Relational Blockchain Database Study Guide

Relational Blockchain Database Study Guide

Glossary

Blockchain: A data structure that links blocks of data in chronological order. Each block contains the hash value of the previous block to ensure that the data cannot be tampered with.

Block: The basic unit in the blockchain, containing data, timestamp, hash value of the previous block, and other related information.

Hash: An algorithm that converts data of arbitrary length into a fixed-length string to ensure data integrity.

Relational Blockchain Database: A relational database built using blockchain technology that allows users to define data tables, fields, and relationships and query them through a SQL-like language.

System-defined User Blockchain: A blockchain pre-defined by the system to store metadata and management information of user-defined blockchains.

User-defined Blockchain: A blockchain customized by the user to store data for user-specific applications.

Metadata: Data that describes data, such as data type, size, format, etc.

Consensus: The process of reaching agreement between nodes in a distributed network to ensure the validity and consistency of data.

Distributed Peer-to-Peer Network: A decentralized network structure in which all nodes have the same functions and can communicate and share data with each other.

bSQL: A SQL-like query language for interacting with relational blockchain databases.

Short answer questions

What is the main difference between relational blockchain databases and traditional blockchains?

Traditional blockchains are usually used to record cryptocurrency transactions or smart contracts, with simple data structures and lacking the functions of relational databases. Relational blockchain databases allow users to define data tables, fields, and relationships, and query through SQL-like languages, which is closer to traditional relational databases.

What is a system-defined user blockchain? What role does it play in a relational blockchain database?

A system-defined user blockchain is a pre-defined blockchain used to store metadata of a user-defined blockchain, such as blockchain name, field definition, data type, access rights, etc. It plays a role in managing and maintaining user data in a relational blockchain database.

Explain how "immutability" in blockchain is achieved?

Each block contains the hash value of the previous block, and any modification to the data will change its hash value, causing the blockchain to break. Therefore, to modify the data in the blockchain, all blocks after the block must be modified, which is almost impossible in a distributed network, thus ensuring the immutability of the data.

In a relational blockchain database, how to ensure data consistency between different blockchains?

Relational blockchain databases ensure data consistency through distributed peer-to-peer networks and consensus mechanisms. When a node modifies the blockchain, the modified block is broadcast to other nodes in the network and verified and confirmed by the consensus algorithm. Only when it is recognized by most nodes will the modification be written to the blockchain.

What is bSQL? Please list three bSQL commands and explain their uses.

bSQL is a SQL-like query language for interacting with relational blockchain databases.

CREATE DATABASE: Create a new relational blockchain database.

CREATE BLOCKCHAIN: Create a new blockchain in an existing database.

SELECT: Retrieve data from one or more blockchains.

How do relational blockchain databases handle data read operations?

Relational blockchain databases can read data by indexing or scanning the entire blockchain. For queries that require conditional filtering, using indexes can improve efficiency.

What is the "JOIN" operation? How to use the JOIN operation in a relational blockchain database?

The "JOIN" operation is used to connect data from two or more data tables according to specified conditions. In a relational blockchain database, you can use the JOIN operation to associate data from different blockchains for querying.

How does a relational blockchain database ensure data security?

Relational blockchain databases ensure data security through mechanisms such as encryption, digital signatures, and access control. Data is encrypted during storage and transmission, and only authorized users can access sensitive data.

Please explain what "automatic mining" and "manual mining" are.

Automatic mining means that the system automatically packages the data to be processed into blocks and adds them to the blockchain. Manual mining requires users to manually trigger the mining operation.

What are the application scenarios of relational blockchain databases?

Relational blockchain databases are suitable for application scenarios where data security, transparency, and traceability need to be guaranteed, such as supply chain management, medical records, digital identity authentication, etc.

Essay Questions

Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of relational blockchain databases and traditional relational databases (such as MySQL).

Discuss the advantages and challenges of relational blockchain databases in data privacy protection.

Explore how relational blockchain databases can be applied to supply chain management to improve transparency and traceability.

Analyze the performance bottlenecks of relational blockchain databases and propose possible optimization solutions.

Design a decentralized application based on a relational blockchain database and describe its architecture and functions.