Managing distribution of content using mobile agents in peer-topeer networks

A peer node, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to launch a mobile agent in the peer-to-peer network, wherein the mobile agent includes an itinerary indicating a subset of the plurality of peer nodes to be visited by the mobile agent, wherein the subset of the plurality of peer nodes form a group of peer nodes configured to receive and share content from a distributor;
• wherein the mobile agent is configured to visit one or more of the subset of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary, collect information on distributor content stored on the one or more visited peer nodes, and provide the information on the distributor content to the peer node;
• and
• wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to examine the information on the distributor content provided by the mobile agent to detect unauthorized copies of the distributor content.

A method, comprising:

• an initiating peer node in a peer-to-peer network launching a mobile agent in the peer-to-peer network, wherein the mobile agent includes an itinerary indicating a subset of the plurality of peer nodes to be visited by the mobile agent, wherein the subset of the plurality of peer nodes form a group of peer nodes configured to receive and share content from a distributor;
• the mobile agent visiting one or more of the subset of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary;
• the mobile agent collecting information on distributor content stored on the one or more visited peer nodes;
• providing the information on the distributor content to the initiating peer node;
• and
• the initiating peer node examining the information on the distributor content provided by the mobile agent to detect unauthorized copies of the distributor content.

A computer-accessible storage medium, comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

• an initiating peer node in a peer-to-peer network launching a mobile agent in the peer-to-peer network, wherein the mobile agent includes an itinerary indicating a subset of the plurality of peer nodes to be visited by the mobile agent, wherein the subset of the plurality of peer nodes form a group of peer nodes configured to receive and share content from a distributor;
• the mobile agent visiting one or more of the subset of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary;
• the mobile agent collecting information on distributor content stored on the one or more visited peer nodes;
• providing the information on the distributor content to the initiating peer node;
• and
• the initiating peer node examining the information on the distributor content provided by the mobile agent to detect unauthorized copies of the distributor content.