Christine Reese

Agent Models for Concurrent Software Systems

In this work we present modeling techniques for the development of multi-agent applications within the reference architecture for multi-agent system Mulan . Our approach can be characterized as model driven development by using models in all stages and levels of abstraction regarding design, implementation and documentation. Both, standard techniques from software development as well as customized ones are used to satisfy the needs of multi-agent system development. To illustrate the techniques and models within this paper we use diagrams created during the development of an agent-based distributed Workflow Management System (WFMS).

Providing an agent flavored integration for workflow management

This paper discusses an application of software agents to improve workflow management systems, with a practical emphasis on Petri net-based systems. The properties of agent technology will be used to gain advantages within the workflow management systems on both a conceptual and practical level. In this paper we discuss the theoretical background of our work, the conceptual idea and approach, and one possible practical implementation. As a central practical means we use reference nets, a high-level Petri net formalism. These nets are used to model both agents and workflows, which results in a clean and natural integration of both technologies.

Fragmented workflows supported by an agent based architecture

Within the distributed systems area, specific software solutions are required due to the distribution of systems and their users in time and space. A key role can be seen in the coordination of processes in this context. Applications that support the work of people and enterprises within such settings need to support requirements such as flexibility, autonomy, coordination and synchronization. An example is the coordination of distributed interorganizational workflows. The dynamic adaptation of workflows is of particular importance in this area, since enterprises need to dynamically adapt to changes in market and to new demands. Another example for such a setting, where a workflow needs to be constantly adopted are virtual enterprises e.g. production workflows, where changing partnerships lead to changing requirements. Based on the formal modelling technique of high-level Petri nets we use workflow nets and an agent framework, both tool supported. This leads directly to an innovative architecture in this field combining several former approaches with respect to their advantages.

Introducing a Process Infrastructure for Agent Systems

Within open distributed systems the realization of a spanning application is an open problem. While the local functionality can be implemented based on established approaches, the overall control of the processes to form a consistent and correct application remains difficult. Workflow management systems (WFMS) are one solution for process control. In combination with distributed systems further issues have to be solved and are investigated here under different perspectives like Petri nets (to provide a true concurrency semantics of the concepts) and agents (to provide a powerful middleware and a more abstract modeling paradigm than objects or components). In this paper we coin the phrase process infrastructure. The idea is to provide all means to model, build, control and maintain the processes within open agent networks as special distributed systems by combining the above mentioned concepts and techniques. To gain such a powerful process infrastructure, we started to build prototypes, which stepwise introduce some implementations of the advanced concepts. The potential of our proposed solution lies in its flexibility and rigorous formal precision. Thanks to the latter the models are directly executable. The approach introduces autonomous and adaptive handling of processes in specific units (agents), which use and produce the necessary infrastructure to handle processes in different contexts on all levels.

Models and Tools for Mulan Applications

In this work we describe the development process of multi-agent application design and implementation with M ulan . Our approach can be characterized as model driven development by using models in all stages and levels of abstraction regarding design, implementation and documentation. Both, standard methods from software development as well as customized ones are used to satisfy the needs of multi-agent system development.

NETDEMO: openNet networked agents demonstration

One of the most significant challenges in applying agent technologies lies in deployment of agent systems in large-scale open environments. The objective of the NETDEMO demonstration is to show a range of agent applications which have been deployed and made accessible over multiple sites accessible via the public Internet. Demonstration are based on FIPA Agent, W3C Web Services and Semantic Web standards - covering a range of application areas from experimental games to travel/tourism and e-Business supply chains.Systems are visualized together using the openNet network infrastructure.