Amazon Web Services has announced the general availability of Amazon Managed Blockchain, a fully managed service that makes it easy to create and manage scalable blockchain networks.

The e-commerce giant promised that customers wanting to allow multiple parties to execute transactions and maintain a cryptographically verifiable records without the need for a trusted, central authority can now setup a blockchain network spanning multiple accounts in the AWS Management Console.

Amazon Managed Blockchain scales to support thousands of applications and millions of transactions using open source frameworks like Hyperledger Fabric and Ethereum.

Customers typically create blockchain networks using these frameworks, but this can be difficult and time consuming, as each member of a blockchain network has to provision hardware, install software, create and manage certificates for access control, and configure network settings.

As usage of a blockchain application grows, there is a lot of work involved in scaling the network, including monitoring resources across all nodes, adding or removing hardware, and managing the availability of the entire network. Many customers typically need the help of expensive consultants to make blockchain work, AWS argued.

Rahul Pathak, general manager at Amazon Managed Blockchain, explained: “Amazon Managed Blockchain takes care of provisioning nodes, setting up the network, managing certificates and security, and scaling the network.

“Customers can now get a functioning blockchain network set up quickly and easily, so they can focus on application development instead of keeping a blockchain network up and running.”

Amazon Managed Blockchain also provides Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that allow customers to vote on memberships in their networks and to scale up or down more easily. It secures certificates for access control using AWS Key Management Service technology, eliminating the need for customers to set up their own secure certificate storage.

It also replicates transactions to the Amazon Quantum Ledger Database (QLDB), which will offer a fully managed ledger database with a central trusted authority when it becomes generally available in the coming months. This gives customers the ability to gain advanced insight into key trends, such as who is transacting and what is the rate of their transactions.
Amazon Managed Blockchain is available immediately in US East (North Virginia) and will expand to additional regions in the coming year.

“Blockchain is far more than just Bitcoin or cryptocurrency, it’s changing the way companies do business and giving us a new way to solve complex business problems,” said Andy Daudelin, vice president for alliances business development for AT&T Business.

“Amazon Web Services customers can integrate their blockchain solution with AT&T Business’s IoT and edge-to-edge portfolio – this allows them to automate data collection to improve their ability to manage complex supply chain processes, monitor environmental conditions, improve security, gain real-time insights, and so much more.”

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