Event identification in peer to peer networks

A user peer for use in a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network having a Distributed Hash Table (DHT), the user peer comprising:

• a processor for generating a trigger resource record, the trigger resource record including instructions to execute a specified action upon occurrence of a monitored event and an identification of a monitored resource record with which the monitored event is associated;
• and
• a transmitter for sending the trigger resource record into the P2P network for insertion into the DHT, such that the trigger resource record is maintained at a monitoring peer responsible for maintaining the monitored resource record, wherein the following applies:
• when the trigger resource record is inserted into the DHT, the monitored resource record does not yet exist,
• a resource identifier is predicted for the monitored resource record and used to identify the monitoring peer, and
• the monitored event is the creation of the monitored resource record.

A monitoring peer for use in a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network having a Distributed Hash Table (DHT), the monitoring peer comprising:

• a storage function for maintaining a monitored resource record;
• a receiver for receiving a trigger resource record from a user peer, the trigger resource record including instructions to execute a specified action upon occurrence of an event associated with the monitored resource record;
• and
• a processor for executing the specified action,
• wherein the following applies:
• the monitoring peer is configured to maintain the trigger resource record,
• when the timer resource record is received from he user peer, the monitored resource record does not yet exist,
• a resource identifier is predicted by the user peer for the monitored resource record and used to identify the monitoring peer,
• the event is the creation of the monitored resource record, and
• the specified action includes sending a notification to the user peer that the event has taken place.