Dynamic Blockchain Reconfiguration: Balancing the Trilemma Trade-off Using Digital Twins

Georgios Diamantopoulos; Nikos Tziritas; Rami Bahsoon; Georgios Theodoropoulos

doi:10.1109/DS-RT58998.2023.00026

Dynamic Blockchain Reconfiguration: Balancing the Trilemma Trade-off Using Digital Twins

Georgios Diamantopoulos, Nikos Tziritas, Rami Bahsoon, Georgios Theodoropoulos

Computer Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

The trilemma trade-off problem between decentralisation, scalability, and security states that in blockchain systems the above properties are negatively correlated. Infrastructure, node configuration, choice of Consensus Protocol, and complexity of the underlying application are cited among the factors that affect the balance of the trade-off. Given that Blockchains are complex, dynamic systems, a dynamic approach to their management and reconfiguration at runtime is deemed necessary to reflect the changes in the state of the infrastructure and application. This work proposes the use of Digital Twins as the means of optimising the trilemma trade-off of blockchain i.e., re-configuring system parameters such as to maximise scalability, decentralisation and security. Specifically, through a bi-directional feedback loop between the system and the digital twin, simulation, what-if analysis and machine learning techniques will be employed for the computation of an optimal configuration given the current system state. Furthermore, a dynamic update mechanism is proposed to allow for blockchain reconfiguration without violating the decentralisation of the system.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2023 IEEE/ACM 27th International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT)
Publisher	IEEE
Number of pages	2
ISBN (Electronic)	9798350337846
ISBN (Print)	9798350337853 (PoD)
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/DS-RT58998.2023.00026
Publication status	Published - 8 Nov 2023
Event	2023 IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT 2023) - Singapore, Singapore Duration: 4 Oct 2023 → 5 Oct 2023

Publication series

Name	Proceedings (IEEE International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real-Time Applications)
Publisher	IEEE
ISSN (Print)	1550-6525

Conference

Conference	2023 IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT 2023)
Abbreviated title	DS-RT 2023
Country/Territory	Singapore
City	Singapore
Period	4/10/23 → 5/10/23

Bibliographical note

Funding:
This research was supported by: Shenzhen Science and Technology Program, China (No. GJHZ20210705141807022); SUSTech-University of Birmingham Collaborative PhD Programme; Guangdong Province Innovative and Entrepreneurial Team Programme, China (No. 2017ZT07X386); SUSTech Research Institute for Trustworthy Autonomous Systems, China.

Keywords

Blockchain
Digital Twin
Simulation
Trilemma Trade-off Problem
Optimisation

Access to Document

10.1109/DS-RT58998.2023.00026

Cite this

Diamantopoulos, G., Tziritas, N., Bahsoon, R., & Theodoropoulos, G. (2023). Dynamic Blockchain Reconfiguration: Balancing the Trilemma Trade-off Using Digital Twins. In 2023 IEEE/ACM 27th International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT) Article 10305798 (Proceedings (IEEE International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real-Time Applications)). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/DS-RT58998.2023.00026

Diamantopoulos, Georgios ; Tziritas, Nikos ; Bahsoon, Rami et al. / Dynamic Blockchain Reconfiguration : Balancing the Trilemma Trade-off Using Digital Twins. 2023 IEEE/ACM 27th International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT). IEEE, 2023. (Proceedings (IEEE International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real-Time Applications)).

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abstract = "The trilemma trade-off problem between decentralisation, scalability, and security states that in blockchain systems the above properties are negatively correlated. Infrastructure, node configuration, choice of Consensus Protocol, and complexity of the underlying application are cited among the factors that affect the balance of the trade-off. Given that Blockchains are complex, dynamic systems, a dynamic approach to their management and reconfiguration at runtime is deemed necessary to reflect the changes in the state of the infrastructure and application. This work proposes the use of Digital Twins as the means of optimising the trilemma trade-off of blockchain i.e., re-configuring system parameters such as to maximise scalability, decentralisation and security. Specifically, through a bi-directional feedback loop between the system and the digital twin, simulation, what-if analysis and machine learning techniques will be employed for the computation of an optimal configuration given the current system state. Furthermore, a dynamic update mechanism is proposed to allow for blockchain reconfiguration without violating the decentralisation of the system.",

