Mobile Agents as an Architectural Concept for Internet-Based Distributed Applications - The WASP Project Approach

Abstract. After introducing the concept of mobile agents and potential application domains, we motivate why mobile agent technology is an interesting concept for large Internet-based system structures. We then describe the Java-based WASP agent environment which integrates agent execution platforms into WWW servers and thus promotes a world wide infrastructure for mobile agents. We sketch first prototype applications, and we mention some unique aspects of the WASP project such as fully transparent migration of Java objects. Finally we report on some experiences we gained when realizing our mobile agent system. 1 Mobile Agents Mobile agents are software processes which can autonomously migrate from one host to another during their execution. While roaming the Internet or a proprietary intranet and visiting other machines, they do some useful work on behalf of their owners or originators. By transmitting executable programs between (possibly heterogeneous) machines, agent-based computin...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1999
• Where: KIVS
• Authors: Stefan Fünfrocken, Friedemann Mattern
• Keywords: Computer Networks, KIVS 1999, Mobile Agent System, Mobile Agent Technology, Mobile Agents