A Peer-to-Peer Browsable File Index using a Popularity Based Global Namespace

TL;DR

This paper presents a decentralized, browsable P2P file index system that uses popularity metrics to improve search efficiency and quality, implemented with BitTorrent and Kademlia, and validated through simulation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel popularity-based directory network for P2P file sharing that enhances browsing and search efficiency without central authority.

Findings

Popularity-based browsing leads to higher quality directories.

The system maintains decentralization while enabling efficient search.

Multiple directory versions coexist without conflicts.

Abstract

The distribution of files using decentralized, peer-to-peer (P2P) systems, has significant advantages over centralized approaches. It is however more difficult to settle on the best approach for file sharing. Most file sharing systems are based on query string searches, leading to a relatively simple but inefficient broadcast or to an efficient but relatively complicated index in a structured environment. In this paper we use a browsable peer-to-peer file index consisting of files which serve as directory nodes, interconnecting to form a directory network. We implemented the system based on BitTorrent and Kademlia. The directory network inherits all of the advantages of decentralization and provides browsable, efficient searching. To avoid conflict between users in the P2P system while also imposing no additional restrictions, we allow multiple versions of each directory node to simultaneously exist -- using popularity as the basis for default browsing behavior. Users can freely add files and directory nodes to the network. We show, using a simulation of user behavior and file quality, that the popularity based system consistently leads users to a high quality directory network; above the average quality of user updates. Q