The peer-to-peer (P2P) network model is a decentralized approach to networking where individual devices, known as peers, communicate and share resources directly with one another without the need for a central server.
In a P2P network, each device has equal status and can act both as a client and a server, contributing resources and requesting services from other peers.
This model is commonly used for various applications and services, including:
Peer to Peer
In a P2P network, there is no central server or authority governing the network. Instead, peers communicate and collaborate directly with each other.
Peers in a P2P network can share various resources, including files, processing power, and bandwidth. For example, in file-sharing P2P networks, users can share and download files directly from other peers.
All peers in a P2P network have equal status. Each peer can initiate connections, request services, and offer resources to other peers.
P2P networks often have a distributed architecture, which means that there is no single point of failure. If one peer goes offline, the network can still function.
Peers can join or leave the network at any time without disrupting network operations. New peers can discover existing peers, and the network adapts to changes in membership.
P2P networks are resilient because they lack a central point of control or failure.
P2P networks can scale easily by adding more peers as needed.
Resources are distributed across the network, reducing the burden on any single device or server.
Multiple copies of shared resources can exist on different peers, providing redundancy.
Fault tolerance
Trust between peers can be a challenge, as there is no central authority to enforce security policies. Malicious peers can pose security risks.
The performance of P2P networks can vary depending on the number and capabilities of peers, as well as network conditions.
Peers must discover and connect to other peers, which may require special protocols and infrastructure.
Content availability can be inconsistent in P2P file-sharing networks if not enough peers are sharing a specific file.
2. Which of the following is a disadvantage of the Peer to Peer Model?