Executive Summary

Competition is increasing due to new emergent technologies (IT) for small- and large-scale organizations. Further, companies are seeking technologies for gaining competitive advantage and sustainability. The use of technology also provides the opportunity to grow further and make an organization a better place. However, the absence of technologies brings several challenges to the organizations, for instance, lack of cooperation and management. Although ABC organization understand such challenges in the industry. Hence, emergent technologies such as Blockchain and IoT are researched, discussed, and collectively presented in this report. This report describes that emergent technologies are beneficial to align corporate strategies, management, and successful growth effectively.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 1

1. Introduction 3
2. Emergent Technologies 3
3. Distributed Systems 3
4. Architecture 4

III. Terms about Distributed Systems 7

• Reliability 7
• Scalability 8
• Fault tolerance 8
• Fault Tolerance Measures 8
• Security 8

1. Blockchain and IoT 9
2. Architecture and Components of Blockchain 9
3. Consensus Algorithm and Types 10
4. Distributed Transactions and Blockchain Technology 10
5. Delegated Proof of Stake (DPOS) and Election algorithm 10
6. Scalability Issues for Blockchain Technology 10
7. Security Insurance 10
8. Privacy Leakage 10
9. Byzantine Fault Tolerance for Blockchain Technology 11
10. Define IoT 11
11. Conclusion 12

References 13

I. Introduction

With frequent advancement of the Internet and transition on the platform, several new emergent technologies are obtained. Innovative technologies are implemented now into the industry despite distinctive domains. Besides, companies are not completely bound by technologies due to sustainability and competitive advantage in the market. To obtain productivity Industry, 4.0 is evolved using innovations like data science, IoT, big data, robotics, and decentralized decision making (Agrawal, Schaefer & Funke 2018a). However, lack of technology adoption could produce several challenges for the organization. Some of them include workforce failures, productivity growth, and survival issues in the marketplace (Dodgson 2018). Therefore, it is necessary to consider emergent technologies and their adoption value. Furthermore, technologies can help with the alignment of corporate strategies effectively.

ABC organization understands its position well into the marketplace and thus defines a new corporate strategy. However, corporate strategy is incomplete without technology. Technology will improve the company’s strategic thinking by opening different options. Blockchain technology offers corporate governance to the company due to secure cryptographic keys access for holders (Piazza 2017). Hence, contractual ledgers are designed and locked safely from the outside world. Whereas, the Internet of Things is useful in manufacturing processes for product development (Agrawal, Schaefer & Funke 2018b). Hence, the purpose of this report is to research the use of emergent technologies in corporate strategy implementation.

This report strategically categorizes emergent technologies into three different groups like Distributed Systems, Blockchain, and the Internet of Things. Distributed systems include its architecture, featured terms, and importance to corporate strategy. Whereas, other explores concepts like architecture, consensus algorithms, distributed transactions, scalability issues, security, privacy, and fault tolerance technologies for Blockchain and IoT.

II. Emergent Technologies

A. Distributed Systems

The distributed system is a system that has a collection of several machines that offers communication and coordination as a single coherent system toward the end-user (Gibb 2019). These types of the system connect different computers and offer functions to them through middleware. Furthermore, distributed systems are organized with the help of distinct architectural types. Hence, the function of the distributed system is offering a platform so that multiple devices could share resources.

Figure 1. Components of Distributed System Source (Sar & Akkaya 2015)

B. Architecture

The architecture for a distributed system is represented into four important architectural styles.

• Layered:

In this layered design, process and service-oriented architecture are represented in the following figure. Furthermore, software and hardware services are aligned on four layers such as application, middleware, operating system as well as computer and network hardware. The lowest level layers, such as hardware and software, are considered as a platform. Middleware provides the sharing of resources and processes on the system. While, application services offer different services to the distributed system like communication, sharing of data, security, and transaction successfully.

Figure 2. Distributed Layered Architecture Source (Burns 2018)

• Object

The next distributed system architecture has different components to communicate with each other. In this design, objects pass messages through a connector and interface and call method (Sugathadasa 2018). Hence, it does not have any layers just interface as an interaction mechanism.

Figure 3. Object-Based Distributed Architecture Source (Sugathadasa 2018)

• Data Centered

The data center works as the primary source through which interaction occurs with the data repository. The communication occurs between components through shared data space whenever a request is made (McMillin & Zhang 2017). One of the examples is a distributed file system in which a shared storage repository is made, and components communicate with each other on it.

