Models of Cooperation in Peer-to-Peer Networks – A Survey

Peer to peer systems (P2P) have more and more success from individual users point of view as well as industrial uses. P2P bring original capacities by giving to the end-users a more important role than a simple “customer”. Although many works addressed the various techniques of exchange in these networks, a few explored it under the angle of co-operation with end-users. This seems necessary since it is obvious that networks data flows take their roots in human exchanges and cooperation. Thus, the aim of this article is to analyze the modes of co-operation in P2P systems, under the light of more general model of co-operation in networks taking in account the influence of the human factor. We also try to clarify the purpose of each application by proposing several mode of classification.