Blockchain technology as the backbone of the internet of things – An introduction to blockchain devices

Abstract

While the number of blockchain ecosystems is growing, enterprises are confronted with the decision on how data can be securely and reliably transferred to blockchains. Even though current blockchain solutions proof to be a secure way for cross-enterprise data exchange, the data entries and respective devices might still be tampered and therefore build the focal point of this paper. To give an introduction to blockchain devices, current definitions and relevant device configurations, network connections and communication opportunities are gathered through a systematic literature research. The findings are then clustered and discussed with blockchain experts in a semi-structured interview series. Finally, the paper presents a characterization scheme for blockchain devices in form of a multi-dimensional taxonomy and concludes with further research needs. The outcome of the paper also contributes to practice as the taxonomy may also be used as a basis for management decisions.