In case you missed it, the annual compilation of technical papers from the National Show is out. As usual, it’s worth a look, especially if you’re into immersion learning from the industry’s top tech thinkers.
If your copy got lost in the stack, or you’d rather read the Cliff’s notes, this week’s translation focuses on my top pick from the 2006 collection: A meticulously researched look into how the file-downloading scheme known as BitTorrent affects broadband networks.
The short answer: Badly. Based on the research, conducted by Terry Shaw, of CableLabs, and Jim Martin, a computer science professor at Clemson University, it only takes about 10 BitTorrent users bartering files on a node (of around 500) to double the delays experienced by everybody else. Especially if everybody else is using “normal priority” services, like e-mail or Web surfing, which is what tech people tend to call “best-effort” traffic.
(One quick side note about this year’s papers: “The Superbly Nerdy Title” award goes to Scientific Atlanta Inc.’s Bryant Best, for this doozy: “Management of Simulated Raman Scattering in CATV WDM Reverse Path Systems.” And no, he’s not talking about the packaged noodles that boil up fast and cheap.)
Related Posts
- BitTorrent torrent sites and search engines
- CacheLogic and BitTorrent Introduce Cache Discovery Protocol
- NetEnforcer throttles encrypted bittorrent traffic
- Broadband use surpasses dial-up in U.S.
- Is BitTorrent 30% of YOUR network traffic?
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