Since the popularity of the bit torrent protocol is constantly increasing, so is the number of various technologies that have and will be built on the bit torrent protocol. One of the biggest improvement is the torrent tracker. Originally, when the bit torrent protocol was invented, one had to utilize a bit torrent tracker file. This has led to many attempts by various copyright authorities to take legal actions against the various tracker indexing websites, even though they do not actually contain any copyrighted material on them. In order to over come this, a new technology was built.

This new technology was the ability to have trackerless torrents. In order to accomplish this, the DHT was created. This DHT creates a unique hash key for each and every bit torrent file. This then got rid of the need for the torrent files except for the fact that some torrent software, use a different plug-in to make the hash keys. The keys then may be different and make it unable to be shared to anyone that does not use their particular bit torrent client software.

Another big change is the use of a virtual torrent in which your software sends an instant message to any other computer using the same software to tell them what files you are sharing. All of this of course had made the crack down on software, movie and music piracy much harder, but they can still find out who is stealing their intellectual data.

There was then the capability of sharing bits of data without the need of HTTP protocols. Utilizing an RSS feed, your bit torrent or P2P software announces the file that you have and who you are currently sharing with to the other users in the network. This eventually creates basically a full-mesh network with redundant paths between multiple file sources. Even if you cannot connect directly to that other computer, you can push USD to another computer that is connected with it and basically request that the other computer connect with you instead of vice versa.

Due to the simple fact that the bit torrent protocol and its traffic take up a substantial amount of an ISP’s traffic, there have been attempts to shut it down, so in response, you can now encrypt both incoming and outgoing connections. The ISP may inject TCP RST packets into the data stream if it suspects the transfers to be a bit torrent protocol and therefore slowing the connections down.

Then came the multitracker. The capabilities for a bit torrent client software to monitor multiple trackers of the same file in order to allow not just more connections, but also a sort of back-up incase one tracker gets lost, or worse, taken down by the force of the various copyright authorities.

As of right now, there are already many different technologies that have been built on as well as in conjunction with the bit torrent protocol. As times change and as there are more attempts to shut down the file sharing networks around the world, many more types of technology will be introduced in order to counter any attempts to shut the networks down.

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Multi-trackers can be classified differently by two completely different types of people in the bit torrent network. The fist type of person is mush happier since a multi-tracker allows them access to a larger swarm. The second type hates it, because they may have released the file as a closed tracker, yet it does not stay closed as someone else may upload their .torrent tracker to a non closed site therefore making it open to the public. If you have ever downloaded anything with your bit torrent client and seen on the “general” tab that you are not allowed to “leech” only seed, that is because that is a closed tracker. Since you may have a 2nd tracker file in the list, you still make connections. Eventually, you will make a connection to someone who has access to that closed tracker and then make connections to the people on that closed tracker’s list through that one client.

Multi-trackers also take up more bandwidth as they require more time connecting to the internet to update the list of people with that file. But for those who download multiple files simultaneously, this should not be as big of an issue since you already have many, many, many connections already.

Those who like the multi-trackers also greatly out number those who prefer the closed trackers. Believe it or not, some people actually pay for access to a closed tracker site to download that same exact file that you are downloading for free. In general it is these people who get upset about the multi-trackers, but in most cases they are either new to the bit torrent network, or are loyal to that particular site.

Bit torrents are about sharing information freely amongst others, to pay for this right, is against what the bit torrent protocol was even designed for. This is ok though, some people just prefer it, while others believe that information that was intended to be shared freely, should always be shared freely. Especially in the case of copyrighted material. If you have a bit torrent client to download the latest movie for free, then why pay for it. If you are paying for access to a closed torrent site, then you might as well go to the nearest Wal-Mart and buy the movie yourself. It just seems… well odd that someone would pay for something they can get for free.

This of course is in no way the sponsoring of stealing intellectual data, but rather, bringing a point across, that things that are offered to the rest of the world to download through the bit torrent client, are done so in a manner that is considered to be shared freely, and therefore paying to access these files is sort of backwards.

The Multi-tracker is here to stay and so is the DHT dynamic hash key. They are all helpful to the spread of freely shared data amongst the largest community in the world today.

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