A lightweight, robust P2P system to handle flash crowds

Internet flash crowds (a.k.a. hot spots) are a phenomenon that result from a sudden, unpredicted increase in an on-line object´s popularity. Currently, there is no efficient means within the Internet to scalably deliver Web objects under hot spot conditions to all clients that desire the object. We present PROOFS: a simple, lightweight, peer-to-peer (P2P) approach that uses randomized overlay construction and randomized, scoped searches to efficiently locate and deliver objects under heavy demand to all users that desire them. We evaluate PROOFS´ robustness in environments in which clients join and leave the P2P network as well as in environments in which clients are not always fully cooperative. Through a mix of simulation and prototype experimentation in the Internet, we show that randomized approaches like PROOFS should effectively relieve flash crowd symptoms in dynamic, limited-participation environments.