what is storj?
Blockchain And digital currencies in their short life have made fundamental changes in various industries and introduced many traditional services in the form of new technologies such as decentralized finance (DeFi), Daoha (DAO), Web 3.0 and proxy tokens in a decentralized environment. . One of these services that is widely used is cloud STORJ, which now, thanks to the Chinese blockchain, we can access more peer-to-peer examples such as the STORJ cloud STORJ platform.
The achievement of blockchain-based cloud STORJ platforms such as STORJ is the decentralization of an industry that is now concentrated in the hands of technology giants such as Google and Amazon.
Of course, no one wants to upload their personal files in a space that is managed and controlled by entities or third parties. In addition, centralization is associated with disadvantages such as the possibility of bandwidth and the capacity of servers.
Given the importance and achievement of decentralized STORJ space, in this article we intend to take a closer look at the popular and successful STORJ platform. So join us to learn more about the features of this network.
What is Sturgeon?
STORJ is a cloud STORJ solution that uses file encryption and sharding and a blockchain-based hash table to store data on peer-to-peer networks. Sturge intends to offer faster and cheaper performance compared to its centralized competitors and also provide users with secure privacy.
Traditional cloud STORJ faces limitations such as data intrusion, loss of user data in data centers, and unforeseen access cuts; Limitations, each of which alone can cripple the entire cloud space.
Users in traditional STORJ also face privacy issues; Because centralized companies like Dropbox or Google Drive control and access personal files.
Using blockchain and peer-to-peer networks, STORJ allows any computer running STORJ software to lease and monetize its unused hard disk space to users looking for STORJ space.
One of Sturge’s advantages over traditional counterparts is the ability to generate public revenue and create a network for users to trade. In this regard, Sturge tries to protect the privacy of users through the proper and safe distribution of duplicate data, as well as the distribution of money and power at the community level.
How does Sturge work?
In the previous section, we got acquainted with the general topics of this network. In this section, we are going to go into a little more technical details and get information on how this decentralized STORJ network works. In the following, we will take a look at some of the key technologies used in STORJ.
Sharing files
Shar ding technology means “sharing”. If you plan to save a file, this technology will help you break it down into smaller pieces.
In fact, with file formatting, you can double-click: 1. Send and retrieve file fractions in parallel, which speeds up file transfers; You make sure that no single entity holds all your data and you are the only one who knows where all the files are.
It should also be noted that every data host in the STORJ network is called a Farmer; Therefore, we can say that no farmer has access to your complete file.
If you are familiar with torrent peer network, you have probably noticed that STORJ is very similar to torrent for file shredding. However, an important difference between torrent and STORJ is that torrents make the location of the shredders public so that it is as easy as possible for everyone to download the files publicly. In contrast, Sturge prioritizes user privacy as a provider of cloud STORJ space.
In the STORJ network, the uploader is the only one who knows where each piece of data is located.
At this point, blockchain and cryptography enter the scene. Sturge uses a special technology called a Distributed Hash Table so that users can find all of their original file layouts. This hash table, called Kademlia , is one of the pillars of Sturgeon architecture. Kademlia can track large amounts of data on different nodes.
The Kademlia hash table needs a private key to locate the shredded files. Without a private key, it would be almost impossible to guess the exact location of the uploaded file. Another point is that the private key of each file is only in the possession of the file owner.
Parallel shards
So far we know that personal files are split at different speeds and each is sent to regular computers across the STORJ network. However, what happens if one of these computers shuts down or stops saving? In that case, will the chards stored on the computer be out of reach?
STORJ, like any other STORJ space, duplicates data in the system so that if information on one of the servers is accidentally or intentionally deleted or corrupted, the user can still access the original data.
When you upload a file to STORJ, you can select the Redundancy data level required for your file. In addition, STORJ helps you to set and customize this level yourself. If you have enough parallel shards, the chances of losing shards are greatly reduced.
It goes without saying that over a longer period of time, there is a possibility of losing the shard. For this reason, Sturge uses regular, one-hour auditing sessions of network nodes, along with other validation methods, to ensure that this does not happen. However, the best way is to retrieve and restore your files periodically and regularly.
Of course, the opposite is also possible. If too much data is duplicated on the network, we may run into an overload problem. To prevent this problem, Sturge uses “Erasure Coding” technology to reduce the number of overdrive shredders. At the same time, the technology helps Sturgeon identify unique data that needs further replication.
