Subject: [P2Prg] Research Group plans

From: Bill Yeager <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 09:54:55 -0700 (PDT)

Hi,

Our research group will now begin to formulate the tasks we wish to
begin and to work on over the next year, and we invite you to carefully
read through the charter document. 

The charter evolved from almost one year of discussions with
IETF area directors, the IETF chair and the IAB chair. After that,
Vern Paxson worked with us for about seven months (things do move
slowly because almost all of us have full time commitments to consider
first) to write our RG's charter. It incorporates a great deal from
the earlier IETF discussions.  The charter sets directions for our
research, and certainly, these directions are not restricted to what
is said in the charter. Here, we tried to hit upon the fundamental P2P
issues such as:

"peer-node identity, naming, configuration and capabilities; P2P 
network organization and scope; resource discovery, content lookup, 
search and distribution; request routing and operation in the presence 
of mobility; adaptation to expected peer-node instability; monitoring 
of P2P operations; security of P2P systems involving reputation-based 
trust for ad-hoc systems or more centralized, CA-like approaches."

We do want to form research tracks in each of these areas if possible. 
We cannot do everything at once, and will have to prioritize our list 
given both the interests of the RG members and the RG size.

Thus, we set some near-term goals:

"classifying the P2P problem space (both currently, and as it evolves) 
into those problems for which there are existing solutions and those 
for which solutions require longer-term development; developing 
descriptive model(s) of peer-node organization whose interpretation can 
be applied to these solutions; articulating the scope as to what sort 
of P2P applications the models encompass and what sort they do not; 
understanding the unique security-related problems and opportunities 
P2P systems pose; exploring interfaces to IETF protocols to realize the 
models; and offering input to the IETF as a starting place for possible 
working groups to standardize new protocols that are useful in building P2P 
applications."

The last line is extremely important. We must first carefully explore
interfaces to current IETF protocols, and how, if necessary, these
protocols may be extended to suit our needs before we look at
standardizing any new protocols.  

Since all of us cannot substantially contribute to all areas, perhaps 
it is a good idea to think about to which areas each of you would like to contribute. We can then form sub-research groups directed at specific tasks.

Finally, we would like to thank those among you who have so
enthusiastically discussed what is on their mind with respect to P2P
on our list this Summer. The chairs were somewhat silent, and this was
for at least two reasons: First, we wanted to "laisser faire." Just
let things happen to see what is on your minds. We certainly desire to
be open to possibilities beyond what we've included in our
charter. Second, it is Summer and we all need time to relax, and
regroup for the coming "research" year which for us begins in 
September.

We are looking forward to coming months and hope that the enthusiasm 
continues. We do plan an initial meeting within the next two months. The 
details are being worked out right now.

Thanks again for your interest!

Bill Yeager and Bobby Bhattacharjee  

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