Historically, storage has been centralized. The crash of a single server or a malicious attack could cut off access to files. The InterPlanetary FileSystem (IPFS) changes that.
IPFS is a decentralized protocol designed for storing and sharing data in a peer-to-peer network. It functions by breaking files into smaller chunks, assigning them unique cryptographic hashes, and distributing these chunks across participating network nodes. This approach ensures data redundancy, reducing reliance on a central server.
IPFS incorporates blockchain principles, like Merkle DAGs, to enhance data integrity and authenticity. When a file is requested, nodes collaborate to retrieve and assemble the necessary chunks, fostering efficient and resilient data retrieval.
This decentralized and secure system offers an innovative approach to distributed storage and sharing, with potential applications in various domains.
IPFS eliminates single points of failure, enhancing fault tolerance and censorship resistance. Users access content directly from nearby nodes, reducing latency and reliance on distant servers.
IPFS ensures that content remains unaltered during storage and transmission. It strenghtens data authenticity and integrity, making IPFS a reliable solution for applications requiring tamper-proof data storage
IPFS allows users to retrieve data from multiple nodes simultaneously. This accelerates content sharing and retrieval, as well as relieves strain on individual nodes. IPFS also promotes caching, further optimizing data availability and reducing the need to repeatedly fetch content from the original source.
IPFS ensures safety through a combination of decentralized architecture and cryptographic measures. Its decentralized nature eliminates the vulnerability of central points of control, making it resilient against single points of failure and censorship attempts.
Also, cryptographic hashing is used to uniquely identify and verify data chunks, preventing unauthorized modifications. Integration of blockchain principles, like Merkle DAGs, enhances data integrity and authenticity.
Overall, IPFS promotes secure data sharing by allowing users to access content from multiple nodes, reducing the risk of data loss or tampering. It provides a safer environment for storing and sharing data compared to traditional centralized systems.
You can learn more about how IPFS works on Kaliedo in our docs.
When you upload a file, the piece of content is broken up into shards and those shards are distributed. There is a hash for the original piece of content and each shard has a hash. The IPFS hash is the way you request the piece of content. An IPFS node or IPFS gateway allows you to upload and download files to the network. The network is the distributed web’s version of a server, in a sense.
IPFS is not a blockchain, so there’s no guarantee of data availability. To make IPFS files more available you can run your own node, pay for a pinning service, or use an IPFS API like the one available for Kaleido. Content addressing solves some problems related to centralized, location-based storage—essentially removing single points of failure—but data stored on IPFS demands a secure way to upload, retrieve, and view files to make distributed storage work. That’s where the IPFS gateway comes in. Kaleido makes it easy to access IPFS content, manage content identifiers, and maintain high performance on your network.
Storing data on the blockchain can be expensive. That’s why more developers are turning to solutions like IPFS. A distributed file system built by Protocol Labs, the client is available to anyone and free. You can store any type of files on it, but you need a node to access it. Kaleido can help you set up a gateway to access the storage and purchase storage. You can read more about how Kaleido helps you store large amounts of data with the click of a button on our IPFS docs here.
