Abstract:
By adding a server as a node on a peer-to-peer network, the network may become more scalable, more reliable and more manageable, especially when the peer-to-peer network becomes very large.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     Peer-to-peer networking allows peers to communicate directly with each other without having to communicate through a central server. As such, many of the services provided by a central server are distributed to the nodes on the peer-to-peer network. This distribution of services has the advantage of ensuring that there is no single point of failure. At the same time, the authentication, categorization and rapid name discovery and resolution services commonly provided by a server may be lost.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0002]     By adding a server as a node on a peer-to-peer network, the network may become more scalable, more reliable and more manageable, especially when the peer-to-peer network becomes very large. The server may be a node on the network and may receive and store registration data in a memory. The server may also keep the registration data current in a manner that would not be taxing on the network, may authenticate users to ensure malicious nodes do not cause problems and may allow authenticated nodes to communicate with other authenticated nodes as well as forbid non-authenticated nodes from communicating with authenticated nodes. The server may also categorize the users of the peer-to-peer network, making searches for similar users more efficient. 
     
    
     DRAWINGS  
       [0003]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a computing system that may operate in accordance with the claims;  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of a sample peer-to-peer network;  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method of peer name discovery (and resolution) in a peer-to-peer network;  
         [0006]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of adjusting the method of node registration data querying in accordance with the claims;  
         [0007]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart of adjusting the method of node registration data querying in accordance with the claims;  
         [0008]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of analysis and categorization of node registration data in accordance with the claims; and  
         [0009]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart of authentication of node registration data in accordance with the claims. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]     Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the legal scope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.  
         [0011]     It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘_’ is hereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent (other than the language of the claims). To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term by limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recital of any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a suitable computing system environment  100  on which a system for the steps of the claimed method and apparatus may be implemented. The computing system environment  100  is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the method of apparatus of the claims. Neither should the computing environment  100  be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment  100 .  
         [0013]     The steps of the claimed method and apparatus are operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the methods or apparatus of the claims include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.  
         [0014]     The steps of the claimed method and apparatus may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The methods and apparatus may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.  
         [0015]     With reference to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary system for implementing the steps of the claimed method and apparatus includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer  110 . Components of computer  110  may include, but are not limited to, a processing unit  120 , a system memory  130 , and a system bus  121  that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit  120 . The system bus  121  may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus also known as Mezzanine bus.  
         [0016]     Computer  110  typically includes a variety of computer readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computer  110  and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by computer  110 . Communication media typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of the any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media.  
         [0017]     The system memory  130  includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM)  131  and random access memory (RAM)  132 . A basic input/output system  133  (BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer  110 , such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM  131 . RAM  132  typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit  120 . By way of example, and not limitation,  FIG. 1  illustrates operating system  134 , application programs  135 , other program modules  136 , and program data  137 .  
         [0018]     The computer  110  may also include other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only,  FIG. 1  illustrates a hard disk drive  140  that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive  151  that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk  152 , and an optical disk drive  155  that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile optical disk  156  such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive  141  is typically connected to the system bus  121  through a non-removable memory interface such as interface  140 , and magnetic disk drive  151  and optical disk drive  155  are typically connected to the system bus  121  by a removable memory interface, such as interface  150 .  
         [0019]     The drives and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated in  FIG. 1 , provide storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer  110 . In  FIG. 1 , for example, hard disk drive  141  is illustrated as storing operating system  144 , application programs  145 , other program modules  146 , and program data  147 . Note that these components can either be the same as or different from operating system  134 , application programs  135 , other program modules  136 , and program data  137 . Operating system  144 , application programs  145 , other program modules  146 , and program data  147  are given different numbers here to illustrate that, at a minimum, they are different copies. A user may enter commands and information into the computer  20  through input devices such as a keyboard  162  and pointing device  161 , commonly referred to as a mouse, trackball or touch pad. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit  120  through a user input interface  160  that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor  191  or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus  121  via an interface, such as a video interface  190 . In addition to the monitor, computers may also include other peripheral output devices such as speakers  197  and printer  196 , which may be connected through an output peripheral interface  190 .  
         [0020]     The computer  110  may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer  180 . The remote computer  180  may be a personal computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer  110 , although only a memory storage device  181  has been illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The logical connections depicted in  FIG. 1  include a local area network (LAN)  171  and a wide area network (WAN)  173 , but may also include other networks. Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet.  
