8/13/2019 P2P Networking and P2P Software

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P2P Networking and P2P SoftwareP2P networkinghas generated tremendous interest worldwide among both Internet surfers andcomputer networking professionals. P2P softwaresystems like Kazaa and Napster rank amongst

the most popular software applications ever. Numerous businesses and Web sites have promoted

"peer to peer" technology as the future of Internet networking.

Although they have actually eisted for many years! # technologies promise to radicallychange the future of networking. # file sharing software has also created much controversy

over legality and "fair use." In general! eperts disagree on various details of # and precisely

how it will evolve in the future.

raditional Peer to Peer NetworksThe P2P acronym technically stands for peer to peer. Webopedia defines P2Pas

"A type of network in which each workstation has equivalent capabilities andresponsibilities. This differs from client/server architectures in which somecomputers are dedicated to servin! the others."

This definition captures the traditional meanin! of peer to peer networkin!.omputers in a peer to peer network are typically situated physically near to eachother and run similar networkin! protocols and software. #efore home networkin!became popular only small businesses and schools built peer to peer networks.

Home Peer to Peer Networks$ost home computer networks today are peer to peer networks. %esidential usersconfi!ure their computers in peer work!roups to allow sharin! of files printers andother resources equally amon! all of the devices. Althou!h one computer may actas a file server or &a' server at any !iven time other home computers often haveequivalent capability to handle those responsibilities.

$oth wired and wireless home networks %ualify as peer to peer environments. &ome may arguethat the installation of a network routeror similar centerpiece device means that network is no

longer peer to peer. 'rom the networking point of view! this is inaccurate. A router simply (oinsthe home network to the Internet) it does not by itself change how resources within the network

are shared.

P2P File Sharing NetworksWhen most people hear the term "P2P" they think not of traditional peer networksbut rather peer to peer file sharin! over the (nternet. P2P file sharin! systems havebecome the sin!le most popular class of (nternet applications in this decade.

A # network implements search and data transfer protocols above the Internet rotocol *I+.,o access a # network! users simply download and install a suitable # client application.

Numerous # networks and # software applications eist. &ome # applications work only

with one # network! while others operate cross-network. ikewise! some # networkssupport only one application! while others support multiple applications.

http://webopedia.internet.com/TERM/p/peer_to_peer_architecture.htmlhttp://compnetworking.about.com/cs/routers/g/bldef_router.htmhttp://compnetworking.about.com/cs/routers/g/bldef_router.htmhttp://compnetworking.about.com/cs/protocols/p/protocol_ip.htmhttp://webopedia.internet.com/TERM/p/peer_to_peer_architecture.htmlhttp://compnetworking.about.com/cs/routers/g/bldef_router.htmhttp://compnetworking.about.com/cs/protocols/p/protocol_ip.htm