Mapping the Gnutella network

We studied the topology and protocols of the public Gnutella network. Its substantial user base and open architecture make it a good large-scale, if uncontrolled, testbed. We captured the network´s topology, generated traffic, and dynamic behavior to determine its connectivity structure and how well (if at all) Gnutella´s overlay network topology maps to the physical Internet infrastructure. Our analysis of the network allowed us to evaluate costs and benefits of the peer-to-peer (P2P) approach and to investigate possible improvements that would allow better scaling and increased reliability in Gnutella and similar networks. A mismatch between Gnutella´s overlay network topology and the Internet infrastructure has critical performance implications