Figure 4. Data Centered Distributed Architecture Source (Sugathadasa 2018)

• Event-Based

In this architecture type, whenever an event occurs, it is forwarded to the event bus system. All the components connected to this event bus gets a notification to inform event delivery (Sugathadasa 2018). Hence, the communication process for distributed network become simpler.

Figure 5. Event-based Distributed Architecture (Sugathadasa 2018)

• System-Level Architecture

On the system level, two types of architectures are represented and used very rapidly in emerging technologies. Figures 5 and 6 explain two types, like the client-server model and the peer-to-peer model, respectively. In a client-server architecture, client and server are two objects which interact with each other. The working of the client and server is very simple; for example, whenever a client makes a request server will immediately respond to that call effectively. On a distributed platform, the server represents computing, data handling, and processing while the client is the computer who uses services and resources (Burns 2018). In the figure below, servers can also work as a client to pass messages from one object to another. While peer-to-peer architecture contains nodes connected for message passing. In this system, there are no clients or servers individually; however, all peers having the same roles (Jaideep & Prakash Battula 2018). Figure 6 shows all peers connected and working as a client and server whenever required.

Figure 6. Client Server Architecture Source (Burns 2018)

Figure 7. Peer-to-Peer Architecture Source (Burns 2018)

Distinguish between Peer-to-Peer and Client-Server Model

Table 1. Client-Server and Peer-to-Peer Model Distinction

III. Terms concerning Distributed Systems

In context with distributed systems following terms should be understood to gather it’s value inside emerging technologies.

· Reliability

Reliability is a key indicator that shows that the system is working efficiently after being used several times. This factor is also critical in the distributed system so that components properly use resources. The rapid trust in the system is essential so that processes are stable and working without any adverse effects. Reliability in context with a distributed system offers services and resources to objects even if software and hardware components have system failure (Awad, EL-Fouly & Salama 2014). Hence, it is important to gather whether the functionality is working properly without any defects. The reliability feature helps detect components that are malfunctioned so that replacement could be made (Adefarati & Bansal 2017). Therefore, reliability is an essential feature that offers a working system that could support technologies.

· Scalability

The scalability is an important factor considered for distributed systems and implementation into new technologies. It is a measure to determine the capacity of the system working whenever the size of the network grows or not as per participants (Kuhlenkamp, Klems & Röss 2014). In context with the distributed computer system, scalability offers dynamic adjustment of computer resources and scheduling methods for hardware and software components. For example, if the workload for hardware increases, then adjustment for processors, hard disk, and memory is undertaken; while, software adjustment is made by changing scheduling methods of processes, metrics, design as well as a testing (Tanenbaum & Van Steen 2017). Hence, it determines how efficient the distributed system is when some resource capability increases. If the scalability of the system is effective than only performance improves with load balancing techniques.

· Fault tolerance

With reliability and scalability, fault tolerance is also a supported feature for distributed systems. It is defined as an indicator that supports the services even if one hardware or software component goes into failure. The system is not dependent on other objects communicating with each other; fault tolerance is a key benefit for overall successful working.

· Fault Tolerance Measures

The measures establish the system is working properly if system failure has occurred. In fault-tolerant systems, four measures are quite necessary named as availability, reliability, safety, and maintainability (Sari & Akkaya 2015). Hence, fault tolerance measures showcase the system is in better condition and offers performance.

· Security

Security is another factor of the distributed system so that the counter mechanism against cyber threats are identified. It can be defined as a mechanism that offers protection from attacks on the computer network. Two-way authentication is offered for connected computers on distributed networks. Smart card password authentication provides security whenever a user communicates on the network through it (Wang et al. 2015). In other words, when the user logged in the distributed system, then the smart card is issued to that particular individual. It is an important feature of the distributed system on which attacks such as DDOS, credential theft, and identity theft could be detected. While, attribute access control provides meta attribute capabilities to strict access for using features on the distributed system (Hu, Kuhn & Ferraiolo 2018). Therefore, security is an important feature that is provided on distributed system networks.

IV. Blockchain and IoT

A. Architecture and Components of Blockchain

Blockchain technology is a sequence of blocks that showcase and manage the transaction records similar to the public ledger. The architecture is explained below in which request for a transaction is made. Afterward, the block is appended, seeking approval for another node for consensus.

Additionally, all other peers validate the new block, and attachment with previous blocks occurs. The new node has received proof from work approval, and thus block appended to the existing blockchain. Therefore, the whole transaction is completed, and now blockchain is linked effectively. The following components combine blockchain collectively as the whole system.

