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Last updated: 16th November 2023
Introduction
The Log Store Network represents the foundational step towards enabling application-specific data protocols. These protocols are designed to seamlessly and trustlessly integrate off-chain and on-chain environments, thereby revolutionising how data is handled across various platforms.
Purpose
At its core, the Log Store Network is about establishing a decentralized, tamper-proof time-series database. This network serves as a crucial building block in creating a platform where centralized services can decentralize trust in their processes. The ultimate goal is to enable these services to prove and verify the validity of their data on blockchain networks, impacting the management of digital assets within Smart Contracts.
Architecture and Operation
The current iteration of the Log Store Network functions as a decentralized database, capable of securely storing time-series data. Data streams, such as real-world asset prices, Web3 infrastructure metrics, or IoT device outputs, can be consumed by centralised compute environments and then published on-chain for verification and processing. Chainlink Functions or Gelato Web3 Functions can also be used as compute processes to facilitate the consumption of data from the Log Store and processing of outcomes before publishing a finalised transaction on-chain.
The Log Store Network empowers users to decide how to consume tamper-proof data and leverage it within their Smart Contracts. This flexibility is pivotal in creating more integrated and secure blockchain ecosystems, moving away from the current paradigm of centralized and siloed data management.
Centralized APIs, a common feature in current data management systems, often become points of compromise, leading to security risks like oracle manipulation. The Log Store Network addresses this by decentralizing data management, starting from data capture to storage and querying. Its time-series composability ensures that consuming systems can efficiently track and ingest new data events over time.
To deliver on its promise of permissioned, peer-to-peer, tamper-proof data transport, the Log Store Network leverages the capabilities of the Streamr Network. This partnership underscores our commitment to building a robust, secure, and versatile data protocol platform.
A Guide on the Architecture
Vision and Future Developments
In the future, the Log Store Network will evolve to include verifiable compute capabilities over real-time data. This progression will allow centralized data publishers to stream data to the Log Store Network, where it can be validated for availability, integrity, validity, and authenticity by compute programs. The validation results will be streamed directly back to any stakeholder, particularly the data publisher.
As we continue to develop the Log Store Network, our vision is to establish a versatile platform that not only addresses current data management challenges but also paves the way for innovative applications of blockchain technology. We aim to extend the functionality of the Log Store Network, ensuring it remains at the forefront of decentralized data protocol solutions.
Verifiability
The Log Store Network places a high emphasis on the verifiability and integrity of data. In our system, data is inherently secure against tampering or manipulation. Each data item received in the Log Store is cryptographically signed, adhering to the protocols of the Streamr Network, which forms the foundational layer of our platform.
One of the critical aspects of our network is the way data is queried. When a query is made, data is retrieved directly from the nodes within the Log Store Network at the point of the query. This ensures that the data served is current and directly reflects the information stored in our database.
Furthermore, we have implemented a robust verification mechanism. Each piece of data can undergo cryptographic signature verification to confirm its authenticity, ensuring it originates from the intended publisher. This process not only verifies the source of the data but also guarantees that the data received during a query accurately represents the information stored within the network.
This double-layered approach to verification — cryptographic signature verification combined with our unique query mechanism — provides an added layer of security. It ensures that the data served is not just from a legitimate source but also mirrors the actual data stored, maintaining the integrity and reliability of the information accessed through the Log Store Network.
This commitment to verifiability is a cornerstone of our platform, ensuring that users can trust the data they access and utilize, which is crucial in a landscape where data integrity is paramount.
Learn about Client Side Network Verification →
A Guide on the Query Process and Network Verification
Immutability
Data immutability powered by Arweave is currently disabled, and will be re-incorporated as an optional feature in Q1 of 2024.
The original design of the Log Store Network included a key feature: moving data to permanent storage, seamlessly integrated with the KYVE Network and the Arweave Blockchain. This approach was grounded in the belief that permanent storage was essential for the security and integrity of data protocols.
However, our team’s comprehensive research revealed that security needs for data protocols can be diverse. While all data in the Log Store Network is inherently cryptographically tamper-proof, we recognized that the requirement for data immutability, which offers an added layer of censorship resistance, varies based on the specific application.
In response to this insight, we have evolved our approach. The Log Store Network now treats data immutability as an optional feature, rather than a default requirement. Developers have the flexibility to opt into this feature if their specific use case demands this enhanced level of security.
This shift not only aligns with the varied security needs of different applications but also makes the cost of using the Log Store Network more dynamic. The costs are now directly proportional to the chosen level of security in data management, ensuring that developers only pay for what they need, and can tailor the solution to their specific requirements.