Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 35 | Page 57

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// FEATURE: DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY Blockchain: Transformative benefits but with drawbacks The distributed, decentralised ledger technology of Blockchain has the scope to totally change the way most enterprises do business. However, as we discover, for all the exciting possibilities it offers it’s not necessarily without its drawbacks. B lockchain represents a monumental shift in the way data is shared. Use of a peer-to-peer system allows data to be stored on thousands of servers all over the World. This has the advantage of making it pretty much impossible for one organisation to take control of the network and Blockchain certainly offers the potential to save time and costs. According to Markets and Markets, the global Blockchain market is expected to reach US$2,312.5 million by 2021. Moreover, with the recently launched 2021 UAE Blockchain Strategy, major banks, real- estate and even postal services in the UAE are investing in Blockchain technology to improve their cost base and business offerings. As Kalle Bjorn, Director, Systems Engineering, Fortinet, explains: “Blockchain is a shared and continuously reconciled database used to maintain a list of digital records called blocks. “It is quickly becoming an important tool not just for financial information but also for managing and recording virtually all types of data, such www.intelligentcio.com INTELLIGENTCIO 57