Rationale: Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Ban

Policy Rationale

Miami University blocks peer-to-peer ports to eliminate network/Internet disruptions. Therefore, peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing applications, including BitTorrent, Gnutella, WireShare, and others, will not work at the University. Some reasons involve technology; others do not.

  • Worms and viruses have dramatically increased use of the same ports that are used by P2P file sharing applications. The activity of these worms has, many times, produced enormous amounts of network traffic, putting the campus network at risk and taking down Miami's Internet connection. Miami blocked these ports to eliminate network/Internet disruptions
  • Miami has been deluged with copyright infringement notices from the RIAA, Sony, MGM, and other copyright holders. The staff time consumed in following up on reports of illegal activities is enormous and detracts from meaningful work that could be accomplished. Miami chose to use staff time for improvements to technology services, rather than use staff time to process copyright complaints
  • As educators and learners, we value creativity and intellectual property. As an institution, we value those who create a stanza, a sonnet, a novel, a painting, a sculpture, or a song. P2P traffic is used in most — but not all — cases to acquire the intellectual property of others without their knowledge or consent

 

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Related Services / Offerings (3)

Document Storage
Miami University provides a variety of document storage solutions to meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff. These services enable users to securely store, access, and collaborate on documents from multiple devices. The primary storage solutions offered include Google Drive, Google Shared Drive, and Windows File Servers (G: Drive), each designed to support different use cases based on collaboration needs, data sensitivity, and retention requirements.
Wi-Fi
The Wi-Fi service provides a secure wireless connection to Miami’s network and the Internet. It is available in 100% of Miami’s indoor spaces on all campuses, and key areas outdoors. Wi-Fi is one of the most important network utilities IT Services provides to the University. As more coursework and administrative actions take place online, it’s imperative to have access to a robust, reliable network capable of handling heavy load.
Wired Internet
Miami University provides a secure and reliable wired (Ethernet) Internet connection across all campus buildings. This service ensures that faculty, staff, students, and guests have consistent access to the university's network and the broader Internet, supporting academic, administrative, and personal activities. For some use cases, ,using a wired Internet connection is superior to a Wi-Fi connection.