The SMART Project: Multi-Agent Scheduling Simulation of Real-time Architectures

International audienceThe ongoing SMART collaborative project addresses modeling and analysis techniques for software intensive real-time systems. The AADL modeling language has been selected to describe multithread, multi-partition, multi-processor and multi-core architectures. This paper focuses on the use of the Marzhin simulator that is based on a Multi-Agent technology for providing scheduling analysis results of real-time systems. This simulator is integrated in the AADL Inspector product and can also be used to animate realistic 3D animations

A KQML-CORBA based Architecture for Intelligent Agents Communication in Cooperative Service and Network Management

Networks and Services management solutions are now moving from centralised platforms to distributed approaches. In order to reach a higher level of scalability and flexibility, an attractive solution can be based on cooperative intelligent agents. This raises new requirements for communication between management entities, as it implies not only exchange of pure management information but also exchange of cooperation messages or code. After analysing these communication requirements, this paper outlines the need for a communication language able to support all the types of interaction between the agents. As a candidate, KQML is then presented. Its powerful semantic characteristics made us believe it is a suitable support for the communication between management intelligent agents. An implementation of KQML on CORBA leads to define a complete communication layer architecture that can support cooperation in a multi-agents management platform. Keywords Service and Network Management, Coo..

Extensible Java based agent framework

Agentska paradigma predstavlja najprirodniji i najdosledniji postojeći pristup implementaciji distribuiranih sistema. Uz pomoć agenata moguće je u potpunosti realizovati koncept distribuiranih softverskih komponenti, koje će, osim rešenja zadatka na distribuiranom nivou, pružiti i određenu količinu autonomnosti i inteligencije da bi se zadati cilj ostvario. Agentsko okruženje predstavlja programsko okruženje koje upravlja životnim tokom agenata i obezbeđuje mu sve potrebne mehanizme za realizaciju zadatka. U ovoj doktorskoj disertaciji predložen je model agentskog okruženja baziran na tehnologiji distribuiranih komponenti, koji podržava FIPA specifikaciju i sledeće koncepte: razmenu poruka, mobilnost agenata, sigurnosne mehanizme i direktorijume agenata i servisa. Model agentskog okruženja je implementiran u J2EE tehnologiji. Podržan je sistem plug-in-ova za sve bitne komponente agentskog okruženja (menadžere). Modelovan je i implementiran koncept mobilnih zadataka. Dat je model i implementacija sistema međusobnog uređenja odnosa agentskih centara. Predloženo rešenje agentskog okruženja verifikovano je na bibliotečkom informacionom sistemu BISIS. Verifikacija je izvršena na sledećim agentskim zadacima: pretraživanje bibliotečke mreže, ocenjivanje kvaliteta zapisa i inteligentna raspodela opterećenja.Agent technology is one of the most consistent approaches to the distributed computing implementation. Agents can be used to fully implement distributed software component concept. Agents can solve distributed problems utilizing certain degree of autonomy and intelligence. Agent framework represents programming environment that controls agent life cycle and provides all necessary mechanisms for task execution. The subject of the dissertation is formal specification of an agent framework based on distributed component technology. This framework supports FIPA specification and following concepts: message interchange, agent mobility, security and agent and service directory. Agent framework is implemented in J2EE technology. Plug-in system is designed for all key elements of agent framework. Mobile tasks were specified and implemented. Also, inter-facilitator connectivity mechanism is specified and implemented. The framework is verified by a case study on the library information system BISIS. Following agent tasks were performed: library network search, library record quality estimation and intelligent load balansing.

