SCALABLE PEER TO PEER SEARCHING APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

A method of searching across a peer to peer network (10), each peer (12.1, 12.2, 12.N) having searchable content and connected to a plurality of neighboring peers via links, comprises: establishing a contributor pipeline (50) via the links to pass a query (42) around the peers, for contribution of any available result content (54) at respective peers; and establishing a read pipeline (52) via the links to pass contributed results back to a query originator. The read pipeline allows results to be read by any intervening peer that is interested. The pipelines are set up using a subscribe and publish mechanism.