Renovating blockchain with distributed databases: An open source system

A blockchain is a decentralised linked data structure that is characterised by its inherent resistance to data modification, but it is deficient in search queries primarily due to its inferior data formatting. A distributed database is also a decentralised data structure which features quick query processing and well-designed data formatting but suffers from data reliability. In this work, we showcase ChainSQL, an open-source system developed by integrating the blockchain with the database, i.e. we present a blockchain database application platform that has the decentralised, distributed and audibility features of the blockchain and quick query processing and well-designed data structure of the distributed databases. ChainSQL features a tamper-resistant and consistent multi-active database, a reliable and cost effective data-level disaster recovery backup and an auditable transaction log mechanism. The system is presented as an operational multi-active database along with the data-level disaster recovery backup and audibility features. A comprehensive experimental evaluation is performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the system.