Amazon Web Services has added easy-to-set-up templates to its blockchain offerings using which clients can deploy secure networks using open-source frameworks.
Blockchain-as-A-Service
As the adoption of blockchain technology grows among enterprises, big IT giants like IBM, HP, Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP, have over the last couple of years added Blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) to its list of offerings.
Not to be left behind, AWS (Amazon Web Services), the cloud services subsidiary of Amazon, has also been very active in the space and has introduced cloud-based blockchain offerings.
AWS Blockchain Templates
Many enterprises are keen to test blockchain technology or create decentralized applications but are not willing to make a considerable investment right away. The AWS blockchain templates provide an ideal option for such companies.
Without having to incur a huge cost or spend time setting up their blockchain, customers can now leverage the templates to set up the network quickly. They can focus all their energies on building the applications for their specific need. Customers need to pay only for the resources used for running the blockchain network and not for the templates.
According to details available on the AWS website, the template deploys the chosen framework as containers on an Amazon Elastic Container Service (ECS) cluster, or directly on an EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) instance running Docker. The network is created in the customer’s own Amazon VPC (Virtual Private Cloud), allowing them to use their VPC subnets and network Access Control Lists. The customer can assign granular permissions using AWS IAM (Identity and Access Management) to restrict which resources an Amazon ECS cluster or Amazon EC2 instance can access.
Benefits of Using AWS BaaS
Enterprises can set up the blockchain instantly and can keep their focus entirely on building their DAPPS (Decentralized applications). AWS provides two template options – Ethereum or Hyperledger fabric. Both frameworks offer distributed consensus, smart contracts, and access control features. The templates also include components that help the customers manage, monitor and browse the blockchains.
For applications or public networks, the Ethereum framework is recommended while to build a private network or to implement role-based permissions Hyperledger may be a better choice.
Enterprises can follow the steps given below to get their applications up and running:
- Sign up for an AWS account
- Deploy a blockchain network with the AWS templates
- Build applications
- Deploy applications
For companies already using the AWS services, it would be convenient and more accessible to opt for the blockchain templates. For blockchain start-ups too, it may be more cost-effective to leverage the AWS templates rather than buying their servers up front.
Do you think Blockchain-as-a-service has good potential? Let us know in the comments below.
Images courtesy of ShutterStock