According to Nick Yushkevich, standardization of blockchain data formats is crucial as it enhances the interoperability of distinct protocols and fosters broader adoption of the technology. Yushkevich, the director of product at blockchain infrastructure provider Quicknode, added that such standardization helps to improve communication between systems.
Unlocking the Full Potential of Blockchain Data
Yushkevich stated that for users, having standardized blockchain data formats allows interaction with the technology “without needing to understand the intricacies of each platform’s data format.” To back his assertions on the standardization of blockchain data format, the Quicknode director revealed that several organizations, including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), are already establishing standards for the industry.
Looking to the future of blockchain data management, Yushkevich emphasized the importance of developing what he termed intuitive systems and intricate toolkits to navigate the ever-evolving blockchain space. He argued that each would reinforce the other to “unlock the full potential of blockchain data in a secure and accessible manner.”
Meanwhile, in written responses provided to Bitcoin.com News, Yushkevich also discussed how Streams, Quicknode’s recently launched tool, is addressing the challenges of streaming and processing blockchain data. The Quicknode director’s answers to the questions sent are provided below.
Bitcoin.com News (BCN): The complexity of blockchain data formats can be a barrier to effective data management. How important is standardization in this context, and what progress is being made towards it?
Nick Yushkevich (NY): Standardization in the context of blockchain data formats is crucial for several reasons. It facilitates interoperability between different blockchain systems, improves data quality and consistency, enhances the efficiency of data management practices, and fosters broader adoption of blockchain technology by reducing complexity for developers, businesses, and end-users.
Standardization efforts aim to create common frameworks and guidelines that can be adopted across various blockchain platforms, making it easier for systems to communicate and for users to interact with blockchain technology without needing to understand the intricacies of each platform’s data format.
Node APIs, in particular, are standardized, ensuring no lock-in.
Several organizations and consortia are working towards standardizing blockchain technology and its data formats, such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which has a technical committee (ITC 307) dedicated to blockchain and distributed ledger technologies. They work on standardizing aspects such as terminology, privacy, security, and smart contracts.
The Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) also focuses on developing open blockchain specifications that drive harmonization and interoperability for businesses and consumers.
BCN: Given the intricate challenges that extract, transform and load (ETL) systems encounter in blockchain data management, what key enhancements can be considered to elevate the efficacy of these systems?
NY: Streams is a data streaming service. It provides your systems with a continuous, real-time stream of blockchain data and includes blocks with transactions, receipts, logs, and more.
Streams also offer a unique reverse RPC approach, ensuring guaranteed data delivery. It has a user-friendly dashboard for managing streams, viewing basic statistics, controlling errors, and more. Additionally, Streams includes a transformation layer, allowing you to tailor the data to your specific needs before it’s delivered.
BCN: Quicknode’s recently launched Streams is reportedly getting quite some attention for its approach to blockchain data management. How exactly does it address the challenges of streaming and processing blockchain data?
NY: Streams redefines how users interact with and utilize blockchain data, unlocking several possibilities currently out of reach with traditional JSON-RPC interfaces.
At the heart of the approach for Stream is what we call a “reverse RPC approach.”
In traditional JSON-RPC, the client makes a request to the server and waits for a response. This approach is request-driven, meaning the client initiates the interaction. However, this model can be inefficient and resource-intensive in the context of streaming data, requiring constant polling to check for new data.
The reverse RPC approach, on the other hand, flips this model on its head. Instead of the client polling the server for data, the server pushes data to the client as it becomes available. This approach is event-driven, meaning the server initiates the interaction when there is new data to send. This model is much more efficient for streaming data, eliminating the need for constant polling and allowing for real-time data delivery.
In the context of Quickstream, this reverse RPC approach means that instead of users making requests to Quicknode for data, Quicknode pushes the data to the users as it becomes available. This approach allows for real-time, efficient, and reliable data delivery, making it ideal for streaming blockchain data.
BCN: As we approach the next frontier in blockchain data management, do you envision a future where data becomes more intuitively comprehensible by systems, or do you anticipate a need for increasingly intricate and intelligent toolkits?
NY: As we move forward in the world of blockchain data management, it is important to develop intuitive systems and intricate toolkits to navigate the evolving terrain. The key lies in refining our approach to ETL processes to ensure that data is not only accessible but also meaningful and actionable.
Integrating blockchain technology with traditional sectors emphasizes the need for analytics tools that can dissect complex datasets and align them with established industry norms. This makes blockchain data more relevant and useful across diverse fields.
Security is a non-negotiable aspect of this journey. As we enhance system intelligence and data accessibility, safeguarding this information becomes paramount. Therefore, we need toolkits built with robust security measures from the ground up.
Lastly, accessibility is crucial to our vision. We aim to create solutions that transcend technical barriers and offer user-friendly interfaces that democratize blockchain data use, ensuring that its benefits extend beyond niche experts to a broader audience.
In essence, the future calls for a harmonious blend of intuitive and advanced toolkits, each reinforcing the other to unlock the full potential of blockchain data in a secure and accessible manner.
Source: news.bitcoin.com
