What is File Sharing

In this chapter we propose a platform-independent concept for the transparent replication of digital assets in hybrid wireless networks. The concept allows a seamless integration with existing standards and technologies. It tackles and overcomes typical problems of common file sharing applications, such as the mixing of the logical property of a file being shared with its physical location. The identification mechanism introduced allows sharing on a per file basis, completely independent of their physical location, even tolerating subsequent relocation. RSS feeds are used as a basis to disseminate the files together with attached meta-information, such as tags, in a platform-independent manner. To optimize the communication flow among the mobile devices, a clustering algorithm for mobile networks is employed. The current prototype acts as proof-of-concept for the proposed concept.