Re: [p2pi] Information in an ALTO protocol

Many p2p networks already do this sort of thing, and I can't think of any way that the ISP could prevent it - any p2p app can measure throughput and report it. For example, see http://www.speedtest.net/global.php. Of course, this is only based on users that installed the agent, which may not be representative, and doesn't different between classes of users (since the agent can't tell whether they're on a DOCSIS 1/2/3 cable modem, etc.).

The advantage of getting link capacity info from the ISP rather than by measurement is that it's a bit faster and more consistent, and saves a little bandwidth by not doing the test.

The other alternative is to use commercial IP mapping databases (e.g. MaxMind's netspeed database), which is fast and cheap, but these databases not as accurate or precise as an ISP could be. For example, MaxMind differentiates between dial, broadband and corporate, but not between classes of broadband.

- Laird Popkin, CTO, Pando Networks
  mobile: 646/465-0570

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nicholas Weaver" <nweaver@ICSI.Berkeley.EDU>
To: "Laird Popkin" <laird@pando.com>
Cc: "Nicholas Weaver" <nweaver@ICSI.Berkeley.EDU>, "Richard Woundy" <Richard_Woundy@cable.comcast.com>, p2pi@ietf.org
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 10:28:03 AM (GMT-0500) America/New_York
Subject: Re: [p2pi] Information in an ALTO protocol

On Aug 12, 2008, at 7:12 AM, Laird Popkin wrote:

> Interesting points. I'm not paranoid enough. :-)

No, you're not.  Its not paranoia when they are out to get you.

> How about if this is exposed only to the ISP's customers?

My company-X P2P business model includes an agent I control on the  
user's computer, no?

So if its valuable, Company-X can use company-X's customers to mine  
the data.  This would especially be useful because you could do a  
direct increase in performance by feeding back the data to the  
tracking infrastructure.

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