Gnutella is similar to Napster in that it implements a P2P file sharing network. However, Gnutella is more generalized than Napster, allowing users to share any type of file, not just music files. To accomplish this, Gnutella uses a different protocol than Napster. The Gnutella protocol realizes distributed file sharing by providing the mechanisms for the creation of a P2P network. Every node in a P2P network may act as a client (when it downloads files) or as a server (when it makes available files for others to download). These nodes are popularly called servents (server + client). Each servent in a Gnutella Network implements the Gnutella protocol. One issue may be the scalability of a network that requires servents to discover the location of content instead of consulting a central index, especially with the preponderance of slow network connections.

However, P2P is much more than just swapping MP3 files; it is a true example of the power of NCC to change the computing experience. P2P can be used to foster collaboration among geographically distributed coworkers, as with Intel-funded Groove Networks, Inc. P2P can also be used to share computing resources, such as the SETI Institute's efforts to leverage dormant PC cycles in a distributed virtual supercomputer. What the next "killer app." will be is unknown, but it seems there is a good chance it will make use of P2P technology.

Perhaps the most pressing problem for net-centric computing, including peer-to-peer networking, is the critical issue of security. In the book Secrets & Lies: Digital Security in a Networked World (John Wiley & Sons, 2000), well-known security expert Bruce Schneier advocates a more holistic approach to computer security. As he often states in the book, security is a process, not a product. The reliance on technology as the sole source of security for today's information systems is misplaced. After all, people use computers, and people are inherently insecure. Moreover, the problem is exacerbated by the increasing complexity of today's computer systems. The sheer size of these programs means that no one really knows how all the parts go together. This is particularly true for NCC applications, where code and data are mobile and visibility into the entire program is difficult to obtain. The full power of P2P may only be realized if the security issue can be solved or at least mitigated.

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