Data structure storage optimisation

A computing device for maintaining a data structure comprising a plurality of linked data blocks, wherein the data structure is stored in memory accessible to

• the computing device, and the computing device comprising a processor configured to:
• create a data block to be added to the data structure, wherein creating the block to be added to the data structure comprises:
• generating a request, the request comprising a block number associated with an end data block at an end of the data structure;
• generating an integrity measure associated with the computing device;
• transmitting the request and the integrity measure to one or more authorized signatory computing devices over a communication network;
• and
• receiving, via the communication network, at least one integrity measure associated with the one or more authorized signatory computing devices;
• wherein said block once added to the data structure comprises the request, the integrity measure associated with the computing device, the at least one integrity measure associated with the one or more authorized signatory computing devices, and a cryptographic hash of the end data block;
• transmit a message to a plurality of validator computing devices over the communication network, said message requesting permission to add said data block to the data structure;
• determine that consensus is reached by the plurality of validator computing devices that said data block can be added to the data structure, and in response to said determination:
• form a first sub-chain in the data-structure by adding the data block to the data structure, the first sub-chain starting with a genesis block and ending with said data block, wherein the data block comprises a block number indicating the number of blocks in the data structure from the genesis block, and
• create a further data block;
• transmit a further message to the plurality of validator computing devices over a communication network, said further message requesting permission to add said further data block to the data structure;
• determine that consensus is reached by the plurality of validator computing devices that said further data block can be added to the data structure, and in response to said determination, form a second sub-chain by adding the further data block to the data structure after said data block, the second sub-chain starting with said further data block, wherein the further block comprises (i) a first block number indicating a further number of blocks in the data structure from the genesis block;
• and (ii) a second block number indicating a number of blocks in the second sub-chain from the further data block.

A method of maintaining a data structure comprising a plurality of linked data blocks, the method implemented on a computing device, and comprising:

• creating a data block to be added to the data structure, wherein creating the data block to be added to the data structure is triggered in response to detecting that a total storage size of the linked data blocks of the data structure has reached a predetermined threshold size;
• transmitting a message to a plurality of validator computing devices over a communication network, said message requesting permission to add said data block to the data structure;
• determining that consensus is reached by the plurality of validator computing devices that said data block can be added to the data structure, and in response to said determining:
• forming a first sub-chain in the data-structure by adding the data block to the data structure, the first sub-chain starting with a genesis block and ending with said data block, wherein the data block comprises a block number indicating a number of blocks in the data structure from the genesis block, and
• creating a further data block;
• transmitting a further message to the plurality of validator computing devices over a communication network, said further message requesting permission to add said further data block to the data structure;
• determining that consensus is reached by the plurality of validator computing devices that said further data block can be added to the data structure, and in response to said determining, forming a second sub-chain by adding the further data block to the data structure after said data block, the second sub-chain starting with said further data block, wherein the further block comprises (i) a first block number indicating a further number of blocks in the data structure from the genesis block;
• and (ii) a second block number indicating a number of blocks in the second sub-chain from the further data block.