Patent ID: 8185576

Claim:
A server coupled to a network comprising a plurality of ordinary nodes and a plurality of indexing nodes, the server comprising: at least one processor operable to: (A) receive an index request from an indexing node in the plurality of indexing nodes, said index request being a request for permission for said indexing node to index a file; (B) determine whether or not an identifier for the file corresponds to an entry in a database, said database comprising a plurality of file identifiers and one or more action codes corresponding to each of said plurality of file identifiers; and (C) provide an index response to the indexing node in response to the index request, said index response being based, at least in part, on (i) whether or not the identifier for the file corresponds to an entry in the database, and, when the identifier for the file corresponds to an entry in the database, said index response being based, at least in part, on (ii) one or more action codes in said database corresponding to said identifier for said file, wherein said index response comprises one of: (i) a first indication that the indexing node has permission to index the file; and (ii) a second indication that the indexing node does not have permission to index the file; and (iii) a third indication that the indexing node should index a substitute file instead of the file, wherein the server is distinct from the plurality of indexing nodes and wherein the network comprises a peer-to-peer network.