On Data Migration in Perceptio

One of the problems outlined by Van Jacobson in creating Content-Centric Networks is that if data doesn’t really reside in a specific location, how do you get your data where you want it when you want it? This is addressed by what I’d like to call the Magnetosphere effect (envisioned from being mesmerized by the iTunes visualization, Magnetosphere).

The Magnetosphere effect is an intrinsic property of data encoded in the ghost file that describes the general purpose of the data. Weather the data is intended for a specific audience or for general consumption. The data (ghost file first) then migrates to the best hosts with relevant concern in handling the data. If that host is trusted to contain a copy of the data and if it wants to hold it, the data is then transferred there. A list of trusted hosts is encoded in the ghost file along with information if the data allows additional hosts.