Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing networks started out as a way to create a big pool of files to which anyone who participated had access. However, as the Internet evolved, these networks became one of the major enabling technologies. The traditional client-server paradigm does not always come through when great amounts of data need to be disseminated to numerous users. P2P systems became an alternative, relieving the server from becoming the congestion point. The purpose of this article is to show and analyze simulation results of a file being disseminated through two widely used approaches for P2P networks. Emphasis is given to the efficiency of each approach when demand on a highly anticipated file is simulated, as well as the benefits of the mobile agent-based itinerary algorithm proposed in this article.
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