Decentralized Networking

Transcription

1 Decentralized Networking 1 Indi Samarajiva Abstract: In practice there are two models of computer networks, centralized and decentralized. In this proposal I will present each model and propose a decentralized network for the Education Faculty. Table of Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Network Models 2. Centralized 3. Decentralized 4. Comparison of Models 5. Decentralized Networking in the Education Faculty 5. Cost/Benefits Analysis 6. Timetable 8. Conclusion

2 2 Network Models Centralized: A centralized network uses a server as a central node. A server is like a Mission Impossible locker. I leave the Secret Documents in Locker 7B. You take the documents, leave the money, and we don t meet. The server is a third-party location. A computing example is this file you re reading. I ve uploaded this proposal to the Education Server. You ve now opened the locker and downloaded it. There s no direct exchange between our PCs. All traffic passes through the server. Examples of centralized networks are Apple s popular itunes Music Store and education.mcgill.ca. Almost all webpages are centralized. The.html file you re reading is on a hard-disk somewhere.

3 3 D e c e n t r a l ized: A decentralized network has no servers, only can just go directly to Justin. clients. It s like a party, a room full of conversations. People can exchange info directly, without a third-party. If I want to hear my friend Justin play bongos I just ask him. I don t have to wait for him to release a CD. I don t have to go to the Music Store, I A computing example is when I store a home video on my PC, and my friend in Sri Lanka downloads it directly using a chat program like ICQ or software like Napster and SoulSeek. There is no central node. His computer copies the information from my PC to his. Traffic passes between clients. Examples of decentralized networks are the Punch Network used by Adobe employees to share large media files ( Napster of MP3 fame, Kazaa, and Gnutella.

4 4 Comparison of Models There are advantages to each model. Each model also has its limitations. One limitation of a centralized network is bandwidth. Since all data passes through a central node, that node is under a lot of pressure. Computer networks are like plumbing - there are physical limits to the amount of data the pipes can carry. If there s only one faucet, it gets clogged and slows down. Especially with large files like video. Decentralized networks are de centralized. They have many faucets. If I want to share a video with Dr. Renaud in Education, he can download directly from my PC. We don t have to use a third-party (a server). We can just connect directly. We may be limited by our home/office bandwidth, but our traffic doesn t clog up the Education Server, and we don t slow anyone else down. When I say Dr. Renaud can download directly from my PC I mean that we can use free software like SoulSeek ( or icommune ( or sophisticated commercial software like LoudPC ( to enable this. This software allows a folder on my computer (say, My Videos) to become a Shared Folder, and public. Access can also be limited to known users. Dr. Renaud can look up my username, look in My Videos, and download any files I ve shared with him. This example leads me to the crux of this paper: a proposal for building a decentralized network in the Education Faculty.

5 5 Decentralized Networking in the Education Faculty In this section I provide a Costs/Benefits analysis of a decentralized network, and a timetable for its implementation. Costs Labor: Implementation Most labor is outsourced to the software SoulSeek, icommune or sophisticated commercial software. They maintain the network. One or small team of workers could implement and test the network, probably within a month. Price of Software Software can be free or very cheap. I can present different options to Media Services to match specific needs. The system can be done well for free, but the specialized functionality of some commercial services may be a better value. Education of Users Benefits Videos can be shared by placing them in a folder on a PC. Word, Excel, PowerPoint documents can be shared by placing them in a folder (Shared Folder) on a PC. Class notes can be shared by placing them in the Shared Folder. Assignments can be shared by placing them in the Shared Folder. Any computer file can be shared simply by putting it in a Shared Folder Frees resources and bandwidth on the Education Server. Enables Education staff and students to share information, easily. Users need to double click the software to run it, and drag-and-drop the files they want to share into a Shared Folder. Most students have used filesharing networks (Napster, Kazaa) and are familiar with how they work. Teachers and newbies may need some instruction at first.

6 6 Timetable 1. Design: Research into file-sharing software. Consultation on the specific needs of the Education Faculty. 2. Testing: After choice of a design, testing of network for functionality and ease of use Modification of Design, based on feedback 3. Use: by teachers, students, researchers, whoever wants to. Modification of Design, based on feedback I estimate that steps 1 and 2 will take a month. Step 3 would require attention for another month. Over time people get used to software. These are very rough estimates, I can provide a detailed timetable once I have the results of Step One research into software and the Education Faculty. I will submit a report for each step of the process.

7 7 Conclusion If this initial report on decentralized networks is interesting I can begin preparing a second report, on the Design of a Decentralized Network. I believe that implementing a network is feasible, especially since many of my generation use file-sharing networks everyday. The application of a decentralized network in the Education Faculty will enable more effective sharing of information among students and teachers, including the greatest prize video sharing. People using the new Video Editing Lab could distribute their videos on the web. Students and teachers could produce and distribute documentaries. Et cetera. With a decentralized network the only real limit is imagination.