Introduction
MetaLocker is a data distribution framework that enables secure and privacy preserving data exchange between participants of a knowledge network.
Why MetaLocker
Traditional data platforms are controlled by one party or a group of closely connected parties that collect data about various data subjects. As a result, these data platforms exhibit asymmetric data stewardship properties that we refer to as Peasant-Scribe Disparity. Even with a large number of collaborating authors (like in Wikipedia) the data hosting platform is still managed by one party. If this party goes offline or decides to stop serving content, the authors’ access will be affected.
What if the data resided in a network of platforms that kept the data close to its producers and provided access while preserving its provenance, access rights and ownership in a transparent and secure way?
MetaLocker is an attempt to build such a solution.
What It Does
MetaLocker offers an open source framework for building knowledge networks and provides a reference implementation that you can deploy and try out. It also provides a command line utility and an SDK to interact with more complete solutions, including ChainLocker. MetaLocker is licensed under Apache 2.0 license.
What It Doesn’t Do
MetaLocker solves the problem of data distribution and storage. It can’t act as a general purpose database. It’s expected that the enclosed data will be extracted into an index solution that suits your use case, most likely a high-performance system for any analytical processing and querying.
Is It a Blockchain?
No. MetaLocker is an abstraction layer that can operate on top of various data storage technologies, including distributed ledgers and blockchains, as well as databases and file system.
ChainLocker
ChainLocker is a commercial product that builds on all the features of MetaLocker while offering an enterprise-ready solution, complete with key features like Hyperledger Fabric connector, AWS integration and a lot more. For more information, contact Piprate.