System and method for peer-to-peer monitoring within a network

A peer-to-peer network for exchanging information between peer machines, comprising:

• a first peer machine having a memory location;
• a second peer machine coupled to said first peer machine over said network;
• a peer monitoring protocol on said first peer machine to send a ping command to said second peer machine, wherein said ping command queries whether said second peer machine is available;
• and
• a reply message responsive to said ping command when said second peer machine is available.

A method for monitoring a peer-to-peer network, comprising:

• executing a peer monitoring protocol on a first peer machine within said network;
• sending a ping command to a second peer machine from said peer monitoring protocol;
• and
• determining whether said second peer machine is available according to a response from said ping command.

A method for monitoring a network having peer machines, wherein said peer machines perform peer-to-peer information exchange over said network, comprising:

• executing peer monitoring protocols on each of said peer machines to send ping commands from said each of said peer machines;
• receiving said ping commands at said peer machines;
• responding to said ping commands by available peer machines;
• not responding to said ping commands by nonavailable peer machines;
• and
• performing failure recovery operation on said nonavailable peer machines.

A method for detecting a offline peer machine within a peer-to-peer network of peer machines, comprising:

• sending a ping command from a peer monitoring protocol on a querying peer machine;
• receiving no response from said offline peer machine at said querying peer machine;
• and
• notifying said network that said offline peer machine is unavailable.

A system for monitoring a peer-to-peer network, comprising:

• means for executing a peer monitoring protocol on a first peer machine within said network;
• means for sending a ping command to a second peer machine from said peer monitoring protocol;
• and
• means for determining whether said second peer machine is available according to a response from said ping command.

A system for monitoring a network having peer machines, wherein said peer machines perform peer-to-peer information exchange over said network, comprising:

• means for executing peer monitoring protocols on each of said peer machines to send ping commands from said each of said peer machines;
• means for receiving said ping commands at said peer machines;
• means for responding to said ping commands by available peer machines;
• means for not responding to said ping commands by nonavailable peer machines;
• and
• means for performing failure recovery operation on said nonavailable peer machines.

A system for detecting a offline peer machine within a peer-to-peer network of peer machines, comprising:

• means for sending a ping command from a peer monitoring protocol on a querying peer machine;
• means for receiving no response from said offline peer machine at said querying peer machine;
• and
• means for notifying said network that said offline peer machine is unavailable.