Seagate enters pilot stage for Blockchain Supply Chain Project to trach HDD supply

Seagate and IBM has culminated into running a pilot project to track hard drive supply counterfeit. In late 2018, Seagate initiated the project utilizing IBM’s blockchain platform aimed to track the origin of HDDs.

"Last year, we started a proof-of-concept with IBM, and the proof-of-concept was about product provenance," Seagate research group managing technologist of data security Manuel Offenberg said to Forbes. "Earlier this year, we wrapped up the proof-of-concept."

In the pilot project, IBM will act as a customer as well as the provider of the Hyperledger Fabric platform where the pilot project will run. And Seagate will be the supplier of the HDDs. The blockchain platform will trach the movements of HDDs from the company to IBM, plus handle other issues. The platform will also monitor movements of the hard drives returning to the manufacturer in case of defects.

“When the hard drive is in the customer’s hand, it’s filled with their data. However, in case of a return event, we have put in place a certified erase solution,” said Manuel Offenberg, Seagate’s data security managing technologist. “Through the erase solution, we wipe the data from the hard disk and are also able to comply with general data protection regulations. Similarly, we easily prevent any leaked of customer’s data.”

The pilot blockchain project with IBM is aimed to improve the confidence of customers purchasing genuine Seagate HDDs, Offenberg mentioned. "In this case, IBM is both the customer of these drives, as well as the technology provider for the underlying Hyperledger Fabric platform," he said. Hyperledger Fabric is one of the main players in blockchain when it comes to gateways for businesses to apply the new tech.