1

I am new to this tech but I am close to the concept of Channel. I understand that the channel are ledgers within a bigger ledger( i.e. small chain specific to some users only within the entire blockchain). Based on this I have few questions.

  1. Lets say there are retail markets where there is scope for negotiations in rate and hence each vendor can sale same thing to different people with different prices. So assuming that there are 1000 people and 1000 vendors possibly there could be many channels. How these are managed?

  2. I understand that the blockchains are linear data structure (unless two blocks are created simultaneously, there is a word for this but I forgot it), If I have to access previous data for certain user. How efficient it is going to be for such operations? i.e. take an example of bank credit card transactions. If I want to see all my transactions for last 5 months. How efficient it is going to be?

I am not claiming that I am completely correct in my understanding but these things are bugging me.It would be very nice if someone help me clear these?

Thanks :)

Update I have gone through this link it also talks about something related to my questions in below comments. i.e. related to businesses (questions private blockchain).

Bilbo Baggins
  • 2,899
  • 10
  • 52
  • 77

2 Answers2

2

I like more the definition of channels as different blockchains using a common network or common parts of a network. It allows privacy and different organisation structures.

  1. Yes, it could have possibly so many channels as vendor-people pair. Of course, it depends on which privacy you want to achieve.

  2. If you want to access previous datas for previous operations, you have the possibility to have a state database running alongside the peers, which are a state representation of the linear structure. You can use LevelDB or CouchDB. CouchDB allows you to use complex rich queries to access your data.

Philippe Labalette
  • 218
  • 1
  • 8
  • Sorry I didnt answer your question: "how the channels are managed". What do you mean? Could you precise? – Philippe Labalette Apr 06 '18 at 16:09
  • I think what I meant by channel management is in point 1. if it is still not clear to you let me know I will try to explain :) Thanks for your answer :) – Bilbo Baggins Apr 07 '18 at 17:59
  • By managing channel I mean how do you switch between these channels efficiently (more on technical aspect of managing these channels). Would they be as efficient as the traditional database? Further more with traditional application we can achieve the same model. how blockchain is required to solve this? – Bilbo Baggins Apr 11 '18 at 08:14
0

ledger can only exists in channel. And the channel is composed of peers. the peers out of the channel cannot get access to the ledger data.

I am not sure what you mean by "Operation". You can create it and close it(this will be supported in later version) When you need it ,create it and you can close after use.

  1. If the business is independent, you have to create so many channels. you just say vendor can sale same thing to different people with different prices. . each of them will be used for different scenario.

  2. if you want to get access to the previous data, of course you can. But not maybe as efficient as you the bank card now. But this is doable. Now we use sdk to access. maybe later with more development of the sdk, more graphic tool will be developed, enabling it used as easy as possible.

4t8dds
  • 565
  • 7
  • 19
  • By Operations I mean of accessing older data. for example I did some transactions 100s of them before 5 years and I want to see that data. How efficient it is going to be ? Further more I also want to know that how the program(or may be smart contract) would know which channel to execute? Will it take some time to choose/switch to that channel assuming there are million channels ? – Bilbo Baggins Apr 09 '18 at 08:35
  • One more thing is again we are allowing businesses to hold the private blockchain and transactions will be recorded there then how the blockchain tech is beneficial to people? It just provides transparency.. what else? Business is still centralized (i.e. a bigger company will have its own infrastructure to hold the blockchain). How it differs from traditional softwares? Any use-case driven explanation would be nice :) – Bilbo Baggins Apr 09 '18 at 08:39
  • The smart contract is specific for Channel, when you try to get the data, you have to specific the channel and peer node. If you want to know more details about this. Please have a look at the source code. Well, from your question, I think you have little knowledge about this tech, I would like advise to have a profound understanding with it and then learn something specific just as Fabric.. – 4t8dds Apr 11 '18 at 06:58
  • Thanks for trying. But I think I am trying to understand the tech well and hence these questions :) – Bilbo Baggins Apr 11 '18 at 07:39