Designing a Blockchain Data Storage System Using Ethereum Architecture and Peer-to-Peer InterPlanetary File System (IPFS)

In this study, a higher level of security was implemented by using InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) based peer-to-peer data storage on an Ethereum blockchain. IPFS is used as an image data storage medium that generates an IPFS hash, or known as content identifier (CID). The CID is used to access image data on the IPFS, which can be done with the help of an IPFS gateway. The CID is sent into the blockchain using a smart contract. The results of the study demonstrates that the use of IPFS as additional security on a blockchain system can be done. The size of file sent using IPFS proportionally affects the time it takes for IPFS to store the file. The larger the file size, the more time it will take. For each additional 1 MB file, there is an approximately 5% increase in access time. The distance from the IPFS gateway will also affect file access times in which, the farther the IPFS gateway, the more time it takes. If the IPFS gateway is at a distance of 1,000 km, there will be a decrease in access time of about 5%. The distance between the IPFS gateway and the accessor also affects success with accessing data. For the most distant gateway, i.e. the United States, there was even an access failure of 24%.