CAN is a middleware that provides basic support for distributed hashing. CAN assigns random unique coordinates and rectangular zones of responsibility within a coordinate space to nodes. Given key coordinates, CAN can deliver a message to a node responsible for the zone with the key coordinates. For N nodes, it takes O(sqrt N) steps to deliver the message, provided each node maintains a routing table of constant size. CAN configuration allows the exponent of the root to be set to an arbitrary number.

Identifiers as coordinates, zones of responsibility. Routing along a straight line. Periodic neighbor checking, taking over zones.

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