Method and apparatus for achieving optimal transfer times in a peer-to-peer network

An apparatus for optimizing the transfer time of files in a peer-to-peer network comprising:

• a requesting peer that desires to transfer a file from a group of supplying peers;
• the requesting peer being configured to:
• create a list of segments available of said file to be transferred available from each of said supplying peers;
• order said list in order of increasing segment size available;
• group said supplying peer group into groups based on available segments;
• beginning with the group of supplying peers having the largest portion of said file to be transferred, assigning segments to transfer and a corresponding transfer time to each of said members of said group of supplying peers;
• and
• transferring in parallel the assigned segments from said group of supplying peers to said requesting peer.

A peer in a peer-to-peer network comprising:

• means for requesting a file to be transferred from a group of supplying peers;
• creating a list of segments available of said file to be transferred available from each of said supplying peers;
• means for ordering said list in order of increasing segment size available;
• means for grouping said supplying peer group into groups based on available segments;
• means for assigning segments to transfer and a corresponding transfer time to each of said members of said group of supplying peers beginning with the group of supplying peers having the largest portion of said file to be transferred;
• and
• means for transferring in parallel the assigned segments from said group of supplying peers to said requesting peer.

A computer readable device including instructions for performing a method for optimizing the transfer time of files in a peer-to-peer network, the method comprising:

• requesting, by a requesting peer, a file to be transferred from a group of supplying peers;
• creating, by said requesting peer, a list of segments available of said file to be transferred available from each of said supplying peers;
• ordering said list in order of increasing segment size available;
• grouping said supplying peer group into groups based on available segments;
• beginning with the group of supplying peers having the largest portion of said file to be transferred, assigning segments to transfer and a corresponding transfer time to each of said members of said group of supplying peers;
• and
• transferring in parallel the assigned segments from said group of supplying peers to said requesting peer.