Seagate Technologies And IBM Partner To Leverage Blockchain In Fighting Counterfeits
Seagate Technologies has teamed up with IBM as it looks to put to an end hard drives counterfeiting vice. The two will leverage the power of blockchain technology to ensure computer hard drives are authentic at all times.
Fighting Counterfeits
The partnership will result in the integration of Seagate produced drives on the IBM Blockchain Platform. The integration should go a long way in ensuring counterfeit hard drives are not utilized in data servers. The logging aspect should also help avert the possibility of counterfeits hard drives ending up in user’s hands as genuine products.
In addition, the two plan to use blockchain technology to track every hard drive back to the manufacturer in future. The partnership will first target hard drives used in IBM servers. However, plans are underway to cater for other products in future.
In a bid to verify, the authenticity of each hard drive Seagate is to include a physical marker in each drive. The marker will also come with an electronic key stored in IBM blockchain. The markers will make it easy to check, at any time, a product in a supply chain to confirm its authenticity.
The ability to track a hard drive on the blockchain platform would not go live immediately. IBM is retaining the functionality with plans to make it possible in the near future. However once the platform is made available, Seagate expects it to attract strong interest.
Blockchain In Supply Management
Counterfeiting is a big problem. The total value of counterfeited goods touched highs of $1.7 trillion in 2015. IBM is planning to collaborate with other products developing companies as it looks to sell to them the need of using blockchain technology to track products
Seagate is not only looking at using blockchain to confirm the authenticity of hard drivers. The hardware manufacturer is also in the process of coming up with blockchain solutions for enhancing supply chain management. With the help of the ledger technology, the company hopes to streamline and eliminate paperwork in supply chain processes.