The following table presents a brief comparison of the relative benefits and drawbacks of peer-to-peer (P2P) networks versus client server networks. It is very incomplete and one-sided at the moment, and basically restates what was presented at the May 17 Global meeting. Additional information will be added as time permits.
| Feature | Peer-to-Peer | Client-Server |
|---|---|---|
| URI Persistence | Resources are not removed from the network until they are no longer being requested. | Resources may be removed at any time. |
| Content Persistence | Resources inserted under CHK (content hash key) URIs will always have the same content. | Resources referenced by URIs may change content. |
| Mutable Content | Resources inserted under SSK (signed subspace key) URIs may change content. | Mutable content is the default. |
| Namspaces | SSKs create unique, verifiable namespaces in the network. | Namespaces are assigned by a centralized body and rely on DNS resolution. |
| Cost | Storage and bandwidth are distributed and provided by the entire network. | Storage and bandwidth must be provided by the host. |
| Privacy | Very difficult to determine who is inserting or requesting content. | Relatively easy to determine who is inserting or requesting content. |
Michael Carmack, 2001/05/16