The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has shut down six eDonkey servers in Germany through a series of injunctions from regional courts in Hamburg, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, and Frankfurt.

The IFPI claims the actions have dramatically reduced file sharing.

According to P2P Blog, the servers taken down were known as "Donkey Server No. 1" through "Donkey Server No. 6". However, IFPI Germany says it has closed 16 servers so far this year and expects the courts to issue more injunctions.

eDonkey is a decentralised, peer-to-peer file sharing network used primarily to exchange audio files, video files, and computer software. Files are not stored on a central server, but are exchanged directly between users. However, the nodes are essential for communication.

The servers were seized despite the fact the owner of the server, after being contacted by IFPI lawyers, immediately installed filters that would stop the trading of unauthorised songs.

Last year MetaMachine, the developer of the eDonkey2000 client, agreed to pay $30m to avoid potential copyright infringement lawsuits brought by the RIAA.

It also decided to discontinue distribution of its software, but that didn't prevent existing users from exchanging files. Since then BitTorrent has surpassed eDonkey as the P2P protocol of choice.

IFPI release is available, in German, here. ®

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