From: p2p-hackers@zgp.org (Justin Chapweske)
Date: Mon Jul 15 22:23:01 2002
Subject: [p2p-hackers] P2P HTTP

What do you want the P2P network to do? 

o If you want to allow back-connects through NAT, then use a 
multiplexing protocol underneath HTTP such as WebMUX or BEEP. 

o If you want to allow two NAT'd hosts to talk to each other, use a 
publicly accessible peer as an HTTP rendevous point,  assigning part of 
its address space to the peer.  This is what OpenCola's clerver allowed, 
it was quite nice.

o If you want to do search over HTTP, use the Tristero APIs. 

o If you want a DHT, then implement a REST-based interface for it. 

o If you want P2P content delivery, then use CAW. 

o If you want file sharing, then combine search with WebDAV. 

The real value in using HTTP is that there is an enourmous amount of 
technology out there that supports HTTP,  and it allows you to make more 
powerful, interoperable applications in a shorter amount of time.

> Justin, how would you layer a peer to peer network over HTTP? I know 
> Magi does something like this, but I'm not completely satisfied with 
> it's approach.  I've been playing around with layering P2P over HTTP 
> semantics, but it seems like it doesn't really result in any payoff 
> other than complexity and political correctness.  I'm interested in 
> hearing how you'd do it.
> 
> Brad Neuberg


-- 
Justin Chapweske, Onion Networks
http://onionnetworks.com/