The Changing Ways Of Computing With BitTorrent

BitTorrent changed the way the computing is done by splitting restrictions wide open in the distribution of programs and files. If today one wants a file or a program or wishes to watch a movie, they would simply open their torrent client and download the same. Torrents are generally easy to use, convenient and reasonably a foolproof method of getting your desired file (s).

A typical torrent works on a protocol based on a distributed architecture. Suppose a user searches a file on the net using a torrent client, he would actually be downloading simultaneously from a number of computers acting as servers. These computers may be personal PCs or even high-end servers at the data centre. For example if a user wants to download a 10MB file, instead of sourcing it from one server listed to have the file in downloadable format, torrent distributes the load to 10 servers where each server provides 1MB file each. This process creates the big difference in network usage and computing efforts. Since all the computers are distributed across the geography, the load on the single network is minimal. Also, since a number of computers work together in sending the file to the desired destination, there is an aggregation of the processing power of a number of computers resulting in utilization of idle resource in most cases.

Wikipedia rates the same as -€œone of the most ordinary protocols for relocating great records and peer-to-peer system and have been projected to jointly describe for roughly 43% to 70% of all Internet Traffic (depending on environmental position) as of February 2009. The BitTorrent was responsible for 35% of all Internet traffic in November, 2004. Starting February 2013, BitTorrent was accountable for 3.35% of all universal bandwidth, more than half of the 6% of sum bandwidth dedicated to file sharing€.

On 2nd July 2001, Bram Cohen, a former student of University of Buffalo, released the protocol designed by him for the transfer of files over internet. There had been several upgrades of the same during the last one decade. Several varieties of BitTorrent clients are available for end users for different types of operating systems and platforms.

Such is the popularity of BitTorent, that in 2009, it was reported that the active users of BitTorrent were more than that of Facebook and YouTube combined. The monthly users of Torrent downloads may exceed a quarter of a billion.

The use of BitTorrent is easy. One needs to find a torrent tracker website and search the files. There are two types of Torrent trackers, public and private trackers. The private trackers need an invite if one wants to get access. Select a source which shows a large number of seeders and least number of Leechers. A seeder is a server from where the files will get transmitted in bits and pieces. Leechers are computers which are still downloading the file and have not become seeders. If the number of Leecher is high, the download speed would get affected. Also the users need to choose a file with good size to ensure quality in case they are downloading audio or video content. One can make their computer as seeder by downloading the client of BitTorrent like -µTorrent or Vuze. BitTorrent clients’€™ role is to implement the BitClient protocol which enables each client to prepare, request and transmit any type of computer files over a network. Any computer running an instance of a client is a peer. The metadata of the file or a group of file is created as the peer which is known as Torrent file. This metadata is shared on the network. When a peer needs to download a folder, he must first get hold of a torrent file for it and attach to the specified tracker. The tracker coordinates the file distribution system for downloading the files in part or whole from other connected peers.

A user can enable seeding which would work on the background without affecting normal use of the computer. The user may also restrict the bandwidth usage from their end. There are billions of files available for download through torrent. One important drawback of torrent download is the unauthorized sharing of copyrighted material. There had been over 28000 legal cases in the USA where the music labels have charged customers of unauthorized transfer where in many cases download was done using Torrent. Several corporates and institutions have blocked Torrent downloads due to this reason. Also, a growing number of organizations and institutions are releasing their licensed content for free download through Bit Torrent Search as this reduces the load on their internal network and helps increase their reach manifold.