Random Network Coding in Peer-to-Peer Networks: From Theory to Practice

With random network coding, network nodes between the source and receivers are able to not only relay and replicate data packets, but also code them using randomly generated coding coefficients. From a theoretical perspective, it has been recognized that network coding maximizes the network flow rates in multicast sessions in directed acyclic network graphs. To date, random network coding has seen practical and real-world applications in Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks, in which overlay network topologies are formed among participating end hosts, called "Peers". Due to uncertainties and dynamics involved with peer arrivals and departures, these network topologies are usually randomly generated in practice, and are referred to as "Random Mesh" topologies.