Hyperledger Fabric Componentized Design: Benefits and Implications

Hyperledger Fabric is a modular blockchain framework that enables developers to design and deploy enterprise-grade blockchain networks. One of its key features is componentized design, which offers several benefits over monolithic design. In this article, we will discuss the advantages of componentized design in Hyperledger Fabric and the cost implications that come with it.

Separation of Development and Runtime Design

The separation of development and runtime design is an important best practice in software engineering. With componentized design, developers can separate the application's design from the infrastructure design, including security, permissioning, network connections, and contractual agreements. This separation ensures that the enterprise's current infrastructure and DevOps practices are adhered to, while also accommodating hybrid cloud variations.

Discerning Between Design Imperatives and Infrastructure Capabilities

Componentized design enables developers to separate design imperatives from infrastructure capabilities. The application design dictates the technology blueprint, while the infrastructure design includes network connections, security, permissioning, and contractual vehicles. This separation enables developers to address infrastructure scaling issues such as container deployment practices, co-location, and security.

Incorporating Network Design Principles

Hyperledger Fabric's modularity enables developers to address network design principles such as cloud deployment, hybrid and/or on-premises, and a combination of available options. This modularity also addresses the challenges of network growth and the resulting performance and security-driven Service Level Agreements (SLA) to its members.

Channel Design Principles

Hyperledger Fabric's channel constructs enable developers to address the business blueprint requirements around implementing business-defined transactions that may be bilateral, trilateral, or event multilateral. Channels also provide an avenue to limit the visibility of transaction data to a few participants or provide full access when required, such as to a regulator. Channel design also addresses critical business requirements around transaction processing, data visibility, business rules enforcement, scalability, security, and the costs of the infrastructure that supports the business network.

Hyperledger Fabric Composer Model-Driven Development

Hyperledger Composer provides an avenue for modular development with a portable, standardized vehicle to add governance and control, similar to JEE constructs such as JAR/WAR/RAR, and so on. Business network archive (BNA) is an archive that can be integrated into DevOps practices for cross-enterprise team development and collaborative life cycle management capabilities. The idea is to separate chaincode development from infrastructure design and separate the competencies needed to maintain the two facets of enterprise or business network application technology practices.

Cost Implications

Each of the advantages of componentized design comes with cost implications in terms of runtime/infrastructure design, flexible design, and the longevity of the solution. Runtime/infrastructure design includes the use of resources and resulting costs, while flexible design accommodates products and relationships that may morph over time. Longevity of the solution includes the global footprint of the enterprise cloud infrastructure, including robust access to technical and business SMEs in the form of maintenance and support. These cost implications are essential for compliance, governance, and longevity of the solution, and resulting business networks powered by blockchain.

Conclusion

In summary, Hyperledger Fabric's componentized design offers several benefits over monolithic design, including the separation of development and runtime design, discerning between design imperatives and infrastructure capabilities, incorporating network design principles, channel design principles, and adopting a model-driven development approach with Hyperledger Fabric Composer. However, each of these benefits comes with cost implications that must be considered when designing and deploying enterprise blockchain networks.