A network that links a series of computers together without the use of a server. The term also refers to web sites that enable users to do business with each other, also known as a P2P site
A network without a server of linking computers, of equal status.
Type of network where computers share files and resources without a server.
A sharing and delivery of user specified files among groups of people who are logged on to a file sharing network. Napster was the first mainstream P2P software that enabled large scale file sharing.
A network computing system in which all computers are treated as equals on the network. Individual computers may share hard drives, CD-ROM drives, and other storage devices with the other computers on the network. This is different than a client/server set-up in which most of the computers (clients) tend to share resources from one main computer (the server).
A method of distributing files over a network. Using P2P client software a client can advertise, send, or receive files with another client. Some P2P file...
A system by which files can be shared over a network, often the internet. Usually peer to peer systems are arranged in a distributed network which makes users simultaneously a hub and a node. P2P systems to look for are, amongst others, BitTorrent, Gnutella and Kazaa.
P2P applications have gained immense popularity over the Internet in the past few years. Applications such as KaZaA, iMesh, Gnutella, eDonkey and others, expose the organization to malicious code, can create security risks by exposing confidential information, and enable distribution of copyright protected material. In addition, these applications also enable installation of unauthorized and pirated software, and enable distribution of inappropriate and non-productive content (some content shared over P2P networks include soft to hard pornography, drug, violence and terrorism related materials).
A multiplayer network game where all computers store a copy of the game world. An example is Warcraft. These computers in a peer to peer game can prevent cheating if they detect that one computers game world is very different from the other computers' game worlds.
When the PC is both client and server, able to swap resources directly with other PCs. Resources? Files, songs, videos, processor cycles, disk space. This wil be big for self-organizing teams.
A peer to peer (P2P) network relies on the computing power and bandwidth of the participants in the network rather than concentrating it in a relatively low number of servers. P2P networks are typically used for swapping files of music, image or text. American music producers are concerned that music fans are downloading music from each other without buying the original. American companies took the free Napster peer to court, but the cat is out of the bag with lots of others popping up. Entire films can be swapped if you have the broadband connections.