Method and system for providing notification of the availability of a peer computer in a peer-to-peer network

1. A method for providing notification of the availability of a peer computer in a peer-to-peer network, comprising:

receiving a request from a requestor for access to the peer computer;

determining with a peer network server (PNS) whether the peer computer is connected to the peer-to-peer network; and

in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network:

providing a notification from the PNS to the requestor that the peer computer has connected to the peer-to-peer network after the peer computer connects to the peer-to-peer network when the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network at the time the request is received; and

adding the notification to a queue associated with the peer computer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network, providing a notification to the peer computer, after the peer computer connects to the peer-to-peer network, that a request for access to the peer computer was received.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network, providing an option for the notification that a request for access to the peer computer was received.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

directing the option for the notification to the peer computer.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

directing the option for the notification to a visiting computer.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network, providing an option for the notification that the peer computer has connected to the peer-to-peer network.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

directing the option for the notification to the peer computer.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

directing the option for the notification to a visiting computer.

9. The method of claim 1 , the PNS further comprising a notification server, the notification server providing the notification that the peer computer has connected to the peer-to-peer network after the peer computer connects to the peer-to-peer network.

10. The method of claim 9 , adding the notification to a queue associated with the peer computer further comprising:

determining if the request for access to the peer computer is a duplicate request; and

in the event that the request is not a duplicate request, adding the notification to the queue associated with the peer computer.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving a connection from the peer computer;

routing the identity of the peer computer to the notification server; and

determining if the queue associated with the peer computer contains the notification.

12. A computer-readable medium containing program instructions for providing notification of the availability of a peer computer in a peer-to-peer network provided by a PNS, the program instructions comprising:

processing a request for access to the peer computer;

determining whether the peer computer is connected to the peer-to-peer network; and

in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network:

providing a notification that the peer computer has connected to the peer-to-peer network after the peer computer connects to the peer-to-peer network when the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network at the time the request is received; and

adding the notification to a queue associated with the peer computer.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , the program instructions further comprising:

in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network, providing a notification to the peer computer, after the peer computer connects to the peer-to-peer network, that a request for access to the peer computer was received.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the program instructions further comprising:

in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network, providing an option for the notification that a request for access to the peer computer was received.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , the program instructions further comprising:

directing the option for the notification to the peer computer.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , the program instructions further comprising:

directing the option for the notification to a visiting computer.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , the program instructions further comprising:

in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network, providing an option for the notification that the peer computer has connected to the peer-to-peer network.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , the program instructions further comprising:

directing the option for the notification to the peer computer.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , the program instructions further comprising:

directing the option for the notification to a visiting computer.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , the PNS further comprising a notification server, the notification server providing the notification that the peer computer has connected to the peer-to-peer network after the peer computer connects to the peer-to-peer network.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 , adding the notification to a queue associated with the peer computer further comprising:

determining if the request for access to the peer computer is a duplicate request; and

in the event that the request is not a duplicate request, adding the notification to the queue associated with the peer computer.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 , the program instructions further comprising:

receiving a connection from the peer computer;

routing the identity of the peer computer to the notification server; and

determining if the queue associated with the peer computer contains the notification.

23. A peer network server (PNS) for providing notification in a peer-to-peer network, comprising:

memory; and

a control system associated with the memory and configured to:

maintain the peer-to-peer network for a peer computer configured to hold data;

receive a request from a requestor for access to the data in the peer computer; and

determine whether the peer computer is connected to the peer-to-peer network; and;

in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network:

provide a notification to the requestor that the peer computer has connected to the peer-to-peer network after the peer computer connects to the peer-to-peer network when the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network at the time the request is received; and

add the notification to a queue associated with the peer computer.

24. The system of claim 23 , the PNS further configured, in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network, to provide a notification to the peer computer, after the peer computer connects to the peer-to-peer network, that a request for access to the peer computer was received.

25. The system of claim 24 , the PNS further comprising:

a notification server configured to store and to provide the notification to the peer computer and the notification to the requestor.

26. The system of claim 25 , the PNS further configured, in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network, to provide an option for the notification that a request for access to the peer computer was received.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the PNS is further configured to direct the option for the notification to the peer computer.

28. The system of claim 26 , wherein the PNS is further configured to direct the option for the notification to the requestor, wherein the requestor is a visiting computer.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein the PNS is further configured, in the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network, to provide an option for the notification that the peer computer has connected to the peer-to-peer network.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the PNS is further configured to direct the option for the notification to the peer computer.

31. The system of claim 29 , wherein the PNS is further configured to direct the option for the notification to the requestor, wherein the requestor is a visiting computer.

32. The system of claim 23 , the PNS further comprising a notification server, the notification server providing the notification that the peer computer has connected to the peer-to-peer network after the peer computer connects to the peer-to-peer network.

33. The system of claim 32 , the notification server further configured to determine if the request for access to the peer computer is a duplicate request, and in the event that the request is not a duplicate request, to add the notification to the queue associated with the peer computer.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the PNS is further configured to receive a connection from the peer computer and to route the identity of the peer computer to the notification server, wherein the notification server is further configured to determine if the queue associated with the peer computer contains the notification.