Peer-To-Peer (P2P) are peer-to-peer interaction models. This is a partnership model of relationships in which communication is established directly from one contact (system participant) to another. Otherwise, such networks are also called peer-to-peer networks.

In the modern understanding, Peer-To-Peer more often refers to transferring data from one network user to another via a PC. Moreover, the equipment of any of the owners can perform the functions of a server, database storage, or a client that uses this data.

Current uses of P2P

This model is widely used in business today in various forms:

• payments - transactions are carried out directly between individuals, as a rule, these are transfers between bank accounts or cards through mobile applications;
• investments are one of the methods of financing in which the investor and the borrower begin to interact directly through a specific service;
• lending also involves loans directly from a private person to a private person without the participation of third parties (various financial organizations).

Initially, from the moment this method of interaction emerged, methods were used to connect different PCs to the network via USB or wires. Today, with the development of digital technologies, special protocols are increasingly used. This method of implementation allows you to scale the operation of the P2P network and provides the opportunity to use all the functionality to a larger number of participants.

Advantages and disadvantages

Peer-To-Peer technology has both a large number of advantages and some disadvantages. The first include:

• lack of priorities regarding the type of OS - P2P works with any operating system, on different devices;
• network management is extremely simple, and it does not require highly specialized specialists;
• low transaction costs;
• simplified administrator selection;
• extremely simple architecture and network configuration;
• lower cost of servers for data storage;
• ease of scaling;
• simplicity and accessibility of the network;
• ease of searching for a counterparty to complete a transaction.

As for the disadvantages, these are:

• lack of centralized control;
• low legal liability, given direct contacts and the absence of intermediaries;
• not always a high performance indicator;
• access of any system participant to files and documents from another PC, and this does not require additional permission from the owner;
• the need to install additional software.

Peer-To-Peer (P2P) is a technology that is practiced despite several disadvantages. Its prospects are positive, especially if some shortcomings can be mitigated.