[cap-talk] Simple Cooperative File Sharing (SCoopFS), the "F" is silent

[Karp, Alan H]

John Carlson wrote:
> 
> I think this is great progress.  I skimmed some of it.  Do you have to
> open port 443 on your router/firewall?  

We assume 443 is open because so much other stuff breaks if it isn't.

> What do you do when your IP
> address of your laptop or router changes (say you move between
> buildings).  Or you take your laptop to the nearest Starbucks and use
> their WiFi?  

The Waterken server detects the move and updates your DNS entry, which is marked with a very short lifetime.  To date, the updates happen fast enough that we haven't noticed a problem when carrying a laptop to different subnets, but we haven't done a careful study, either.

> I am assuming that the Waterken server somehow keeps a
> private/public key tied to ??? that uniquely identifies it.  

Yes.  The fingerprint of the public key appears in the domain name.

> Usually WaterKen's keys are tied to IP or DNS, correct?  I am thinking if you
> re-address/re-name your Waterken server, then you have to reshare the
> files.  Is it easy to do a mass reconnect with your Pals?
>
The key is tied to your domain name, not your IP address.  If you did rename your server, you'd have to get a new key.  That would make you look like someone else, so you'd have to redo all your connections and sharings.  I don't know why you'd do that, though.

________________________
Alan Karp
Principal Scientist
Virus Safe Computing Initiative
Hewlett-Packard Laboratories
1501 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 857-3967, fax (650) 857-7029
http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Alan_Karp