What is the fully-distributed web?
Channel: internet-class
Date: 2016-12-01

Today, almost all of our online interactions follow the client-server model, with the cloud emerging as the ultimate and all-powerful server. But a new generation of internet and web technologies are challenging this architecture. It has always been possible to build a fully-distributed web and internet, in which all currently centralized functions would be delegated to a shifting set of machines. To some degree, the cloud is already accomplishing this, as did earlier generations of peer-to-peer systems. But there are serious efforts underway to bring such a fully-distributed web to fruition. Perhaps tomorrow we will all be part of the cloud?

Credits: Talking: Geoffrey Challen (Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo). Producing: Greg Bunyea (Undergraduate, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo).

Part of the https://www.internet-class.org online internet course. A blue Systems Research Group (https://www.bluegroup.systems) production.