The big benefits
Nobody is claiming that P2P applications will replace the communications, file-sharing, and collaborative capabilities of e-mail, in the same way that e-mail and instant messaging haven't replaced the telephone and fax machine as modes of conversation and data exchange. In some instances, though, connecting directly to another user can be efficient, particularly when network bandwidth is at a premium.
Often, corporate users already have a Web-based messaging system (e-mail) or an internal collaboration system such as Lotus Notes that offers much the same functionality as P2P applications. P2P supporters argue, however, that P2P computing may be more affordable, efficient, and flexible.
They cite a few key P2P advantages:
P2P gives a user personal control to communicate directly with another person without upfront setup.
In P2P, there is no need for IT administrators to manage access, security, storage, or the myriad of issues associated with other types of communications. Each user in peer-to-peer is in charge of his or her own local computing resources.
Sharing files using e-mail attachments can clutter up the network with multiple copies of the same document and can tax network bandwidth. Using P2P file transfer minimises these difficulties.
Of course, P2P isn't a panacea for every problem, and the approach does have its disadvantages. At times, email or a floppy disk still provides a more efficient way to share files. For example, P2P can overload the network or fill an already congested pipeline to the Web. In addition, depending on the application, P2P can present security risks. Napster, for example, uses a network protocol that assumes direct point-to-point access between clients. This means that the IP addresses of registered computers are generally available for others to see. Though some Internet services use dynamic addressing, the newer high-bandwidth services such as DSL and cable modems generally require a fixed IP address, which can put Napster users at risk to hackers.
