Metadata management through blockchain technology

A computer-implemented method for blockchain-based metadata management, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• receiving, by analysis and reporting circuitry, an electronic indication of a change in a metadata data structure within a first metadata block stored in a metadata blockchain stored in a blockchain data storage device;
• determining, by the analysis and reporting circuitry, a plurality of node devices impacted by the change in the metadata data structure;
• generating, by the analysis and reporting circuitry, a metadata change consensus notification message comprising a notification or alert of the change in the metadata data structure within the first metadata block stored in the metadata blockchain;
• transmitting, by communications circuitry, the metadata change consensus notification message to each impacted node device in the plurality of impacted node devices;
• receiving, by the communications circuitry, a metadata change approval message from each node device impacted by the change in the metadata data structure;
• and
• in response to receiving the metadata change approval message by the communications circuitry from each node device impacted by the change in the metadata data structure:
• generating, by governance circuitry, a smart contract to validate the change in the metadata data structure;
• generating, by the governance circuitry and based on the smart contract, a metadata change validation message indicating validity of the change in the metadata data structure;
• validating the change in the metadata data structure via generation of a smart contract in response to receiving the metadata change approval message from each node device impacted by the change in the metadata data structure, wherein the smart contract verifies the change in the metadata data structure has occurred in a data storage external to the metadata blockchain to validate the change in the metadata data structure;
• and
• storing a second metadata block in the blockchain data storage device, wherein the second metadata block includes the change in the metadata data structure.

A computer program product for blockchain-based metadata management, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable program code instructions that, when executed by a computing apparatus, cause the computing apparatus to:

• receive, by analysis and reporting circuitry, an electronic indication of a change within a metadata data structure stored in a first metadata block in a metadata blockchain stored in a blockchain data storage device;
• determine, by the analysis and reporting circuitry, a plurality of node devices impacted by the change in the metadata data structure;
• generate, by the analysis and reporting circuitry, a metadata change consensus notification message comprising a notification or alert of the change in the metadata data structure within the first metadata block stored in the metadata blockchain;
• transmit, by communications circuitry, the metadata change consensus notification message to each impacted node device in the plurality of impacted node devices;
• receive, by the communications circuitry, a metadata change approval message from each node device impacted by the change in the metadata data structure;
• validate the change in the metadata data structure via generation of a smart contract in response to receiving the metadata change approval message from each node device impacted by the change in the metadata data structure, wherein the smart contract verifies the change in the metadata data structure has occurred in a data storage external to the metadata blockchain to validate the change in the metadata data structure;
• generate, based on the smart contract, a metadata change validation message;
• in response to generation of the smart contract and the metadata change validation message, generate, by blockchain data storage circuitry, a second metadata block comprising the change in the metadata data structure;
• and
• store, by the blockchain data storage circuitry, the second metadata block in the blockchain data storage device, wherein the second metadata block is added to the metadata blockchain by the blockchain data storage circuitry.