As the internet progresses the transferring of files as become more prevalent in the community.  P2P is peer to peer transferring and can be done in a variety of ways.  These p2p networks allow a variety of different types of files to be transferred. Usually file in P2P network is not stored on a single computer but is broken in chunks and each chunk ends up on a different computer. And each computer will have a file which describes which chunks are store on it. For example on BitTorrent P2P network such information is stored in files with File Extension TORRENT ^[1].

One of the most popular P2P networks is BitTorrent. It is used

The number one type of files being transferred according to Cache Logic who is the world leader in Peer to Peer traffic management is video files by a large margin.  With this increase in video files over the last few years has been because of DivX in a large part.  DivX format allows a high quality video file the size of a DVD to be compressed in to the size of a single CD.   This has brought on the transferring of movies and television shows more prevalent.  Also available are sporting events and documentaries all across the internet in these peer to peer networks.  Following DivX for being downloaded you will see MPEG, RealMedia, Microsoft Video and AVI’s available on peer to peer networks.

Second to video files being transferred was audio files over these networks.  The most common type of file is and was MP3 files.  MP3 has long been the standard for audio files with their high level of compression and high quality of audio reproduction. Recently mobile video files with File Extension 3GP ^[1] also became popular on P2P networks.

For the rest of the files on the internet there is an abundance of files types being transferred.  Compressed files are one of the front runners with their variety of different formats.  The formats such as *.zip, *.rar, and *.tar contain numerous different types of files.  Many of these compressed files are single executable files that are compressed for producing a smaller file.  The other compressed files are libraries of files that are used in a variety of ways.  These files can be a list of audio songs or a program installation folder.  So judging what these files are just by seeing they are a compressed file is impossible.

Executable and image files round up the major players in the formats being downloaded in the peer to peer networks.  These include software downloads and complete DVD’s and CD’s.