Microsoft debuts Project Bletchley on cloud BaaS

Rage Comment : Last week, Microsoft launched the Bletchley project for the first time on its blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) ecosystem. This is an Ethereum-based consortium blockchain that can efficiently configure the consortium's Ethereum network at a very low cost. Previously, it took 3 weeks to install a globally distributed multi-node consortium Ethereum network. With the launch of the Bletchley project, the time can be reduced to 5-8 minutes, and only eight questions need to be answered.

Translation: Nicole

Last week, Microsoft launched the Bletchley project, an Ethereum-based consortium blockchain on its blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) ecosystem. The highlight of the project is that it can efficiently configure the consortium's Ethereum network at a very low cost. At the same time, details of the Cryptlets roadmap were also released.

Marley Grey

Marley Grey, project manager for Azure Blockchain, wrote in a blog post:

Previously, it took 3 weeks to install a globally distributed multi-node alliance Ethereum network. With the launch of the Bletchley project, the time can be reduced to 5-8 minutes, and only eight questions need to be answered. Bletchley v1 can not only automatically set up the network infrastructure, but also set up a portal to quickly start applications developed on Ethereum.

The questionnaire cited by Marley is a step-by-step process of selecting alliance members, the number of nodes, and distribution areas using Azure cloud services.

The Bletchley project white paper released in June this year outlined Microsoft's architectural approach to building a blockchain cloud fabric and introduced the concept of Cryptlets. Fundamentally, Cryptlets are off-chain elements written in a programming language chosen by developers, executed through a secure and trusted container, and designed to convey some cross-cutting concerns, such as integration with external systems, data security and privacy, etc.

Bletchley Layer Architecture

Cryptlets act as a middleware layer for building secure cloud blockchains, providing services such as identity authentication, operational management, and data and intelligence services such as logical analysis and machine learning. The Cryptlet layer is agnostic to the underlying platform layer, so it can be any smart contract based on platforms like Ethereum or Eris or UTXO, which are based on Ethereum or Hyperledger. For those who are familiar with the concept of Oracles, Cryptlets are Oracles with enhanced tools and are also blockchain platform agnostic.

The recently published Cryptlets paper covers Utility Cryptlets, Contract Cryptlets, intended use cases and enclave processes for describing cryptlet development, registration and owning sample code.