Multiple Routes Ptp File Transfer


Seb

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When sharing a folder with a SINGLE other peer: Do the file chunks also transit to other peers of the network not syncing the folder (even if they do not see them)? This could open the number of routes in a sort of diverging-converging tree and possibly increase the overall bandwidth (provided that the ISPs of the source and destination are not bottlenecks).

 

The strength of BitTorrent is to have multiple peers simultaneously sharing the same file but for a 1 to 1 scenario (still the largest application case) there is no real benefit. Comparing cloud storage bandwidth vs file transfers of 2 peers within the same 1 Gb LAN is pointless...  you share folders over the network and use whatever incremental backup software and you get it.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like the app and it is pretty convenient, just trying to understand how it works and how different it is from other solutions.

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@Seb

Not sure if I get you correctly. If you got only 2 peers, they are not going to send file pieces to somewhere, only to each other. Even if they know of other peers existence with the same folder they share - they will send data only if it shows online.

 

The strength of BitTorrent is to have multiple peers simultaneously sharing the same file but for a 1 to 1 scenario (still the largest application case) there is no real benefit. Comparing cloud storage bandwidth vs file transfers of 2 peers within the same 1 Gb LAN is pointless...

This is not the only benefit. Another benefit is that peers are syncing data directly, avoiding the intermediate server. The first advantage is that you won't need to wait until upload completes. The second one is the fact that your data is not stored on 3rd party servers.

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I wanted to understand if in a one to one scenario (file transfer from A to B one could expect a higher transfer speed when using the bitTorrent protocol (not specifically bitTorrentsync) as compared to, for instance, ftp.

 

I can understand that when the same file is shared by many online people then it can efficiently be downloaded by another peer as many peers will simulatenously upload different chunks. However in a one to one scenario I do not see the added benefit unless other peers not sharing / downloading the file act as relays to enable different physical routes from A to B (not sure that would really boost speed in practice).

 

Is there such a mechanism and can we expect a real boost from it, or is there actually no real speed benefit in using bitTorrent as compared to ftp in such one to one scenario?

Edited by Seb
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Ok, thank you for your answer! Just out of curiosity: Could a file transfer between two points be boosted by relying on multiple relays and triggering parallel uploads of file chunks or is the expected gain marginal - and if so why?

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@Seb

AFAIK Internet routers already use alternate routes when they are transferring data between 2 nodes, so it is kind of implemented already. So the bottleneck is very likely going to be either in node connection to internet (asymmetric connection) or on ISP side.

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@Seb

So the bottleneck is very likely going to be either in node connection to internet (asymmetric connection) or on ISP side.

 

Stupid IPSs that won't peer with other ISPs directly.

You could get around that with VPN or a proxy?! But then you have the VPN gateway or proxy as your bottleneck ;D

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