Agent-based software development

Agent technology promises to increase the flexibility and power of software systems 10 accommodate the next generation of computing, including intelligent web services, e-business, and grid computing. In recent years, agent technology has seen dramatic growth and has gained wide acceptance among industry professionals. This unique new reference offers software engineers, system developers and advanced students the most thorough and comprehensive explanation of the methods, tools, standards and techniques used to develop software using the agent-oriented approach. Addressing issues of direct relevance to specific development and task objectives, as well as to industry-wide initiatives, the book is essential for those wanting to understand more about the commercial realities of agent-based computing.

Preface	p. xi
Chapter 1 Agent-Based Computing	p. 1
1.1 Open and Dynamic Computing Environments	p. 1
1.2 Object Technologies	p. 2
1.3 Basic Notions of Agents	p. 3
1.4 Agent Properties	p. 5
1.5 History of Agents	p. 6
1.6 Application Opportunities	p. 7
1.6.1 Ambient Intelligence	p. 7
1.6.2 Grid Computing	p. 8
1.6.3 Electronic Business	p. 9
1.6.4 Simulation	p. 9
1.7 Book Overview	p. 10
References	p. 11
Chapter 2 Agent Architectures	p. 13
2.1 Introduction	p. 13
2.2 Reactive Agent Architectures	p. 14
2.2.1 Subsumption Architecture	p. 15
2.2.2 Agent Network Architecture	p. 17
2.3 Deliberative Agent Architectures	p. 18
2.3.1 BDI Architecture	p. 18
2.3.2 Procedural Reasoning System	p. 19
2.3.3 AgentSpeak(L)	p. 21
2.3.4 IRMA	p. 22
2.4 Hybrid Agent Architectures	p. 23
2.4.1 TouringMachines	p. 23
2.4.2 InterRRaP	p. 25
2.4.3 Other Hybrid Architectures	p. 27
2.5 Distributed Agent Architectures	p. 28
2.5.1 Contract Net Protocol	p. 28
2.5.2 Agentis	p. 30
2.5.3 Other Approaches to Macrolevel Organization	p. 31
2.6 Other Approaches	p. 32
2.6.1 AGENT0 and PLACA	p. 32
2.6.2 Concurrent MeTaTeM	p. 33
2.7 Discussion	p. 35
References	p. 36
Chapter 3 Agent Toolkits	p. 39
3.1 Introduction	p. 39
3.2 Review Method	p. 40
3.2.1 Selection Criteria	p. 40
3.2.2 Generic Toolkit Framework	p. 41
3.3 Zeus	p. 42
3.3.1 Background	p. 42
3.3.2 Agents	p. 43
3.3.3 Multiagent Systems	p. 44
3.3.4 Agent-Building Software	p. 45
3.3.5 Management Services	p. 46
3.4 Retsina	p. 46
3.4.1 Background	p. 46
3.4.2 Agents	p. 47
3.4.3 Multiagent Systems	p. 48
3.4.4 Agent-Building Software	p. 49
3.4.5 Management Services	p. 50
3.5 Impact	p. 50
3.5.1 Background	p. 50
3.5.2 Agents	p. 51
3.5.3 Multiagent Systems	p. 53
3.5.4 Agent-Building Software	p. 54
3.5.5 Management Software	p. 54
3.6 Jade/Leap	p. 54
3.6.1 Background	p. 54
3.6.2 Agents	p. 55
3.6.3 Multiagent Systems	p. 56
3.6.4 Agent-Building Software	p. 57
3.6.5 Management Services	p. 57
3.7 Jack	p. 58
3.7.1 Background	p. 58
3.7.2 Agents	p. 58
3.7.3 Multiagent Systems	p. 59
3.7.4 Agent-Building Software	p. 60
3.7.5 Management Services	p. 60
3.8 Living Markets	p. 60
3.8.1 Background	p. 60
3.8.2 Agents	p. 61
3.8.3 Multiagent Systems	p. 62
3.8.4 Agent-Building Software	p. 63
