Blockchain’s management and monitoring requires the expertise of cloud computing: SecureKloud Technologies’ Raj Srinivasaraghavan

The integration between blockchain and cloud computing – which refers to the use of network servers to store, manage and process data – is expected to ensure better data security. Cloud computing can support blockchain, as cloud platforms have the resources to build, onboard, operate, scale, monitor and debug blockchain networks, said Raj Srinivasaraghavan, CTO, SecureKloud Technologies, a software company. According to Gartner, a management consulting firm, blockchain will generate $3.1 trillion in new business value by 2030. In conversation with FE Digital Currency, Srinivasaraghavan talks about the connection between cloud computing and blockchain, and how it can benefit Indian companies.

What is the connection between cloud computing and blockchain?

I believe that blockchain and cloud computing go hand in hand. Blockchain must have a secure infrastructure, which can be provided by cloud computing, where organizations can detect and remove vulnerabilities. Advanced programming software such as Kubernetes, gRPC-based deployments, Service Meshes, Ingress Controllers, external standard certificate authority-based certificate deployments, Key Management Systems, Network and Application Load Balancers, distributed databases, NoSQL, among others, have been tried and tested in the cloud protocols for use in blockchain.

How does cloud computing help blockchain-based businesses?

We need databases for blockchain to work. Blockchain cannot function without nodes, which keep track of the network, to host smart contracts for businesses to execute use cases. As nodes are added to the network, management and monitoring require the expertise of cloud computing. Cloud computing can ensure that blockchain is available to businesses even if there is an unexpected amount of transactions at any given time.

Why should people use blockchain cloud computing?

Cloud computing can help segregate resources based on a network boundary layer, which is a computing framework for processing client data close to the original source, to help distribute and secure blockchain. Components such as hardware and software, which users need to use blockchain, are available through the cloud. Moreover, blockchain-based cloud computing can help people in sectors such as education, healthcare, finance, among others.

What are the challenges faced by blockchain platforms using cloud computing?

I think blockchain platforms that try to augment cloud computing face problems such as deploying the cloud as a neutral source that can run on any server, and adding different blockchain components in a single network. A cloud computing setup should be bootstrapped to meet blockchain needs.

How will blockchain cloud computing benefit Indian companies?

Indian blockchain companies can use cloud computing to utilize the features of security, scalability, availability, flexibility, extensibility, monitoring, interoperability and built-in container support.