Blockchain Frontier Technology

Decentralized Storage in Smart City Data Infrastructure SWOT Analysis

Rani Nuraeni, Elisa Ananda Natalia, Chua Toh Hua, Nanda Septiani, Ipang Sasono — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The rapid growth of data volume and complexity in modern urban environments has created a critical need for storage systems that are secure, scalable, and resilient. This background emphasizes the urgency of adaptive data infrastructure to support smart city development. This study aims to provide a comprehensive SWOT analysis of decentralized storage in strengthening smart city data infrastructure. A qualitative descriptive-analytical approach is employed, using systematic literature review and document analysis to identify key internal and external strategic factors. The findings reveal key strengths, including enhanced data security, high resilience, and scalability. However, weaknesses such as implementation complexity, latency issues, and dependency on network stability are also noted. Opportunities lie in the integration with Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems, growing public awareness of data privacy, and emerging collaborative economic models. Meanwhile, threats include regulatory ambiguity, lack of standardization, and evolving cybersecurity risks. This study contributes a strategic framework to assist policymakers, urban planners, and technology stakeholders in integrating decentralized storage systems into smart city architectures. In alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), the research highlights the importance of secure, inclusive, and adaptive digital infrastructure in advancing sustainable urban development.

Utilizing IPFS for Decentralized Data Storage a Security and Censorship Resistance Solution

Herman Herman, Willya Achmad, Nur Aulia, Suca Rusdian, Thomas Green — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This study explores the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) as a decentralized storage solution aimed at reducing dependence on centralized cloud systems. The research analyzes how the integration of IPFS with blockchain and smart contracts can enhance data security, maintain data availability, and minimize censorship risks in digital environments. This topic is relevant because centralized storage still places control in a single point, creating vulnerabilities to cyberattacks, unauthorized access, and failures caused by system dependency. Although several studies have discussed IPFS in different contexts, there is a clear gap in the absence of a structured comparative explanation showing how IPFS, blockchain, and smart contracts operate together in decentralized data governance. Using a qualitative literature review from reputable academic sources, this study synthesizes existing findings into a clearer conceptual mapping. The novelty lies in the development of a comparative matrix that unifies previous technical insights, providing a more accessible understanding of how decentralized technologies support secure and censorship-resistant data ecosystems. The results indicate that IPFS preserves data authenticity through cryptographic hashing, improves data availability through distributed replication, and reduces censorship risks because access does not depend on a central authority. However, several challenges remain, including latency, uneven node distribution, and the difficulty of fully removing stored data. Overall, the study concludes that IPFS shows strong potential for future digital infrastructure, yet its adoption requires strategic planning, supportive policies, and gradual implementation to ensure sustainability and operational effectiveness across diverse technological environments.