Avalanche (P2P)
Encyclopedia
Avalanche is the name of a proposed peer-to-peer
(P2P) network created by Pablo Rodriguez and Christos Gkantsidis at Microsoft
, which claims to offer improved scalability
and bandwidth efficiency compared to existing P2P systems.
The proposed system works in a similar way to BitTorrent, but aims to improve some of its shortfalls. Like BitTorrent, Avalanche splits the file to be distributed into small blocks. However, rather than peers simply transmitting the blocks, they transmit random linear combination
s of the blocks along with the random coefficients of this linear combination - a technique known as 'network coding
'. This technique removes the need for each peer to have complex knowledge of block distribution across the network (an aspect of BitTorrent-like protocols which the paper claims does not scale very well).
Bram Cohen
, the creator of BitTorrent, criticized the proposed Avalanche system in a post to his blog
. He mentions inaccuracies in the paper's analysis of the BitTorrent protocol (some of it being based on an out-of-date version of the protocol which used an algorithm that "sucks") and describes the paper as "garbage."
In July 2007, Microsoft made the technology available as a public customer technology preview (CTP) of the resulting system, called 'Microsoft Secure Content Downloader' (MSCD).
Peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
(P2P) network created by Pablo Rodriguez and Christos Gkantsidis at Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, which claims to offer improved scalability
Scalability
In electronics scalability is the ability of a system, network, or process, to handle growing amount of work in a graceful manner or its ability to be enlarged to accommodate that growth...
and bandwidth efficiency compared to existing P2P systems.
The proposed system works in a similar way to BitTorrent, but aims to improve some of its shortfalls. Like BitTorrent, Avalanche splits the file to be distributed into small blocks. However, rather than peers simply transmitting the blocks, they transmit random linear combination
Linear combination
In mathematics, a linear combination is an expression constructed from a set of terms by multiplying each term by a constant and adding the results...
s of the blocks along with the random coefficients of this linear combination - a technique known as 'network coding
Network coding
Network coding is a technique where, instead of simply relaying the packets of information they receive, the nodes of a network will take several packets and combine them together for transmission. This can be used to attain the maximum possible information flow in a network...
'. This technique removes the need for each peer to have complex knowledge of block distribution across the network (an aspect of BitTorrent-like protocols which the paper claims does not scale very well).
Bram Cohen
Bram Cohen
Bram Cohen is an American computer programmer, best known as the author of the peer-to-peer BitTorrent protocol, as well as the first file sharing program to use the protocol, also known as BitTorrent...
, the creator of BitTorrent, criticized the proposed Avalanche system in a post to his blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
. He mentions inaccuracies in the paper's analysis of the BitTorrent protocol (some of it being based on an out-of-date version of the protocol which used an algorithm that "sucks") and describes the paper as "garbage."
In July 2007, Microsoft made the technology available as a public customer technology preview (CTP) of the resulting system, called 'Microsoft Secure Content Downloader' (MSCD).
External links
- Avalanche: File Swarming with Network Coding, Avalanche official home page