Transparent Network Interfaces to Mobile Peer-to-Peer Environment

The fact that most of new Personal Data Assistant (PDA) devices and smartphones have the ability to communicate via different wireless technologies has made several new applications possible. While traditional network model is based on the idea of static hosts, mobile devices can create decentralized, self-organizing ad-hoc networks and act as peers in the network. This kind of adapting network is suitable for mobile devices which can freely join and leave the networks. Because several different wireless communication technologies are involved, flexible changing of the networking technology must be handled in order to enable seamless communication between these networks. This thesis presents a transparent network interface to mobile Peer-to-Peer environment which is named as Virtual PeerHood. Different wireless technologies and aspects of providing a seamless connectivity between these technologies are explored. The result is a middleware platform for mobile Peer-to-Peer environment, capable of handling several networking technologies.

Design and Implementation of Peer-to-Peer Network over Bluetooth

During the last half decade the popularity of different peer-to-peer applications has grown tremendously. Traditionally only desktop-class computers with fixed line network connections have been powerful enough to utilize peer-to-peer. However, the situation is about to change. The rapid development of wireless terminals will soon enable peer-to-peer applications on these devices as well as on desktops. Possibilities are further enhanced by the upcoming high-bandwidth cellular networks. In this thesis the applicability and implementation alternatives of an existing peer-to-peer system are researched for two target platforms: Linux powered iPaq and Symbian OS based smartphone. The result is a peer-to-peer middleware component suitable for mobile terminals. It works on both platforms and utilizes Bluetooth networking technology. The implemented software platforms are compatible with each other and support for additional network technologies can be added with a minimal effort.

Software Security Vulnerabilities in Mobile Peer-to-peer Environment

Increase of computational power and emergence of new computer technologies led to popularity of local communications between personal trusted devices. By-turn, it led to emergence of security problems related to user data utilized in such communications. One of the main aspects of the data security assurance is security of software operating on mobile devices. The aim of this work was to analyze security threats to PeerHood, software intended for performing personal communications between mobile devices regardless of underlying network technologies. To reach this goal, risk-based software security testing was performed. The results of the testing showed that the project has several security vulnerabilities. So PeerHood cannot be considered as a secure software. The analysis made in the work is the first step towards the further implementation of PeerHood security mechanisms, as well as taking into account security in the development process of this project.

Design and implementation of a peer-to-peer client for device management

The aim of this master’s thesis was to specify a system requiring minimal configuration and providing maximal connectivity in the vein of Skype but for device management purposes. As peer-to-peer applications are pervasive and especially as Skype is known to provide this functionality, the research was focused on these technologies. The resulting specification was a hybrid of a tiered hierarchical network structure and a Kademlia based DHT. A prototype was produced as a proof-of-concept for the hierarchical topology, demonstrating that the specification was feasible.

Online peer to peer lending: clustering borrowers using self-organizing maps

The purpose of this thesis is to find out whether all the peer to peer lenders are unworthy of credit and also if there are single qualities or combinations of qualities that determine the probability of default of a person or group of people. Distinguishing qualities are searched with self-organizing maps (SOM). Qualities and groups of people found by the self-organizing map are then compared to the average. The comparison is carried out by looking how big proportion of borrowers meeting the criteria is two months or more behind with their payments. Research data used is collected by an Estonian peer to peer lending company during the years of 2011-2014. Data consists of peer to peer borrowers and information gathered from them.

Individual learner, peer group and teacher roles in fostering autonomous language-learning behaviour

