Introduction

Peer-to-peer:
A peer-to-peer (P2P) network is a type of decentralized and distributed network
architecture in which individual nodes in the network called peers. It act as both
suppliers and consumers of resources, in contrast to the centralized client-server model
where client nodes request access to resources provided by central servers.
In a peer-to-peer network, tasks (such as searching for files or streaming
audio/video) are shared amongst multiple interconnected peers who each make a
portion of their resources (such as processing power, disk storage or network
bandwidth) directly available to other network participants, without the need for
centralized coordination by servers.
A peer-to-peer (P2P) network

Content delivery:
In P2P networks, clients provide resources as well as using them. This means that
unlike client-server systems, the content serving capacity of peer-to-peer networks can
actually increase as more users begin to access the content (especially with protocols
such as Bit torrent that require users to share). This property is one of the major
advantages of using P2P networks because it makes the setup and running costs very
small for the original content distributor.

File-sharing networks:
Many file peer-to-peer file sharing networks, such as Gnutella, G2, and the
eDonkey network popularized peer-to-peer technologies. From 2004 on, such networks

form the largest contributor of network traffic on the Internet. Peer-to-peer content
delivery networks. Peer-to-peer content services, e.g. caches for improved performance
such as Correli Caches Software publication and distribution (Linux distribution,
several games); via file sharing networks.
Streaming media:
P2PTV and PDTP. Applications include TVUPlayer, Joost, CoolStreaming,
Cybersky-TV, PPLive, Live Station, Giraffic and Didiom. Spotify uses a peer-to-peer
network along with streaming servers to stream music to its desktop music player.
Peercasting for multicasting streams. See PeerCast, IceShare, FreeCast, Rawflow
Pennsylvania State University, MIT and Simon Fraser University are carrying on a
project called LionShare designed for facilitating file sharing among educational
institutions globally. Osiris (Serverless Portal System) allows its users to create
anonymous and autonomous web portals distributed via P2P network.
Video on demand (VoD):
Video on demand (VoD) is an interactive TV technology that allows subscribers
to view programming in real time or download programs and view them later. A VoD
system at the consumer level can consist of a standard TV receiver along with a set-top
box. Alternatively, the service can be delivered over the Internet to home computers,
portable computers, high-end cellular telephone sets and advanced digital media
devices.
VoD has historically suffered from a lack of available network bandwidth,
resulting in bottlenecks and long download times. VoD can work well over a wide
geographic region or on a satellite-based network as long as the demand for
programming is modest. However, when large numbers of consumers demand multiple
programs on a continuous basis, the total amount of data involved (in terms of
megabytes) can overwhelm network resources.
One way to mitigate this problem is to store programs on geographically
distributed servers and provide programs to local users on request, a technology called
store and forward. This approach increases the availability of the programming and the
overall reliability of the system compared with the use of a single gigantic repository.
Store and forward also allows local providers to maintain their systems and set up
billing structures independently. Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching
technology lends itself especially well to this application.

The VoD concept is not new. The first commercial VoD service was launched in
Hong Kong in the early 1990s. In the United States, Oceanic Cable of Hawaii was the
first to offer it beginning in 2000, immediately after the passing of the Y2K scare. Today,
VoD is offered by numerous providers, particularly those who also offer triple play
services. VoD is used in educational institutions and can enhance presentations in
videoconference environments. VoD is also offered in most high-end hotels. VoD will
likely become more common as fiber to the home (FTTH) services become widespread.
Video Streaming:
Streaming video is content sent in compressed form over the Internet and
displayed by the viewer in real time. With streaming video or streaming media, a Web
user does not have to wait to download a file to play it. Instead, the media is sent in a
continuous stream of data and is played as it arrives. The user needs a player, which is a
special program that uncompressed and sends video data to the display and audio data
to speakers. A player can be either an integral part of a browser or downloaded from the
software maker's Web site.

Major streaming video and streaming media technologies include Real System
G2 from Real Network, Microsoft Windows Media Technologies (including its NetShow
Services and Theater Server), and VDO. Microsoft's approach uses the standard MPEG
compression algorithm for video. The other approaches use proprietary algorithms.
(The program that does the compression and decompression is sometimes called the
codec.) Microsoft's technology offers streaming audio at up to 96 Kbps and streaming
video at up to 8 Mbps (for the NetShow Theater Server). However, for most Web users,
the streaming video will be limited to the data rates of the connection (for example, up
to 128 Kbps with an ISDN connection). Microsoft's streaming media files are in its
Advanced Streaming Format (ASF).

Streaming video is usually sent from prerecorded video files, but can be
distributed as part of a live broadcast "feed." In a live broadcast, the video signal is
converted into a compressed digital signal and transmitted from a special Web server
that is able to do multicast, sending the same file to multiple users at the same time.