Blockchain, the foundation of Bitcoin, has recently engaged great attention from the industry and academia. In this talk, we will introduce the main concepts of distributed ledger and blockchain technology. The taxonomy and structure of blockchain platforms will be overviewed. A comparative analysis of blockchain simulators will also be given. Also, big attention will be given to consensus protocols that play a key role in any blockchain system. Key concepts and the most popular consensus will be overviewed. Finally, benchmarking techniques to select the most suitable consensus protocol for a blockchain system will be presented.

This seminar will be organized in two sessions, one hour each, as follows:

Session 1: Blockchain platforms and simulators

• Introduction to distributed ledger and blockchain technology

• Blockchain platforms

• Taxonomy of blockchains

• Multi-layered structure of blockchains

• Review and comparative analysis of blockchain simulators

Session 2: Blockchain consensus protocols

• Introduction to consensus protocols in distributed ledger and blockchain

• Fault-tolerance of consensus protocols

• Consensus protocols types: PoW, PoS, DPoS, DAG, etc.

• Benchmarking of consensus protocols

• Application of MCDM techniques for consensus protocol selection

On workshop completion, the participants will have:

• An improved knowledge of Blockchain technology.

• A deeper understanding of Blockchain platforms structure.

• An improved knowledge in consensus protocols.

The seminar will be held on Wednesday, February 2nd during the afternoon. The first session will start at 17:00 and will last one hour. The second session will begin at 18:30, after a short break, and will also last one hour. At the end of each session there will be a few minutes for questions and discussion.

Blockchain Consensus Protocols, Platforms, and Simulators