Julkaisumaa: Bulgaria

Elokuvien levittäminen Internetissä

Movie distribution on the Internet has become more common in recent years along with fast broadband internet connections. The problem so far has been that the greatest part of movie distribution on the Internet has been illegal. This is about to change because the major film distributors are finally starting to rent and sell movies more and more on the Internet due to their growing confidence in new copy protection methods. The importance of movie online distribution to the movie industry is still tiny but it is increasing rapidly as is investing in new business models and distribution methods in the USA and Europe. This thesis examines the basic concepts of online movie distribution, such as distribution techniques and copy protection, the main companies that rent and sell movies on the internet and their business models, the effects of movie piracy and non-commercial distribution channels. The intention was to provide the reader with an overview of different aspects of movie distribution on the Internet and its future. The conclusion was that movie distribution on the Internet will play a bigger financial part in the future although it was still too early to say just how significant that will be. We will probably see many corresponding distribution techniques, like peer-to-peer networks and streaming servers distributing and broadcasting movies to different end-user platforms like television, PC and portable media players. Internet distribution of movies will not revolutionize movie distribution in the next couple of years but it will make possible new efficient and inexpensive ways to distribute movies globally which will in turn increase the possibilities for revenue, especially for small independent movie producers and distributors.

Nuori vertaisryhmässä : tekeekö seura kaltaisekseen?

Summary: The adolescent in the peer group : like breeds like?

"Eväitä omaan elämään" : läheiskurssilaisten toiveita päihdeongelmaisten läheisille tarkoitetuista palveluista

Opinnäytetyömme liittyy Kalliolan setlementin Perhe elämään -projektiin, jonka tarkoituksena on yhdistää eri työmuotoja päihdeperheiden tukemiseksi. Yhdistämällä eri työmuotoja pystytään entistä paremmin huomioimaan päihdeperheen jäsenten avun ja tuen tarpeita. Työmme on taustatutkimus projektille. Työn tavoitteena oli selvittää Nurmijärven klinikan läheiskurssin osallistujien kokemuksia päihdeongelmaisten läheisille tarkoitetuista palveluista sekä millaisia palveluita läheiset kokevat tarvitsevansa tulevaisuudessa. Opinnäytetyössä käytettiin laadullisia tutkimusmenetelmiä. Aineisto hankittiin syksyn 2006 aikana haastattelemalla seitsemää Nurmijärven klinikan läheiskurssin asiakasta. Aineiston tuottamisen menetelmänä käytettiin teemahaastattelua, joka toteutettiin yksilöhaastatteluin. Aineiston analysoinnin suoritimme teemoittelemalla. Tuloksista selvisi, ettei päihdeongelmaisten läheisten palveluista ole riittävästi tietoa tai käytettyjä sosiaali- ja terveysalan palveluita ei tiedostettu myös päihteiden aiheuttamiin ongelmiin tarkoitetuksi. Tiedon puuttuessa sopiviin palveluihin hakeutuminen sekä hoitoon liittyvien omien tarpeiden erittely osoittautui vaikeaksi. Tärkeiksi tekijöiksi palveluissa nimettiin ammattihenkilöstön pysyvyys sekä erilaiset terapiat. Vertaistukiryhmät koettiin tärkeiksi arjen voimavaroiksi, joissa pystyy puhumaan tuntemuksistaan sekä pääsee tapaamaan vertaisiaan. Vertaistuen lisäksi läheiskurssi tarjoaa ammatillista tukea, joka koettiin voimaannuttavaksi. Tulosten perusteella voidaan päätellä, että palveluiden kohdentamista ja niistä tiedottamista lisäämällä voidaan vähentää asiakkaiden epävarmuutta palveluihin hakeutumisessa. Hyödyntämällä ammattihenkilöstön monipuolista osaamista voidaan motivoida perheet sopivien palveluiden piiriin. Tarkoituksenmukainen palvelu vaatii toteutuakseen yksilöllisten ja perheiden yhteisten tarpeiden huomioimista. Läheisten täytyy kokea tulleensa kohdatuksi, joka mahdollistuu ammattihenkilön dialogisessa osaamisessa ja vertaisten yhteisyydentunteessa.

Authentication and authorization in PeerHood System

The goal of this work is to design and implement authentication and authorization section to PeerHood system. PeerHood system is developedin Lappeenranta University of Technology. It provides functions of discovering devices compatible with PeerHood and listing services offered by those devices; based on wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPRS. The thesis describes implementation of the security approach intomobile Ad-Hoc environment and includes both authentication and authorization processes.