System and method for optimizing access to information in peer-to-peer computer networks

A system for optimizing access to information within a network, the system comprising:

• a database coupled to the network, wherein the database includes status information about a plurality of computers within the network, the status information including a frequency with which each of the plurality of computers are connected to the network;
• a memory coupled to the network, wherein the memory includes content information about data available from the plurality of computers within the network;
• and
• a computer coupled to the network wherein, at a time of a request for the information by the computer, the content information of the memory is filtered using the status information of the database based on an identification of one or more computers from the plurality of computers within the network that are least likely to provide the information desired by the computer, and removal of the content information associated with the identified one or more computers from the memory, and one of the plurality of computers within the network is accessed by the computer based on the filtered content information of the memory, wherein the one of the plurality of computers within the network belongs to a cluster of hosts deemed most likely to return fast results.