized solutions because they fear that anybody could access the data. So it's built into the protocol itself, and you can't accidentally send unencrypted data to the network. For most users, the real benefit is price. Also, there might be users who can't use AWS S3 for example, because it's not available in their country for some reason. There is liability, but it's handled through smart contracts. The hosts have to insert collateral to the system, which they lose if they can't hold their end of the data contract. The data is also replicated to multiple hosts, and encoded with erasure correcting code (with user selected redundancy) which protects against host failures.
- lucb1e 6y ago
  Thanks for the reply! I hadn't thought of that this might drive down costs due to making competition way easier, censorship is definitely another consideration, and smart contracts for liability could also totally work with deposits. I'm not switching just yet because it's not solving a problem I'm having, but fair is fair: you've convinced me this is another legitimate use case for blockchain technology. That's very rare so I'm happy :)

jkepler 6y ago

See also https://tardigrade.io/ https://tardigrade.io/.