A network overlay is a type of network architecture, usually one in which a network runs on top of another. For example, peer-to-peer networks are usually overlay networks because they run top of the Internet.
The overlay contains the distributed information in the network including connectivity information, location/name of superpeers, closest peers, and adjacency.
Dial-up internet is essentially an overlay upon the traditional telephone network.
List of overlay network protocols
See also
Anonymous P2P
Application programming interface
External links