The Bottom Line
Survey of peer-to-peer (P2P) systems looks at protocols and software, deployment, security and legal issues. The author reviews messaging, file sharing, content distribution, and other P2P solutions.
Pros
- Contains practical details and real-world examples
- Blends both technical and business perspectives
- Written in very easy to understand language
Cons
- Part III is superfluous, detracts from the "meat"
Description
- Part 1 - Peer to Peer Overview - covers P2P models and foundational issues like security
- Part 2 - Peer to Peer Solutions - surveys instant messaging, content, and other solutions
- Part 3 - Voices and Visions - presents P2P case studies as well as personal insights and opinion
- Appendicies contain references and resource information such as definitions of terms and Web links
Guide Review - "Peer to Peer - Collaboration and Sharing over the Internet"
Readers will immediately notice the high quality of writing and organization of material in this book. P2P is a difficult topic to cover in book form due to its immaturity and broad scope. Nevertheless, Bo Leuf has created a very effective P2P tutorial.
Compared to others on this topic, this text generally strikes a better balance between explaining the principles behind P2P and exploring technical details. Study in sequential order the chapters of Parts 1 and 2 for best results. Some readers may want to skip the very high-level and sometimes repetitive material in Part 3. Finally, don't miss the helpful references included at the end.
