Title: Management of peer-to-peer overlays

Authors: John F. Buford

Addresses: Avaya Labs Research, 307 Middletown-Lincroft Rd., Lincroft, NJ 07738, USA

Abstract: Peer-to-peer overlays constitute a new approach for delivering wide-area network and application services. The systems typically use a combination of self-organisation and cooperation with other peers to determine the peer|s role and performance in the overlay. Few overlays support external management mechanisms, which are the basis for overlay operators to provide specified service levels. We present a general model for supporting service assurance, provisioning, and diagnostics in large scale overlays which retains the self-organising properties of the overlay. We describe the operations with detailed examples, and assess the message overhead needed for overlay management vs. operational overhead.

Keywords: managed overlay; peer-to-peer overlays; P2P overlays; self-organisation; overlay operators; wide-area networks; WANs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIPT.2008.019291

International Journal of Internet Protocol Technology, 2008 Vol.3 No.1, pp.2 - 12

Published online: 06 Jul 2008 *

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