And It's Still Running!

SAP is still actively promoting blockchain technology. SAP also did not reply to discuss how they are using blockchain, but a post on the SAP website mentions a few specific current use cases [11] including Velocity [12], a nonprofit organization that collects school-leaving certificates, diplomas, and other career-relevant information in a blockchain. When an application is submitted, the company looking for a candidate has access to the candidate's current and complete career history. With the help of the blockchain, Velocity looks to ensure, among other things, that no false information is included on an applicant's CV.

Aside from financial applications, adesso uses blockchain as part of adessoDraws [13], an electronic draw system for winning lottery numbers. AdessoDraws selects the random numbers required by betting service providers and transparently logs them in a blockchain, allowing the winning draw to be traceable as well as tamper proof. According to the adesso website, an open source algorithm is used for the draw.

Adesso – but you probably guessed this already – did not provide any information on this or other projects. However, per their website, the company has bundled its blockchain projects in its banking division, making it clear that blockchain is primarily at home there.

Bosch is also actively driving forward several blockchain projects. The company did provide some insights into its blockchain strategy. One area of application is audit-proof evidence management for vehicle fleets, which is important for sustainability reports, among other things. Evidence is kept with the help of public, decentralized identity systems, which in turn are based on a blockchain. This allows the associated EU requirements to be implemented simultaneously. The solution also offers the advantage that information can be verified without having to disclose further data.

Blockchain can also be found in the Matter smart home standard [14]. The Internet of Things (IoT) devices that follow the Matter protocol encrypt their communication. Tamper-proof certificates stored in a blockchain prevent access from devices that have been compromised by attackers.

The software company Krekeler also utilizes blockchain's immutability in Documentchain [15], a blockchain that allows authors and artists to store important information about a file, such as its hash, in an audit-proof manner. In this way, later manipulation of the file or the authorship of an image can be clearly proven. If required, Documentchain can be integrated into your own applications.

Flat Shapes

In addition to ready-made blockchain applications, numerous frameworks and blockchain implementations have sprung up in recent years. Solana [16] provides a complete blockchain platform along with its own protocol. Solana facilitates the development of blockchain applications, but it also focuses on financial transactions and purchasing virtual goods, which primarily means unique digital objects, also known as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). However, companies are not allowed to operate their own private Solana blockchain.

IBM is different: The company offers a blockchain platform [17], IBM Blockchain, that companies can use to develop their own blockchain products. Vertrax and Chateau Software have used IBM Blockchain to track oil and gas deliveries. The IPwe [18] platform, which specializes in patent rights, has used IBM Blockchain to record who owns which patent or intellectual property (IP) and at what time, resulting in a Global Patent Registry (GPR), which, among other things, simplifies the search for patents and their owners.

Open Source Base

IBM did not reinvent the wheel to develop their blockchain platform. In the background, IBM Blockchain uses the open source Hyperledger Fabric framework [19], which is primarily intended for use by large corporations to set up their own flexible blockchains.

The Hyperledger Fabric framework provides the underpinnings for a surprising number of blockchain projects. In fact, Materna also used the framework for its resident parking solution mentioned earlier. Initially developed under the umbrella of the Hyperledger Foundation [20], the Hyperledger Fabric framework is now part of the Linux Foundation's LF Decentralized Trust [21].

IBM Blockchain will also run in a Kubernetes cluster or, to be more precise, on a system with Red Hat's OpenShift. It can either be booked in the IBM Cloud or you can run it in your own data center. IBM Blockchain still appears to be on offer, but the associated tutorial [22] for developers dates back to 2021.