SERVICE-DRIVEN GROUP MANAGEMENT FOR MOBILE P2P SERVICES A. Liotta^ M. Ballette^ L. Lin^ M. GasparonF, P. Brick^, N. Papadoglou^ ^ESE Department, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester C04 3SQ, United Kingdom, ^Vodafone Group Services Ltd. Vodafone House, The Connection, Newbury Berkshire RG14 2FN, United Kingdom Abstract: Given the considerable trend towards multi-party, peer-to-peer (P2P) communication, many are looking at the P2P computing paradigm as the means to extend the capability and scalability of Internet-based services. Current P2P frameworks are, however, largely incompatible with each other and do not address all the requirements of mobile computing. Here we propose a novel solution to peer group management which is 'autonomic', 'mobile friendly' and 'service driven'. We illustrate how our approach facilitates mobile P2P services by managing peer groups based on service semantics and resource availability. Our system allows efficient 'deep' search of user personal content stored in thin mobile terminals. Results are based on an experimental prototype and are demonstrated by a simple proof-of-concept mobile service. Keywords: Mobility aware P2P; Mobile P2P applications; P2P Group Management. 1. INTRODUCTION Mobile services over all-IP networks are revolutionizing the way people communicate, enhancing their ability to engage in virtual collaborations and share content. The classic client-server (C-S) interaction paradigm is still the backbone of Internet services. However, as these are increasingly based on multi-party, Peer-to-Peer (P2P) communication, P2P computing is gaining momentum as one of the fundamental building blocks of modem services. Mobile P2P (MP2P) services bring the benefits of P2P computing (e.g., increased scalability, robustness, seamless resource pooling) to the mobile user. Despite their appeal, MP2P services are difficult to provide today since existing P2P frameworks are heavyweight and not geared towards mobility. On the other hand, mobile terminals are thin and involve intermittent connectivity that is not typical in conventional P2P computing. Beyond the plethora of Internet services, mobile services represent an unprecedented revenue-raising opportunity for mobile network operators and value-added service providers. In particular, operators hold a unique position in the service-provisioning marketplace. They can rely on standardized