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The FastTrack Network

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PCQ Bureau
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Relying on the hybrid model (see P2P Technologies on page 38), the FastTrack network uses a two-tier system, in which the first tier consists of supernodes (powerful machines with fast connections) and the second tier consists of the majority of machines, clusters of which connect to individual supernodes. All queries on the second tier are directed to supernodes, which then handle the searching and indexing of data between themselves. Connections are initiated to the network by connecting to a central server and choosing a suitable supernode from there. Thanks to this two-tier approach, searches are many magnitudes faster compared to Gnutella-like networks. Once data has been located, downloading takes place in the same manner as Gnutella, by connecting directly to the remote host. 

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To work on a P2P application, a user essentially needs to ‘log-on’ to a network. There are a number of such networks existing across the globe today. One of them is the FastTrack network.

The Kazaa backdoor
The popular KMD (Kazaa Media Desktop), FastTrack’s own client conceals spyware software. Here is how it works:



When you install KMD, this software is also downloaded and copied onto your PC. The next time you connect to the FastTrack network, it activates Altnet’s software called SecureInstall, which comes with Brilliant Digital’s (the parent company of Altnet) B3D projector. This is a multimedia banner ad technology. Later updates of KMD (and hence this spyware) intend to report user details and usage statistics and incorporate then into claimed distributed-computing like applications that are even supposed to pay back the users for the use of their PC!


The alternative is KaZaA Lite, a modified version of KMD, similar in terms of features and appearance but devoid of spyware.

The Dutch firm (www.fasttrack.nu), which introduced this network, designed it to be more than just an MP3-sharing program. Unlike Napster, FastTrack supports more variety of file formats like movies and even software applications. This is currently the most popular P2P network for file swapping over the Internet.

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Similar to the other file-swapping service like Gnutella, FastTrack has a decentralized base and does not rely on any central servers. However, the network works slightly differently from others (like Napster). Napster-hosted servers that contain master lists of files on the PCs of users on its network. FastTrack does not do this. Once a user logs onto the network, he is directed to something called SuperNodes by the FastTrack servers. These SuperNodes contain list of user files you can search and download. And what’s more, these SuperNodes are hosted on user’s PCs! So it becomes virtually impossible to trace and remove files from this network. Also, the number of SuperNodes increases as per the demand. So, they essentially form a cluster of thousands of machines that intelligently handle file search requests and route them.

FastTrack also differs from Napster by its geographical location. Located outside US, makes it more difficult for US-based copyright holders like RIAA to ban it.

FastTrack has its own client called Kazaa and also licenses its network technology. MusicCity (Morpheus) also had the license earlier but it was revoked for non-payment of dues. It currently licenses its technology to

Grokster.

Ashish Sharma

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