Most corporate networkers believe P2P, with its ability to “hog” bandwidth and its myriad security issues, is a consumer phenomenon. This is a misconception that in the future may be the undoing of the corporate network. P2P network applications such as KaZaA or Napster may not have a place in the corporate environment, but the same cannot be said for BitTorrent’s File Sharing technology, currently being used for Linux software distribution, and Groove Networks’ Virtual Office application, designed for shared workspace/online collaboration.

The use of BitTorrent and Groove software currently does not impose a significant bandwidth demand on corporate networks. But Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Groove may drastically change the bandwidth consumption equation. One of Microsoft’s stated intentions is to add Groove’s P2P technology to its next-generation operating system called Longhorn. With Longhorn’s arrival on the desktop and server, Microsoft may single-handedly redistribute and accelerate corporate bandwidth demand.

Courtesy: http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2005/041105dzubeck.html