Large software companies are busy looking at ways to efficiently connect the galaxy of devices that are plugged into the Internet. Everyone wants these devices linked to services that can run applications and swap information between each other.
To this end, Intel is pushing its Peer-to-Peer Working Group, Microsoft is developing .Net and Sun is creating its One strategy. But Sun also is continuing to promote its Project JXTA (Juxtapose) as a basic protocol for distributed computing.
Sun wants JXTA to be the backbone for these Web services allowing peer nodes to operate together to create these new applications and services. JXTA and .Net are being created as open platforms. But .Net is more of a commercial framework to define Windows products while JXTA is open-source. Those users who are afraid of open-source will stick with the Windows pantheon while JXTA users will use and contribute to the free JXTA software.
Some analysts, such as Gartner Group's Daryl Plummer and David Smith, argue that the JXTA technology is still poorly defined. But others are impressed with JXTA's ability to allow a peer-to-peer node to identify itself, find others, make a group and create peer piping to exchange data. JXTA also supports peer monitoring which allows for the administration of peer nodes. Even better, JXTA can be used in any language. While it's currently available in Java - watch for implementations in C and small devices.
RELATED LINKS
Ann Harrison is a technology reporter in San Francisco. She can be reached at ah@well.com.
Peer-to-Peer archive
Past newsletters.
Sun advances P2P strategy with acquisition
Network World, 03/05/01
Intel outlines plans for wireless and P2P
Network World Fusion, 02/28/01
Sun developing software platform for P2P
Network World Fusion, 02/15/01
Sun working on peer-to-peer software
Network World, 02/19/01
Portals: The new business desktops
Network World, 05/21/01
