JXTA in a Nutshell

Chapter 13. The JXTA Protocol Specification

The JXTA protocols^[5] are a set of six protocols designed for ad hoc, pervasive, and multi-hop P2P network computing. Using the JXTA protocols, peers can self-organize into dynamic peergroups independently of their physical locations in the network (edges, NAT, firewalls), without the need for a centralized management infrastructure. The JXTA protocols provide a virtual network overlay to hide the underlying complex network topology. They were designed to have very low overhead, and make the minimum assumptions about the underlying network and peer environment. They provide a thin, generic network layer, enabling a wide variety of P2P applications and services in a highly unreliable and changing network environment. Peers use the JXTA protocols to dynamically advertise to and learn about network resources (services, pipes, etc.) from other peers. Peers form and join peergroups to create special relationships. They cooperate by routing messages between each other, which enables homogeneous peer connectivity within the entire JXTA virtual network. The JXTA protocols allow peers to communicate without needing to understand or manage the complex, underlying network topology. The protocols also allow peers to dynamically route messages across multiple network hops to any destination in the network (potentially traversing firewalls and NATs). Each message carries either a complete or partially ordered list of gateway peers through which the ...