What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a transformational technology with the potential to extend digital transformation beyond a company’s walls and into the processes it shares with suppliers, customers, and partners. At its core, a blockchain is a data structure that’s used to create a digital transaction ledger that, instead of resting with a single provider, is shared among a distributed network of computers.
The result is a more open, transparent, and verifiable system that will fundamentally change the way we think about exchanging value and assets, enforcing contracts, and sharing data. A growing number of enterprises are investing in blockchain as a secure and transparent way to digitally track the ownership of assets across trust boundaries, reimagine shared business processes, and create new models for cross-organizational collaboration.
A cryptographically secure, shared, distributed ledger
Cryptographically secure
Blockchain applies tried-and-true digital-signature technology to create transactions that reduce fraud and establish trust and accountability.
Shared
Blockchains gain value as they’re shared. As more organizations or companies participate—even competitors—the more streamlined the process will be, and the greater the value.
Ledger
A ledger is a write-once-read-many database that is an immutable record of every transaction. If a mistake is made, you must post a compensating transaction to correct it—no updating or deleting is allowed.
Distributed
The more replicas there are, the more authentic the ledger becomes.
Why blockchain on Azure?
Microsoft is bringing blockchain to the enterprise, working with customers, partners, and the blockchain community to continually advance its enterprise readiness. Our mission is to help companies thrive in this new era of secure multiparty collaboration by delivering platforms and services that any company—including ledger startups, retailers, health providers, and global banks—can use to improved shared business processes.
As an open, flexible, and scalable platform, Azure supports a rapidly growing number of distributed ledger technologies that address specific business and technical requirements for security, performance, and operational processes. Our Data and AI platform provides unique off-chain data-management and analysis capabilities that no other platform offers. And the vast Microsoft partner ecosystem extends the capabilities of our platforms and services in unique ways that fit specific workload and industry needs.
Azure provides a rapid, low-cost, low-risk, and fail-fast platform for organizations to collaborate on by experimenting with new business processes—and it’s all backed by a cloud platform with the largest compliance portfolio in the industry.
Blockchain on your terms
Get started on the blockchain that best fits your scenario with our easy-to-deploy templates for the most popular ledgers. Whether you’re modeling your shared process through a single-member proof of concept or building a multimember consortium, we offer tools that reduce the time you spend building and configuring your blockchain’s network infrastructure, so you can focus on building your workflows and smart contracts.
Integrated with your business
Build and connect distributed applications, and integrate Blockchain with the cloud services and tools your organization already uses to manage its shared business processes.
Ready for enterprise
Microsoft and its partners are working to bridge enterprise gaps in blockchain technology, making it easier to get from pilot to production. With Blockchain on Azure, build apps that deliver the scalability and distributed governance enterprises need without sacrificing the security and immutability they expect.
