Selecting Consensus Algorithm Integrations in a DAG-based Blockchain for IoT Using Genetic Algorithms

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) drives technological advances across various sectors by enabling seamless communication among smart devices. However, significant challenges remain regarding the integrity and reliability of the data stored by these devices. Traditional blockchain solutions, such as those based on Proof of Work (PoW), are generally unsuitable for IoT applications due to their high computational resource demands. Although approaches combining multiple consensus algorithms have emerged as alternatives to optimise performance and security, determining the best combination for each scenario remains an open problem. This paper proposes a strategy based on Genetic Algorithms (GAs) to adaptively select and combine consensus algorithms, thus improving blockchain efficiency in IoT environments. The approach was evaluated on a test blockchain, OmniBlock, implemented using a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) and designed specifically for evaluation purposes in IoT applications. OmniBlock supports multiple consensus algorithms, including Proof of Authority (PoA), Proof of Stake (PoS), Proof of Work (PoW), Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT), Raft, and others. The consensus algorithm combination is chosen based on performance attributes. All combinations of consensus algorithms evaluated in this work were suggested by GAs; the practical feasibility of each is analyzed empirically. Experimental results indicate that the evolutionary optimization-based strategy performs better across most of the combinations suggested by the GAs.