Check out the new USENIX Web site.
: The Sender-Push Model : Push vs. Pull: Implications : Introduction


Push vs. Pull: Implications of Protocol Design Choice

The choices made during protocol design phase have fundamental implications on security, usability, and robustness of any distributed message delivery system. One such important design decision is whether to adopt a sender-push or a receiver-pull model or a combination of the two models (see Figure 1). In this section we discuss the implication of these design choices and make the case that the receiver-pull model can prove to be highly effective in discouraging unwanted traffic.