Agent-based System Architecture and Organization Quiz

Agent-Based System Architecture and Organization

• Implementing a Multi-Agent System (MAS) does not necessarily require an agent platform, but it is beneficial to have one as it provides a run-time environment for successful creation and execution of a MAS.

Open Agent Architecture (OAA)

• OAA is a distributed cooperative computing model that enables a community of software agents to work together on tasks assigned by human or non-human participants.
• Two central ideas in OAA are:
  • Distributed cooperation through delegation of tasks, data requests, and triggers
  • High-level communication

Features of OAA

• Open: agents can be created in multiple programming languages and interface with existing legacy systems
• Extensible: agents can be added or replaced individually at runtime
• Distributed: agents can be spread across any network-enabled computers
• Parallel: agents can cooperate or compete on tasks in parallel
• Mobile: lightweight user interfaces can run on handheld devices or in a web browser
• Multimodal: agents can communicate with users using handwriting, speech, pen gestures, and GUIs

OAA Agents

• An OAA agent is a software that conforms to the communication and functional standards imposed by the OAA
• OAA agents can delegate and receive work requests through a facilitator agent
• Agents possess a dedicated set of functionalities based on their roles and a common set of functionalities offered by the OAA platform

Benefits of OAA

• Enables creation of programs from dynamic, virtual communities of services that cooperate and interact in a flexible manner
• Allows building complex systems with heterogeneous components, flexibility, and extensibility
• Offers delegation-based agent architecture for adaptable, incrementally extendable systems
• Enables advanced human-computer interaction with easy and natural communication with the community of agents

Distributed Computing Models

• Permit computing components to be spread across multiple platforms
• Various distributed computing models include:
  • Distributed Objects
  • Conversational (e.g., KQML based)
  • Jini
  • Blackboard
  • Mobile objects
  • Publish and Subscribe
  • Delegated Computing Model
  • Cloud Computing

Distributed Computing Models Distinctions

• Two areas of distinction among distributed computing models:
  • Are interactions among components preconfigured (hard-wired)?
  • Where control for using the component or service lies (e.g., requester/client, provider/server, mediator)?