Enterprise use cases fall into a
very narrow category. Due its distributed nature, the ledger information is
technically an open public record. Having an internal blockchain defeats the purpose of implementation, since a single party will lose the security and integrity. A blockchain
requires a
minimum of two (2) stakeholders,
best when they're independent of each other to insure immutability.
While cryptography is how the
internals of a blockchain work, you have to remember that ledger entries are typically
plain text. The ledger data
could be encrypted, restricting the ability for third-parties to audit the records and
breaking the trust a blockchain is supposed to provide.
So to answer you question, besides
sharing financial or contract transaction details.. You have to ask what information does an Enterprise have to share publicly, share among others in the same industry? There's not
much that an Enterprise would
not consider proprietary. But there are exceptions.
A good example would be auto manufacturers. V
ehicles made by every manufacturer are assigned an identification number, the VIN. This VIN is normally associated with the make, model, year, and color. Where color is an important factor in this example, since the other details are static. There could be other details, but let's keep this example simple.
- Every vehicle manufacturer participates in this blockchain, as well as every dealer, and motor vehicle department.
- A token that represents the VIN is generated in the blockchain, for simplicity will call this token the VIN.
- The manufacturer transfers the VIN to a dealer.
- Upon it's sale, the dealer transfers the VIN to the local motor vehicle department.
- The owner registration is handled separately by the motor vehicle department.
- Time passes and the owner paints it a new color, notifying the motor vehicle department.
- The motor vehicle department updates the VIN in the blockchain with the current color.
- The owner sells the vehicle to someone in a different municipality.
- The VIN is transferred between the old and new motor vehicle departments.
- The vehicle was subject to severe damage, it was totaled.
- The motor vehicle department updates the VIN, marking it "unsafe".
- The VIN is forever associated with the final motor vehicle department.
Anyone participating in this blockchain, the
manufacturers, the dealers, or
any motor vehicle department would be able to view the details associated to a particular VIN. This information could be viewed anytime from any participating member of the blockchain. Maybe insurance companies, since they paid for the disposal.Now let's say... Some unscrupulous party took this totaled
vehicle, fixed it up and moved it to another
municipality. Using forged paperwork to register a
vehicle that's considered to be unsafe. The full history of the VIN could be viewed, the color change, sever damage, and how the
vehicle is marked unsafe.Transfers or updates can only be made by the current holder of the token, the ledger would show every change, making it impossible to re-sell. Since there are many players, an outside party would not be able to falsify the information, the vehicle history could not be tampered with. So this
could prevent
vehicle resale fraud.
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Brian LaVallee
INVITE Communications Co. Ltd
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Original Message:
Sent: Nov 08, 2018 14:32
From: Larry Dutton
Subject: Key Enterprise use cases
What do you think the key Enterprise use cases are for Blockchain outside of currency or intra-contract deployments?
#Blockchain
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Larry Dutton
Vodafone UK Ltd
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