The Kad network is a

peer-to-peer Peer-to-peer (P2P) computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads between peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the network, forming a peer-to-peer network of Node ...

(P2P) network which implements the

Kademlia Kademlia is a distributed hash table for decentralized peer-to-peer computer networks designed by Petar Maymounkov and David Mazières in 2002. It specifies the structure of the network and the exchange of information through node (networking), no ...

P2P overlay protocol. The majority of users on the Kad Network are also connected to servers on the eDonkey network, and Kad Network clients typically query known nodes on the eDonkey network in order to find an initial node on the Kad network.

Usage

The Kad network uses a UDP-based protocol to: * Find sources for eD2k hashes. * Search for eD2k hashes based on keywords in the file name. * Find comments and ratings for files (hashes). * Provide buddy services for firewalled ( Low ID) nodes. * Store locations, comments and (keywords out of) filenames. Note that the Kad network is not used to actually transfer files across the P2P network. Instead, when a file transfer is initiated, clients connect directly to each other (using the standard public IP network). This traffic is susceptible to blocking/shaping/tracking by an ISP or any other opportunistic middle-man. As with all decentralized networks, the Kad network requires no official or common servers. As such, it cannot be disabled by shutting down a given subset of key

node In general, a node is a localized swelling (a "knot") or a point of intersection (a vertex). Node may refer to: In mathematics * Vertex (graph theory), a vertex in a mathematical graph *Vertex (geometry), a point where two or more curves, lines ...

s. While the decentralization of the network prevents a simple shut-down, traffic analysis and

deep packet inspection Deep packet inspection (DPI) is a type of data processing that inspects in detail the data (Network packet, packets) being sent over a computer network, and may take actions such as alerting, blocking, re-routing, or logging it accordingly. Deep ...

will more readily identify the traffic as P2P due to the high variable-destination packet throughput. The large packet volume typically causes a reduction in available CPU and/or network resources usually associated with P2P traffic.

Clients

Client search

The Kad network supports searching of files by name and a number of secondary characteristics such as size, extension, bit-rate, and more. Features vary based on client used.

Major clients

Only a few major clients currently support the Kad network implementation. However, they comprise over 80% of the user base and are probably closer to 95% of ed2k installations. *

eMule eMule is a Free software, free peer-to-peer file sharing application for Microsoft Windows. Started in May 2002 as an alternative to eDonkey2000, eMule connects to both the eDonkey network and the Kad network. The distinguishing features of eM ...

: An open source

Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...

client which is the most popular, with 80% of network users. It also runs on Linux using the

Wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

libraries. There are a number of minor variants, or forks, of eMule which support the same basic features as eMule itself. They include: aMule (A Linux client similar to eMule) and eMule Mods (not eMule Plus), possibly others. * aMule: An open source client popular among

Linux Linux ( ) is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an kernel (operating system), operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically package manager, pac ...

Operating Systems. Currently aMule (officially) supports a wide variety of platforms and operating systems. * MLDonkey: An open source,

cross-platform Within computing, cross-platform software (also called multi-platform software, platform-agnostic software, or platform-independent software) is computer software that is designed to work in several Computing platform, computing platforms. Some ...

client that runs on many platforms and supports numerous other file-sharing protocols as well. *iMule: An anonymous, open source,

client. Supports only the Kad network and I2P network. eDonkey network has been dropped. * Lphant: Supports also eDonkey network and BitTorrent protocol. To use Kad network make sure you have 3.51 version.

Malware/virus

* TDL-4: A botnet virus that is reported to use this network as a backup for updates and new instructions if its Command and Control servers are taken down.

References