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CPU power and network bandwidth-aware optimal block size computation for blockchain-based applications using meta-heuristic algorithms

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Abstract

Block size in a permissioned blockchain system plays a huge role in scalability and performance of system. A large number of blocks are continuously disseminated into the network and hence it becomes important to study the effect of block size in a decentralized peer-to-peer network. The scalability of the system is the biggest concern. Scalability is a metric that refers to the ability of the system to increase or balance its performance depending upon the load and the processing demands on the system. The success of any blockchain-based application is dependent on the size of block used. Block size governs the time required to transmit a block (block transmission time) and the rate at which the unconfirmed transactions are verified (transaction pool clearance time). Block size also acts as a factor in ordering the blocks in the chain and dictates the performance and security of the system. This paper presents simulation analysis of the influence of block size on blockchain and the role of network bandwidth-aware optimal block size on the performance of the blockchain system. Nature-inspired algorithms have been used to determine the link between block size and scalability and are used for finding the optimal block size for a Blockchain-based application.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in The Yarpiz Project at http://yarpiz.com/category/multiobjective-optimization, reference number [30].

Abbreviations

TT:

Transmission time

TPCT:

Transaction pool clearance time

NTB:

Number of transactions per block

ST:

Size of transaction

MTCT:

Merkle tree construction time

PBO:

Per block overhead

ToT:

Total number of transactions in pool

BM:

Bandwidth of miner

NTMT:

Number of transactions in merkle tree

DLT:

Distributed ledger technology

MOPSO:

Multi-objective particle swarm optimization

PESA:

Pareto envelope-based selection algorithm

SPEA:

Strength pareto evolutionary algorithm

MOAP-NIA:

Multi-objective anti-predatory nature-inspired algorithm

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Computer Science and Engineering, RV University, Bengaluru, India

    Nikita Singh

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  1. Nikita Singh
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Author 1: NS: Conceived and designed the manuscript, collected and contributed data, prepared Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, performed the analysis, wrote and reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Nikita Singh.

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Singh, N. CPU power and network bandwidth-aware optimal block size computation for blockchain-based applications using meta-heuristic algorithms. J Supercomput 79, 14063–14078 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11227-023-05210-6

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