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author = "Georgios Diamantopoulos and Nikos Tziritas and Rami Bahsoon and Georgios Theodoropoulos",

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Diamantopoulos, G, Tziritas, N, Bahsoon, R & Theodoropoulos, G 2023, Dynamic Blockchain Reconfiguration: Balancing the Trilemma Trade-off Using Digital Twins. in 2023 IEEE/ACM 27th International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT)., 10305798, Proceedings (IEEE International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real-Time Applications), IEEE, 2023 IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT 2023), Singapore, Singapore, 4/10/23. https://doi.org/10.1109/DS-RT58998.2023.00026

Dynamic Blockchain Reconfiguration: Balancing the Trilemma Trade-off Using Digital Twins. / Diamantopoulos, Georgios; Tziritas, Nikos; Bahsoon, Rami et al.
2023 IEEE/ACM 27th International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT). IEEE, 2023. 10305798 (Proceedings (IEEE International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real-Time Applications)).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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AU - Diamantopoulos, Georgios

AU - Tziritas, Nikos

AU - Bahsoon, Rami

AU - Theodoropoulos, Georgios

N1 - Funding: This research was supported by: Shenzhen Science and Technology Program, China (No. GJHZ20210705141807022); SUSTech-University of Birmingham Collaborative PhD Programme; Guangdong Province Innovative and Entrepreneurial Team Programme, China (No. 2017ZT07X386); SUSTech Research Institute for Trustworthy Autonomous Systems, China.

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N2 - The trilemma trade-off problem between decentralisation, scalability, and security states that in blockchain systems the above properties are negatively correlated. Infrastructure, node configuration, choice of Consensus Protocol, and complexity of the underlying application are cited among the factors that affect the balance of the trade-off. Given that Blockchains are complex, dynamic systems, a dynamic approach to their management and reconfiguration at runtime is deemed necessary to reflect the changes in the state of the infrastructure and application. This work proposes the use of Digital Twins as the means of optimising the trilemma trade-off of blockchain i.e., re-configuring system parameters such as to maximise scalability, decentralisation and security. Specifically, through a bi-directional feedback loop between the system and the digital twin, simulation, what-if analysis and machine learning techniques will be employed for the computation of an optimal configuration given the current system state. Furthermore, a dynamic update mechanism is proposed to allow for blockchain reconfiguration without violating the decentralisation of the system.

AB - The trilemma trade-off problem between decentralisation, scalability, and security states that in blockchain systems the above properties are negatively correlated. Infrastructure, node configuration, choice of Consensus Protocol, and complexity of the underlying application are cited among the factors that affect the balance of the trade-off. Given that Blockchains are complex, dynamic systems, a dynamic approach to their management and reconfiguration at runtime is deemed necessary to reflect the changes in the state of the infrastructure and application. This work proposes the use of Digital Twins as the means of optimising the trilemma trade-off of blockchain i.e., re-configuring system parameters such as to maximise scalability, decentralisation and security. Specifically, through a bi-directional feedback loop between the system and the digital twin, simulation, what-if analysis and machine learning techniques will be employed for the computation of an optimal configuration given the current system state. Furthermore, a dynamic update mechanism is proposed to allow for blockchain reconfiguration without violating the decentralisation of the system.

KW - Blockchain

KW - Digital Twin

KW - Simulation

KW - Trilemma Trade-off Problem

KW - Optimisation

U2 - 10.1109/DS-RT58998.2023.00026

DO - 10.1109/DS-RT58998.2023.00026

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 9798350337853 (PoD)

T3 - Proceedings (IEEE International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real-Time Applications)

BT - 2023 IEEE/ACM 27th International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT)

PB - IEEE

Y2 - 4 October 2023 through 5 October 2023

ER -

Diamantopoulos G, Tziritas N, Bahsoon R, Theodoropoulos G. Dynamic Blockchain Reconfiguration: Balancing the Trilemma Trade-off Using Digital Twins. In 2023 IEEE/ACM 27th International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real Time Applications (DS-RT). IEEE. 2023. 10305798. (Proceedings (IEEE International Symposium on Distributed Simulation and Real-Time Applications)). doi: 10.1109/DS-RT58998.2023.00026

Dynamic Blockchain Reconfiguration: Balancing the Trilemma Trade-off Using Digital Twins

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

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Cite this