Peer-to-Peer File Sharing for Mobile Devices

Summary. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing is a relatively new addition to the growing list of mobile-based technologies. The advanced connectivity features and powerful hardware of new generation mobile devices facilitates the implementation of even the most complex P2P technologies. The characteristics of the P2P architecture, such as reliability, easy one-to-one communication, and extensible distribution of resources, make it one of the most suitable networking technologies for mobile systems. In this chapter, we give a summary of our experience in implementing the Gnutella and the BitTorrent file sharing technologies on a mobile platform. We examine the particular protocols and emphasize the points relevant to the mobile implementation.