         [0021]     When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer  110  is connected to the LAN  171  through a network interface or adapter  170 . When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer  110  typically includes a modem  172  or other means for establishing communications over the WAN  173 , such as the Internet. The modem  172 , which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus  121  via the user input interface  160 , or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer  110 , or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation,  FIG. 1  illustrates remote application programs  185  as residing on memory device  181 . It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of a peer-to-peer network  200 . In a peer-to-peer network  200 , a node  210  may communicate or connect to other nodes  220 ,  230 ,  240  unlike a traditional network where the nodes connect to a central server and communicate with each other through the central server. In a peer-to-peer network  200 , there is no reason that one of the nodes could not be a server such as server  250 .  
         [0023]     In a peer-to-peer network  200 , usually each node has to create, store and update a list of all or a subset of other nodes that are part of the network. This list may contain a name (or an encoding of a name, a numeric identifier, or some other unique representation for the node) for each node and an address which may be used to reach the node. Names and addresses can be obtained by a node broadcasting its name and address or by a node inquiring of other nodes on the network for name and address information. The process to obtain and maintain a list of peer names can take up bandwidth on the peer-to-peer network  200 , particularly because the active nodes and their addresses are dynamic. Further, when each node only maintains a list of a subset of other nodes, requests to find another node may have to rotate through a significant number of nodes until the desired node is located.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  depicts a method of peer name discovery. The method may also be used for peer name resolution. At block  300 , a computer implemented method of peer name discovery (and resolution) in a peer-to-peer network  200  may begin. At block  310 , a node (such as node  250  from  FIG. 2 ) in a peer-to-peer network  200  may accept peer name registration data  260  ( FIG. 2 ) from a node (such as nodes  210 ,  220 ,  230 ,  240  from  FIG. 2 ) using a particular protocol. A single node may have a variety of peer names. For example, the Brady family may have a single network connection and but may have multiple peer names, such as Greg Brady, Marsha Brady, Peter Brady, etc. In addition, the Brady family may have multiple computers and each computer may have its own network address. At block  310 , a node in a peer-to-peer network  200  may accept peer name registration data  260  from Greg Brady, Marsha Brady, Peter Brady, etc.  
         [0025]     At block  320 , a method is established to translate the peer name registration data and/or protocol  260  to a first format. For example, some people on the peer-to-peer network  200  may use the DNS host name format to identify other nodes in the peer-to-peer network and use the DNS protocol to query for addresses corresponding to DNS host names; others with more modern systems may use Peer Name Resolution Protocol (“PNRP”) name format and protocol to respectively identify hosts and retrieve their addresses. In a first embodiment, the method may be established through the designation of a well-known server (for example, a DNS server with responsibility for a well-known domain name). In a second embodiment, the method may be established through translation services provided by an arbitrary collection of hosts (for example, by all hosts participating in the PNRP protocol). It should be noted that the translation provided by the established method may not actually require an actual change in protocol or format; for example, the translation might map data received from one authoritative domain into data transmitted to a second authoritative domain without specifically changing the protocol or format of that data.  
         [0026]     At block  330 , the method may allow nodes using name registration data and/or protocols in the first format to access the registration data and/or protocol  260 . For example (and in illustration of the aforementioned second embodiment), Greg Brady may work on the computer in the attic and may be on the peer-to-peer network  200  ( FIG. 2 ). As a result, the memory in his computer may have collected a useful amount of peer names and addresses and be able to issue queries to obtain additional names and addresses. Marsha Brady may log into the peer-to-peer network  200  from her bedroom, but she may be incapable of accessing peer names and addresses because her computer does not support the latest protocols. Marsha&#39;s computer may query Greg&#39;s computer and may be able to access the significant peer name and address information that may be stored in Greg&#39;s memory or that may be accessible from Greg&#39;s computer.  
         [0027]     As an illustration of the aforementioned first embodiment, a server (such as server  250  from  FIG. 2 ) may take the role of Greg&#39;s computer. The server  250  may be part of the peer network  200  and the server may be capable of obtaining, updating and providing registration data  260  such as network peer name and address data to nodes that join the peer-to-peer network  200 . The addition of a server to a peer-to-peer network  200  may have some benefits such as providing some authentication enforcement and may provide for more predictable performance of the peer-to-peer network  200 .  
         [0028]     One of the possible differences of having a server as part of the peer-to-peer  200  network may be that obtaining registration data  260  may be better controlled. Instead of having multiple nodes requesting and announcing registration data  260 , a single node may take on this role.  FIG. 4  may illustrate some additional blocks that may provide benefits of having a server be part of a peer-to-peer network  200 .  
