Overview
Sia is a decentralized cloud storage platform that enables users to rent storage space from peers, creating a marketplace that is more reliable and cost-effective than traditional cloud storage providers. By leveraging underutilized hard drive capacity worldwide, Sia offers a secure and efficient solution for data storage. The platform utilizes blockchain technology to facilitate storage contracts between users and hosts, ensuring data integrity and availability.
Technology and Features
Sia’s architecture is built upon a blockchain that records storage contracts between users (renters) and providers (hosts). These contracts define the terms of storage, including duration, price, and conditions. To ensure data integrity, hosts are required to submit regular proofs of storage, which are publicly verifiable and stored on the blockchain. This mechanism ensures that hosts are holding the data as agreed, and they are compensated for their services accordingly.
The platform employs Reed-Solomon erasure coding to divide files into multiple pieces, adding redundancy and enhancing data availability. This approach allows files to be reconstructed even if some pieces are lost or hosts become unavailable. Additionally, Sia utilizes client-side encryption, ensuring that only the data owner has access to their files, thereby maintaining privacy and security.