• Node: Node represents users as well as the computer inside the blockchain that communicate with other peers.
• Transaction: It is the process that occurs inside blockchain whenever a new block is appended.
• Block: It is a chain of blocks that contains a set of transactions clubbed together for all the users in the network.
• Chain: It is a sequence of blocks that keeps all blocks together within a specific order only.
• Miners:It can be defined as specific nodes that are participated in new block verification and approval process effectively.
• Consensus: It is a set of regulations that carries all the blockchain operations with some standard protocols.

Figure 8. Blockchain Architecture Source (Lastovetska 2019)

B. Consensus Algorithm and Types

Blockchain is based on a distributed system that does not provide any centralized authority. Thus, the consensus algorithm works as a common agreement and has the purpose of accepting transaction validity from existing peers or blocks (Mingxiao et al., 2017). Furthermore, this consensus provides security on the network after approval for other components. Besides, whenever a new block gets attached, the acceptance works as truth from existing nodes. There are types of consensus algorithms, such as Proof of Stake and Bully. The principle behind proof of Stake is that validity confirmation depends on the stake of participants (Mingxiao et al., 2017). While the bully algorithm selects validity confirmation with the highest processing ID of nodes.

C. Distributed Transactions and Blockchain Technology

Distributed transactions occur when one or more statements occur for individual nodes inside a distributed database. Whereas, blockchain technology implement distributed transactions on their system ledger. In other words, blockchain just append new blocks as a list of records; however, the other features of database such as alter or delete is impossible to perform (Ray 2019). Hence, it adopts the distributed transaction processes for new blocks or nodes which are added onto the blockchain network.

D. Delegated Proof of Stake (DPOS) and Election algorithm

Delegated Proof of Stake is a form of consensus algorithm which offers secure transactions through technology-based democracy. The process includes voting and election process from miner blocks so that blockchain is saved from malicious and suspicious activities. However, in a traditional distributed system, the election algorithm votes for a leader who could organize and distribute tasks among different machines.

E. Scalability Issues for BlockChain Technology

The scalability issues in the blockchain are due to its limited size and space for having multiple ledger transactions. For instance, transactions require the addition of new blocks to the existing chain. However, it becomes difficult because the frequency is quite lowered for storing and accommodating new space. Hence, scalability is a feature that provides space for new resources, which seems absent in Blockchain technology.

F. Security Insurance

Due to being a distributed system, no centralized storage mechanism is offered on the Blockchain technology. However, the use of a consensus mechanism offers secured and stable connections for block appendments. This algorithm asks for a common agreement for verification of the new node and permits from them. Furthermore, every block has a separate cryptographic hash of the previous block with timestamp and transaction data. Hence, public keys offer security against suspicious and threatful activities going on.

G. Privacy Leakage

Blockchain technology is considered vulnerable to privacy leakage after so many examples. One of the facts is blockchain technology is completely based on transactional privacy features. The cryptographic mechanism and its public keys could be seen by anyone available on the network (Joshi, Han, & Wang 2018). Henceforth, it exposes the information of the person to everyone offering chances to vulnerability.

H. Byzantine Fault Tolerance for Blockchain Technology

The traditional client-server model offers fault tolerance for emerging technologies from the industry 4.0 platform. However, blockchain is a decentralized network on which peer to peer network is implemented. Hence, each node is a separate individual that expose the technology to fault tolerance vulnerability. Therefore, Byzantine Fault tolerance is implemented inside blockchain technology. In this system, all the nodes connected on the network are completely untrusted and do not offer new addition without permission. At the same time, the consensus is seeking as permission tradition where all users allow the new block to append after their approval (Chai and Zhao 2014). Therefore, if one node misbehaves, it is regulated through miners having the advantage of taking control for new blocks.

I. Define IoT

IoT stands for the Internet of Things, which is a smart platform technology introduced for industry 4.0. This system connects all gadgets like computers, laptops, and mobile phones on a single platform for automation of processes. In specific terms, IoT is a group of interconnected objects which carries specific function so that transport, storage, and processing could be obtained (Shekhawat 2015). Some examples of IoT include agriculture, smart home, smart cities, healthcare, and surveillance security system (Figure 9).

Figure 9. IoT System Source (Kim et al. 2016)

V. Conclusion

To conclude, the purpose of this report was to analyze the potential of emergent technologies in context with corporate strategy alignment. Furthermore, distributed systems are incorporated into new technologies so that smooth and efficient work processes could run. Additionally, distributed systems are secure and offer different features like fault tolerance, reliability, scalability, and security. It should be noted that blockchain technology is an effective way to protect contracts in a secured platform. The Internet of Things is another technology that offers automation with the help of machines. Hence, Blockchain and IoT offer new opportunities for ABC organization and their growth as well as productivity accomplishment.

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