ISP managed peer-to-peer

Abstract

Despite their widespread popularity, peer-to-peer (P2P) systems engender continuing controversy. To reduce P2P's high network cost, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have installed network devices that detect and block P2P traffic. These devices angered subscribers because they also increased download times. For that reason, application developers have begun obfuscating their traffic to avoid ISP-detection. This "cat and mouse" game portends a broader shift. If ISPs remedy the relationship with P2P developers now, developers may cooperate with them to develop network-efficient protocols in the future. Our proposal makes a noteworthy contribution in this direction.