THREE BEARS CAFE

Today’s technology enables several ways of sharing files over the web, especially with the introduction of Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. One of the most efficient P2Ps is undoubtedly BitTorrent. These protocols allow large amounts of data to be transmitted rapidly across a P2P network. With over 160 million users already in the BitTorrent community, the benefits of this protocol are evident.

BitTorrent and file sharing involves the creation of a ‘torrent’ file. This file contains information of the file and the host computer. The torrent file enables a user to connect to the appropriate computers on the P2P network and transfer the file. Thanks to this simple but relatively complex to develop protocol by Bram Cohen, downloading files has taken on a new meaning today.

A BitTorrent tracker is required to conduct file sharing through this method. The tracker acts as a server and coordinates downloading of the peers involved in BitTorrent sharing. Communication between peers in a P2P network becomes easier with a tracker.

Access to BitTorrent is usually granted when users sign up with a user name and password, but access can be restricted based upon a user’s uploads. This is normally implemented in order to achieve downloads of the best quality.