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\chapter{Introduction} |
\chapter{Introduction} |
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Peer-to-Peer systems have recently received noteworthy attention in both |
Peer-to-Peer systems have recently received considerable attention in both |
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academia and industry for a number of reasons. First, the lack of centralization |
academia and industry for a number of reasons. First, the lack of centralization |
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means that participants can form a distributed system without any investment to |
means that the participants can form a distributed system without any investment to |
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centralized, high-priced hardware which would coordinate it. Second, Peer-to-Peer |
centralized, high-priced hardware which would coordinate it. Second, Peer-to-Peer |
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provides new direct way to achieve interoperability between network participants. |
provides new direct way to achieve interoperability between network participants. |
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Finally, the distributed and ad-hoc nature of Peer-to-Peer improves scalability |
Finally, the distributed and ad-hoc nature of Peer-to-Peer improves scalability |
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systems. Schollmeier \cite{schollmeier01p2pdefinition} characterizes a Peer-to-Peer network as a system of |
systems. Schollmeier \cite{schollmeier01p2pdefinition} characterizes a Peer-to-Peer network as a system of |
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distributed entities that share their own resources (e.g. CPU time or storage space). |
distributed entities that share their own resources (e.g. CPU time or storage space). |
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To summarize, Peer-to-Peer systems can be characterized as distributed |
To summarize, Peer-to-Peer systems can be characterized as distributed |
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systems in which all communication is symmetric and all participants have identical |
systems in which all communication is symmetric and all participants entities have identical |
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capabilities and responsibilities. Each \emph{peer} may contribute data or |
capabilities and responsibilities. Each entity, i.e., \emph{peer}, may contribute data or |
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computing resources (e.g., unused storage) to the overall system and the welfare |
computing resources (e.g., unused storage) to the overall system and the welfare |
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of the community can scale with the number of participants. Thus, each participant |
of the community can scale with the number of participants. Thus, each participant |
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rely on one another's services and resources, rather than solely relying on dedicated |
rely on one another's services and resources, rather than solely relying on dedicated |