IBM announced a beta release of IBM Blockchain, an enterprise blockchain service based on the Linux Foundation‘s Hyperledger Fabric. The service enables developers to build production blockchain networks on the IBM Cloud, underpinned by the IBM LinuxONE server.

Blockchain technology uses a distributed database that effectively creates a tamper-proof ledger.

The Linux Foundation‘s open source Hyperledger Fabric version 1.0 is being developed by members of the Hyperledger consortium alongside other open source blockchain technologies. Hyperledger Fabric was recently promoted from incubator to active state, and it is expected to be available in the coming weeks.

Hyperledger Fabric is designed to provide a framework for building enterprise-grade blockchain networks that can scale quickly and transact at rates of more than 1,000 transactions per second among a large ecosystems of users.

IBM’s blockchain services are built on its High Security Business Network, which already serves clients in the financial services and regulated industries.

The High Security Business Network is built on Linux infrastructure that integrates security from the hardware up through the software stack. It includes secure service containers to help protect code by effectively encapsulating the blockchain into a secure virtual appliance.

IBM Blockchain for Hyperledger Fabric v1.0 is now available through a beta program on IBM Bluemix. Hyperledger Fabric is also available on Docker Hub as an IBM-certified image available for download at no cost.

Blockchain technology is one of IBM’s strategic imperatives. In its last earning’s call, the company reported that its strategic imperatives represented 44 percent of fourth-quarter 2016 revenues.