Extensible Java based agent framework

Agentska paradigma predstavlja najprirodniji i najdosledniji postojeći pristup implementaciji distribuiranih sistema. Uz pomoć agenata moguće je u potpunosti realizovati koncept distribuiranih softverskih komponenti, koje će, osim rešenja zadatka na distribuiranom nivou, pružiti i određenu količinu autonomnosti i inteligencije da bi se zadati cilj ostvario. Agentsko okruženje predstavlja programsko okruženje koje upravlja životnim tokom agenata i obezbeđuje mu sve potrebne mehanizme za realizaciju zadatka. U ovoj doktorskoj disertaciji predložen je model agentskog okruženja baziran na tehnologiji distribuiranih komponenti, koji podržava FIPA specifikaciju i sledeće koncepte: razmenu poruka, mobilnost agenata, sigurnosne mehanizme i direktorijume agenata i servisa. Model agentskog okruženja je implementiran u J2EE tehnologiji. Podržan je sistem plug-in-ova za sve bitne komponente agentskog okruženja (menadžere). Modelovan je i implementiran koncept mobilnih zadataka. Dat je model i implementacija sistema međusobnog uređenja odnosa agentskih centara. Predloženo rešenje agentskog okruženja verifikovano je na bibliotečkom informacionom sistemu BISIS. Verifikacija je izvršena na sledećim agentskim zadacima: pretraživanje bibliotečke mreže, ocenjivanje kvaliteta zapisa i inteligentna raspodela opterećenja.Agent technology is one of the most consistent approaches to the distributed computing implementation. Agents can be used to fully implement distributed software component concept. Agents can solve distributed problems utilizing certain degree of autonomy and intelligence. Agent framework represents programming environment that controls agent life cycle and provides all necessary mechanisms for task execution. The subject of the dissertation is formal specification of an agent framework based on distributed component technology. This framework supports FIPA specification and following concepts: message interchange, agent mobility, security and agent and service directory. Agent framework is implemented in J2EE technology. Plug-in system is designed for all key elements of agent framework. Mobile tasks were specified and implemented. Also, inter-facilitator connectivity mechanism is specified and implemented. The framework is verified by a case study on the library information system BISIS. Following agent tasks were performed: library network search, library record quality estimation and intelligent load balansing.

An Architecture for an Intelligent Assistant System for use in Software Project Planning

It is the proposition of this research that there are a number of weaknesses in the current approaches being taken in the provision of software project planning tools and that there is significant scope to improve on existing systems by the development of an intelligent assistant system which will provide decision support for the software project planner in the creation of plans for a software development project. This research has devised a framework and architecture based on a fusion of a number of techniques within a multi-agent framework which aims to improve the quality of the decision making process of software project planners. This framework incorporates the information gathering and analysis techniques of a Decision Support System with the ability of an Expert System to propose possible solutions using expert knowledge and best practices and the power of Blackboard to exchange information between components. This novel approach enables the inter-working of a variety of well understood techniques within a single underlying framework - that of the agent-orientated paradigm. To assist with validating the proposed architecture, a prototype application was developed and a series of user trials conducted. The conclusion of these trials was that the prototype system demonstrated that the notion of an intelligent assistant system for software project planning was a viable concept, worthy of further investigation. Further, it demonstrated that the proposed architecture provided a viable framework for supporting the software project planners decision making process and has the potential to be of use in a commercial setting

BIPI: desarrollo de un Buscador Inteligente para Internet basado en agentes móviles

A fines del año 1997, habiendo concluido la cursada de la carrera de Licenciatura en Informática, debimos orientar nuestros esfuerzos hacia la definición de un tema que se concretara en una tesis. Pero no fue, hasta fines de 1999, que realmente dedicamos nuestro tiempo a esta investigación. Comenzamos reconociendo problemáticas que podían ser satisfechas en el ámbito informático, que nos movilizaran a la adquisición de conocimientos teóricos y técnicos y que, al mismo tiempo, puedan ser profundizadas y resueltas con el desarrollo de una tesis. Finalmente, basados en el incremento y exceso de información que existe en nuestros tiempos, y la imposibilidad de poder ubicarla correctamente, optamos por el tema de buscadores, presentado por Javier Díaz, que podían ayudar en la resolución de esta problemática en el contexto de Internet. Esto fue sólo el puntapié inicial y, una vez que ahondamos en el tema, vimos la posibilidad de profundizar en él, llevándonos a la di versificación del tópico inicial hacia los metabuscadores y los agentes móviles, ya que apoyarían en la resolución de la problemática y servirían como sustento conceptual para el desarrollo de la aplicación. Además, como el buscador inicialmente no tenía información, se pensó en brindarle la capacidad de aprender del resto de los buscadores. Fue así que, en Diciembre de 1999, presentamos la propuesta para la resolución de esta problemática a través de un metabuscador denominado BIPI, acrónimo de Buscador Inteligente Para Internet, que se ve realizada en esta investigación aplicada y que, en los capítulos y apéndices siguientes, se define. Ya en la presentación de la propuesta se vislumbraban cuestiones que debían ser resueltas a lo largo de la investigación y desarrollo de la tesis. Entre estas preguntas se encuentran cuestiones claves como: ¿Cómo definir el metabuscador y que funcionalidad debe incluir? ¿Qué características de los demás buscadores se deben adoptar? ¿Es el concepto de agente móvil el adecuado para el propósito del desarrollo? ¿Qué herramientas brindan la versatilidad necesaria para construir la aplicación? ¿Será útil el metabuscador obtenido y resolverá la problemática inicialmente planteada?Tesis digitalizada en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración de la Biblioteca de la Facultad de Informática (UNLP).Facultad de Informátic