         [0029]     At block  400 , the node, which may be a server node, may query nodes in the peer-to-peer network  200  for registration data  260 . The query may be dependent of the format of the peer-to-peer network. Methods of querying or obtaining addresses are well known and do not affect the invention herein described.  
         [0030]     At block  410 , the querying may be performed in a periodic basis. For example, the node may determine to query for addresses every thirty seconds. By periodically querying, network performance may be more predictable (because the queries are issued on a regular basis, independently of the data access queries actually received by the server which may arrive in an unpredictable manner) and the node storing the addresses may have more up-to-date registration data  260  on a consistent basis in the long run, on average.  
         [0031]     At block  420 , the method may monitor the traffic in the peer-to-peer network  200  and query the nodes during periods of lower network traffic. For example, the node may observe the network to determine an average of network activity. During periods when network traffic is below the average, the node may query for registration information. In this manner, the traffic on the peer-to-peer network  200  may be more smooth and predictable as address queries may not be sent during times of high network traffic.  
         [0032]     At block  430 , the node may answer queries from additional nodes for peer name registration data  260 . Instead of having to individually collect registration data  260 , the other nodes on the peer-to-peer network  200  may know to query the node, which may be a server. The registration data  260  may be mirrored and stored in a second memory.  
         [0033]      FIG. 5  may be another expansion of the method described in  FIG. 4 . At block  500 , the method may determine the deprecation time of peer name registrations. Nodes may join and drop off of a peer-to-peer network  200 . In addition, users may change their peer node registration information by changing names, changing computers, changing programs, etc. These changes may or may not be announced. In addition, these changes may be only be announced to part of the peer-to-peer network  200  with the assumption being that the rest of the peer-to-peer network  200  will find out over time. As a result, some registration information may become outdated or deprecated. The method may keep track of the time, on average, that it takes for registration data  260  to become deprecated or outdated. At block  510 , the method may use this deprecation knowledge to adjust the frequency of querying based on the determined deprecation time. For example, if on average, node information become outdated every thirty minutes, the method may ensure that all nodes with registration information in the memory are queried for updated registration data  260  at least once every thirty minutes. If the deprecation time is lower, the time between queries may be lowered and if the deprecation time is higher, the time between queries may be increased.  
         [0034]      FIG. 6  may illustrate another aspect of the invention. At block  600 , the node that receives the registration data  260  described in  FIG. 3  may also perform an analysis on registration data  260 . This analysis might determine, based on client needs, how best to organize registration data to ensure that client queries receive the best possible response. For example, if the client applications are concerned with high speed file sharing, nodes may be categorized by their connection speed. At block  610 , based on the analysis, the method may issue queries for additional registration data  260 . For example, the method might query a node for its bandwidth information or its host uptime. In addition, at block  620 , the method may categorize the registration data  260  based on the additional information retrieved.  
         [0035]      FIG. 7  may illustrate yet another aspect of the invention. At block  700  the method may authenticate nodes on the peer network based on the registration data  260 . For example, in a peer-to-peer network, a malicious node may not pass on information to other nodes. Accordingly, information that is meant for additional nodes may not reach the intended nodes on the network. By authenticating nodes, it will be more difficult for malicious nodes to become part of the peer-to-peer network. Authentication may take on virtually any form, such as passing a test, a plurality of tests or a challenge. In addition, a first node may perform a first test and a second node may perform a second test. At block  710 , the method may ensure that an authenticated node is only able to communicate with other authenticated nodes and at block  720 , the method may ensure non-authenticated nodes cannot communicate with authenticated nodes.  
         [0036]     As a result of adding a server  250  to a peer-to-peer network, the network may be more scalable as nodes do not have to take such great care in tracking network overhead such as ensuring that network addresses are valid. The server  250  can take care of this overhead. In addition, it may be easier to find peers on the peer network  200  performing the same activity. For example, the server  250  may categorize the peers by activity and Greg Brady could easily find other musicians that are attempting to start a rock and roll band, if such a category existed. The time required to find matching nodes may be greatly reduced. Finally, projects that require enormous computing power such as mapping the human genome may be able to manage the vast number of nodes that would be required to perform such operations.  
         [0037]     Although the forgoing text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments, it should be understood that the scope of the patent is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment because describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims.  
         [0038]     Thus, many modifications and variations may be made in the techniques and structures described and illustrated herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present claims. Accordingly, it should be understood that the methods and apparatus described herein are illustrative only and are not limiting upon the scope of the claims.