Simultaneous cryptography
The level of privacy protection is very different from traditional cloud applications. As mentioned earlier, shading technology enhances user privacy; Because no data host can read the whole file; But it is possible that a piece of a file also contains sensitive information.
Sturge has a definite solution for this situation as well. Generally, people who upload files to the STORJ network are called tenants. These tenants can encrypt and encrypt their files before sharing. The encrypted file has only one key and the tenant keeps this key on personal computers.
As the owner of the encrypted key, the tenant is the only person who can read the entire file. When a farmer receives a file, that file is already encrypted as part of a larger file. In general, the file uploaded by the tenant is worthless and unreadable without any other passwords and encryption keys.
The probability of hacking a store and accessing a specific file is close to zero. To do this, you have to find all the parts of that file, which is almost impossible without having a private key to access the Kademlia hash table. In this case, the available ways to access the files are to persuade farmers to send unsigned cards, or to guess the encrypted key, or to steal the cards from tenants.
Validation and verification of files
In the meantime, the following questions may come to mind: Are our files in the right place? Can farmers remove their shreds or turn off the computer?
Sturgeon has taken special measures to address these concerns. The platform completes a validation request every hour regarding the accuracy and safety of the files. To receive their pay, farmers must prove that they still have the paychecks they receive. In this process, Sturge sends a request to the farmer and if the farmer has changed or deleted the encrypted part, it can not respond to the request.
At present, if the farmer has the file, he can respond to the request correctly and in return receive a small reward each time for proper performance in the process of storing and maintaining the files. Thus, farmers are encouraged to save files and stay active on the network.
In future versions, Sturge plans to implement a reputation-based system for farmer nodes. This system can prioritize the nodes that have the most bandwidth along with the most honest performance to receive network benefits.
Bridge
The latest initiative is the STORJ Server Bridge. Prior to using the bridge, tenants stored their encrypted private keys on local computers. In this case, if users wanted to access their files from the same computer, they would not face any particular problem; But if they changed their computer for any reason, they would run into a big problem.
A bridge is the solution to this problem; A server designed to securely store private keys that allow users to access their files from multiple devices. In addition, the bridge can add file sharing and access to the network.
Because files are stored in the cloud STORJ, they can only be with authentication and authorization. Sturge has announced that it will soon implement file sharing capabilities as well.
Capacity and costs
According to Sturge’s official website, there are currently more than 13,000 farmers in 90 countries. These farmers have provided about 10 petabytes of STORJ space to the network data.
Another important feature of this network is its cost-effectiveness. In STORJ, the cost is determined based on the user consumption model. In addition, the cost of data STORJ can be offset by providing some hard disk space; This means that in addition to being a tenant, you can also join network farmers.
Sturge team and developers
In 2014, the concept of the Sturge platform was co-created by Shawn Wilkinson and John Quinn, and in May 2015, the company was launched under the name Storj Labs. The current version of the Sturgeon platform was also released in mid-2019.
At the start of the company, Wilkinson was the CEO; But shortly afterwards, he stepped down so that someone more experienced in economics could take the helm. Ben Golub, a professor of economics at Northwestern University in the United States, is currently the CEO of the STORJ Labs Development Team. Wilkinson also serves as Chief Strategy Officer, and Quinn serves as Chief Sales Officer on the STORJ Labs Board of Directors.
The team has also been successful in gaining the trust of investors; In several stages of the fundraising event, it was able to raise 910 bitcoins in 2014 and then a total of another $ 33 million in 2017.
STORJ token
The STORJ Network, like many other decentralized platforms, has a native token with special functionality. The STORJ token is the main fuel and native payment intermediary in the network. Fees paid by tenants (cloud space renters) in the form of store tokens are paid to farmers.
Price and market volume
Native token STORJ network based on standardERC20And at the beginning of the launch of this network, all of it has been extracted. About 25% of this amount in Kevin’s initial release(ICO) platform sold in June 2017; STORJ Labs, meanwhile, had raised at least $ 30 million just one week after launching its initial sale.
At the time of this writing, the stock tokens have a turnover of more than 389 million units and a total market value of $ 412.5 million, according to the Kevin Market Cap website. At present, no specific information is provided on the supply ceiling of the STORJ token; But it should be noted that this Quinn is currently ranked 142nd.
