PEER TO PEER NETWORKS

Peer to Peer Networks

Peer to Peer Networks

Introduction

Generally, a Peer-to-Peer consists of computers or other processing units that do not have a fixed role of client or server, instead usually considered equal level and assume the role of client or a server depending transaction being initiated or received from another pair in the same network. A Peer-to-Peer, unlike a star network, is created in order to share data and devices, not services. As there is no central management, information travels by all or many of the nodes in the network, from origin to destination, being ignored by all nodes except the recipient. The intermediate stations simply act as repeaters of information. The network nodes Peer-to-Peer may differ in local configuration, processing power, storage capacity, and bandwidth, among other characteristics (Muthusamy, 2003). The first use of the term Peer-to-Peer was in 1984 with the development of the project Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking Architecture at IBM. P2P has long ceased to known exchanges such as Napster, Gnutella or Free net limited. More and more companies created solutions based on this technology. Market analysts see the P2P business outlook for 2001.

Software companies such as IBM, Microsoft and Lotus to develop solutions for any business environment. The World Wide Web (HTTP protocol) is often called a one-way street, because, regardless of interactivity, essentially, data in one direction are transported to the users. P2P removes this restriction and allows direct data transfer between user groups. Websites to download files, databases themselves must not be stored on Web servers on the Internet (Yang, & Veciana, 2010, pp.2-5).

Somehow it is in P2P to closed networks, on the other hand various forms are publicly available, and it simply requires a registration. Within the P2P networks can turn any number of subgroups realized with limited user communities. Whether files on central servers (Napster must store), or only to the connected PC's, (Gnutella) depends on the particular software solution. The search for information, files, images, in the P2P network is much more efficient than the WWW. The search is performed in real time, only really existing files. For groups, there are new opportunities for cooperation. Files are not sent via email, but are at a defined location available to all participants. Access to the files of your own PC from any computer is, by maintaining high safety standards possible.

Discussion

The P2P is mainly based on the philosophy and ideals that all users must share. Known as P2P philosophy is applied in some networks as an entirely meritocratic system where "the most share, more and more access privileges have available more quickly to more content." This system aims to ensure the availability of shared content, because otherwise it would be possible to keep network. Users who do not share content in the system and thus do not follow the philosophy of the network itself, are called "leechers", which often represent a threat to the availability of resources in a P2P network because only consume resources without replacing ...