Proactive network provider participation for P2P
The Provider Portal for Applications - briefly also: P4P - is an Internet service that together by Internet service providers and electronic barter exchange operators - is being used - such as BitTorrent, eDonkey2000 or Gnutella. Through this service the rising through the file-sharing services data volume should be better directed.
Initial situation
By sharing networks and there exchanged files with increasingly rich multimedia content, the ISPs or Internet service provider recorded on your lines continuously increasing data volume for swap meets. Due to the automatic, defined in the Internet Protocol pathfinding data packets between suppliers and buyers go through in the exchange market usually more ways than necessary. Often in file sharing providers are chosen that are not in the immediate vicinity (same ISP, geographic proximity ) are, although such providers would be available. The transferred data volume strain on the lines of the participating ISPs, although shorter routes would be possible if the vendor selection is chosen for this optimization goal. This is where the P4P to allow for more regional or even local connection, in the actively engage the ISPs in the vendor selection.
Technology
In P4P is a voluntary and open standard. However, the implementation assumes that the participating ISPs with each other to disclose details about their own network structures. Comparable to the MAE at the IP layer to merge user / inside direct regional file exchanges.
Asks for the P4P ( BitTorrent ) Tracker at P4P Portal more information. The tracker checks this information about its clients, without disclosing the contents to be exchanged ( if possible at fixed ObjectIDs ) or the seller or buyer role. Since at the same time received very many requests, a conclusion on the P2P participants and the exchanged files is quite possible since the IP addresses of these are made known and are associated with files.
There are so-called P- vectors - also P data or iTracker - provided. From this information the tracker opens the way to the source and destination computers. The P vector may contain a time-dependence, SD would be used at a later time or different routes routes. The P- vectors are to pass parallel to the previous P2P network information to the P2P client. The P2P client can begin downloading thus either via the P4P Portal or via the traditional way.
Under laboratory conditions, there were not only pleasing shortened reaction times for the Exchange Participants / inside, but especially significant reduced workloads in the data volume - and thus a cost savings compared to otherwise applicable line volume expansion. For example. Verizon reported that, at the test only half as much data volume as in conventional P2P networks had to be replaced with other providers.
First implementations are to be made by Internet service providers in the U.S. in the spring.
P4P Working Group
Responsible by Pando Networks, a group of Internet service providers, P2P program providers, network equipment manufacturers and IT research organizations was established. The group's goal is to bring together to develop the P4P technology, test, and implement. The P4P Working Group consists of at present:
- Core Group
- Observers
- AT & T
- Bezeq International
- BitTorrent
- Velocix
- Cisco Systems
- Grid networks
- Joost
- Limewire
- Manatt
- Oversi
- Pando networks
- PeerApp
- Verisign
- Verizon
- Vuze
- Washington University
- Yale University
Criticism
The P4P protocol itself does not rule out that the privacy of the P2P participants can be uncovered. This could be of relevance when the anti -piracy lobbyists of the P4P group were considering to make use of this.