What is the peer The peer-to-peer model, or P2P model for short, is an architectural concept and communication model for providing services in a network. The communication partners involved are called peers and have equal rights. They can both provide and use services.
The P2P model is an alternative to the client-server model . In the client-server model, the clients and servers have different tasks. Another alternative architectural model is the master-slave model .
The P2P model has a decentralized structure and is self-organized. However, there are different variants of the P2P model, some of which have different levels of decentralization. Typical areas of application of the P2P architecture concept are file sharing services on the Internet, instant messaging, grid computing and collaboration tools.
Typical features of the peer-to-peer model
The peer-to-peer model has some typical features. These are: Depending on the application and implementation of the P2P model, different variants exist. Distinguishing features are the degree of decentralization, the structuring of the peers and different abilities for Hong Kong Phone Number List self-organization. While in simple P2P models all peers are completely equal, in more complex models groups of peers can be formed to which different specific tasks are easily assigned. For example, in completely equal peer-to-peer architectures, search queries must be sent to all peers.
In structured or grouped systems, it is possible to map higher-level search functions by providing an index. Some P2P systems have central elements that take on tasks in coordinating the peers. For example, they manage addresses or lists of services offered. In this case, one also speaks of hybrid or hierarchical P2P systems. Systems with supernodes have individual, particularly high-performance peers that provide a large proportion of the resources for the overall system.
Alternative architectural models
In addition to the peer-to-peer model, there are other alternative architecture models for providing services in networks, such as the client-server model or the master-slave model. In the client-server model, the tasks in the network are clearly distributed. Servers Cell Phone Number Database offer services, clients use the services. The model is one of the most commonly used models on the Internet. Many services and communication protocols in TCP / IP networks, such as receiving and sending emails, accessing Internet pages, transferring files or resolving domain names, are based on the client-server model.
Another architectural model is the master-slave model. In this architectural concept, the master takes on a leading role. It grants slaves the right to access shared resources and organizes communication. Slaves themselves are not able to communicate without the master’s permission.
Application areas of the peer-to-peer model
The peer-to-peer model is used in numerous Bulk Database applications. Popular areas of application are file sharing services on the Internet. The participating peers offer files for download and can simultaneously download files from one or more peers. Other applications are:
Advantages of the peer-to-peer model
The peer-to-peer model offers a whole range of advantages. P2P systems are very scalable and require little management effort due to their self-organization. The failure of a single peer hardly affects the overall function of the system. By combining the resources of many individual peers, tasks can be completed that may require expensive high-performance computers in a client-server structure.
