  The cosmic infrared background (CIB) includes roughly half of the energy
radiated by all galaxies at all wavelengths across cosmic time, as observed at
the present epoch. The PACS Evolutionary Probe (PEP) survey is exploited here
to study the CIB and its redshift differential, at 70, 100 and 160 micron,
where the background peaks. Combining PACS observations of the GOODS-S,
GOODS-N, Lockman Hole and COSMOS areas, we define number counts spanning over
more than two orders of magnitude in flux: from ~1 mJy to few hundreds mJy.
Stacking of 24 micron sources and P(D) statistics extend the analysis down to
~0.2 mJy. Taking advantage of the wealth of ancillary data in PEP fields,
differential number counts and CIB are studied up to z=5. Based on these
counts, we discuss the effects of confusion on PACS blank field observations
and provide confusion limits for the three bands considered. The total CIB
surface brightness emitted above PEP 3 sigma flux limits is 4.52 +/- 1.18, 8.35
+/- 0.95 and 9.49 +/- 0.59 [nW/m2/sr] at 70, 100, and 160 micron, respectively.
These values correspond to 58 +/- 7% and 74 +/- 5% of the COBE/DIRBE CIB direct
measurements at 100 and 160 micron. Employing the P(D) analysis, these
fractions increase to ~65% and ~89%. More than half of the resolved CIB was
emitted at redshift z<=1. The 50%-light redshifts lie at z=0.58, 0.67 and 0.73
at the three PACS wavelengths. The distribution moves towards earlier epochs at
longer wavelengths: while the 70 micron CIB is mainly produced by z<=1.0
objects, the contribution of z>1.0 sources reaches 50% at 160 micron. Most of
the CIB resolved in the three PACS bands was emitted by galaxies with infrared
luminosities in the range 1e11-1e12 L(sun).
