There’s a huge difference between client/server and peer-to-peer networks. For instance, a peer-to-peer network has no central server. Each workstation on the network shares its files equally with the others. There’s no central storage or authentication of users. Conversely, there are separate dedicated servers and clients in a client/server network.
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/understanding-the-differences-between-client-server-and-peer-to-peer-networks/
In this section, we briefly describe the Windows Peer-to-Peer Networking architecture and then describe the details of the fundamental peer-to-peer capabilities of peer discovery and name resolution, graphing, grouping, replicated storage, and searching.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457079.aspx
peer-to-peer network. n. A computer network in which every computer acts as both a client and server, allowing every computer to exchange data and services with every other computer in the network.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/peer-to-peer+network
If you work with computers long enough, sooner or later you’ll hear the terms “client/server” and “peer-to-peer.” These terms may seem strange at first, but each describes a particular networking architecture. And each architecture is more suitable for certain types of businesses.
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/understanding-the-differences-between-client-server-and-peer-to-peer-networks/
Peer-to-peer network-definition of peer-to-peer network by The Free Dictionary.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/peer-to-peer+network
The Peer-to-Peer Infrastructure is a set of networking APIs to help you develop decentralized networking applications that use the collective power of computers on a network. For example, peer-to-peer applications can be collaborative communications, content distribution technologies, and so on. The Peer-to-Peer Infrastructure provides a solid networking infrastructure so that you can concentrate on developing applications, because the infrastructure is developed for you.
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd433192(v=vs.85).aspx
Click Add/Remove Windows Components. In Components, click Networking Services (but do not select its check box), and then click Details. Select the Peer-to-Peer check box, and then click OK. Click Next, and then follow the instructions in the wizard. For computers running Windows XP with Service Pack 1 (SP1), you can install Windows Peer-to-Peer Networking with the Advanced Networking Pack for Windows XP, a free download.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457079.aspx
For collaboration, peer-to-peer networking allows the sharing of a workspace, files, and experiences. An example of a collaboration-based Windows Peer-to-Peer Networking application is Windows Meeting Space, which is included in Windows Vista.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457079.aspx
The concept behind peer-to-peer networking is to share files and printers as inexpensively as possible; therefore, there’s no main server on the network. Instead, each client functions both as a client and as a server simultaneously.
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/understanding-the-differences-between-client-server-and-peer-to-peer-networks/
Peer-to-peer networking is a serverless networking technology that allows several network devices to share resources and communicate directly with each other. This technology is available for Windows XP with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and later clients that run the Advanced Networking Pack for the Peer-to-Peer Infrastructure.
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd433192(v=vs.85).aspx
what is a peer-to-peer network?
A peer-to-peer network is a computer network in which every computer acts as both a client and server, allowing every computer to exchange data and services with every other computer in the network.