3.8.5 Management Software	p. 63
3.9 Other Toolkits	p. 63
3.10 Discussion	p. 66
3.10.1 Agents	p. 66
3.10.2 Multiagent Systems	p. 69
3.10.3 Agent-Building Software	p. 71
3.10.4 Management Services	p. 71
3.11 Conclusions	p. 72
References	p. 72
Chapter 4 Methodologies and Modeling Languages	p. 77
4.1 Introduction	p. 77
4.2 A Classification of Existing Methodologies and Notations	p. 79
4.3 Knowledge Engineering Approaches	p. 80
4.4 Agent-Oriented Approaches	p. 85
4.4.1 Gaia and Its Extension ROADMAP	p. 85
4.4.2 SODA	p. 90
4.4.3 Comparison	p. 94
4.5 Methodological Extensions to Object-Oriented Approaches	p. 94
4.5.1 Agent Modeling Techniques for Systems of BDI Agents	p. 95
4.5.2 MESSAGE	p. 98
4.5.3 Tropos	p. 101
4.5.4 Prometheus	p. 104
4.5.5 MaSE	p. 107
4.5.6 PASSI	p. 109
4.5.7 Comparison	p. 110
4.6 Modeling Notations Based on UML: Agent UML	p. 111
4.6.1 Interaction Protocols	p. 112
4.6.2 Social Structures	p. 114
4.6.3 Agent Classes	p. 116
4.6.4 Representing Ontologies by Using UML	p. 119
4.6.5 UML Representation for Goals and Plans	p. 121
4.7 Miscellaneous Approaches	p. 123
4.8 Summary and Concluding Remarks	p. 124
4.8.1 Analysis	p. 125
4.8.2 Design	p. 126
4.8.3 Conclusions	p. 126
Acknowledgments	p. 127
References	p. 127
Chapter 5 Standards for Agent Development	p. 133
5.1 Introduction	p. 133
5.2 Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents Standards	p. 134
5.2.1 FIPA Abstract Architecture	p. 135
5.2.2 FIPA Agent Management	p. 136
5.2.3 FIPA Agent Message Transport Service	p. 138
5.2.4 FIPA Agent Communication Standards	p. 139
5.2.5 Applications	p. 141
5.2.6 Java Agent Services (JAS)	p. 141
5.2.7 Other FIPA Specifications	p. 142
5.2.8 FIPA Standards Index	p. 142
5.3 KQML	p. 144
5.4 Mobile Agent Standards	p. 145
5.4.1 OMG MASIF	p. 146
5.4.2 FIPA Agent Mobility Standard	p. 146
5.5 Agent-Enabling Standards	p. 148
5.5.1 KIF	p. 148
5.5.2 The Semantic Web and Ontology Frameworks	p. 149
5.6 Web Services	p. 153
5.6.1 DAML-S	p. 155
5.7 Grid Computing and the Open Grid Services Architecture	p. 156
5.7.1 Other Related Standards	p. 157
5.8 Implementations and Toolkits	p. 158
5.8.1 FIPA Implementations	p. 158
5.8.2 Mobile Agent Platforms	p. 159
5.8.3 Other Useful Tools	p. 159
5.9 Uses of Agent Standards	p. 163
5.9.1 DARPA CoABS Grid	p. 163
5.9.2 Agentcities	p. 163
5.9.3 Towards Commercial Uses of the FIPA Standards	p. 164
5.10 Conclusions	p. 164
References	p. 165
Chapter 6 Agent Support Technologies	p. 167
6.1 Introduction	p. 167
6.2 Multitier Application Model	p. 168
6.2.1 Java 2 Enterprise Edition	p. 171
6.2.2 Windows Server System and the .NET Framework	p. 173
6.3 JXTA	p. 174
6.4 JINI	p. 176
6.5 Web Services	p. 179
6.5.1 Message Exchange	p. 180
6.5.2 Service Description	p. 180
6.5.3 Service Discovery	p. 181
6.5.4 Service Orchestration	p. 182
6.5.5 Use of Web Services in Agent Systems	p. 183
6.6 Conclusions	p. 184
References	p. 184
Chapter 7 Agent-Based Development Resources	p. 187
7.1 Introduction	p. 187
7.2 Mailing Lists	p. 187
7.2.1 DAI-List	p. 187
7.2.2 AgentLink E-Mail Update	p. 187
7.2.3 Software Agents List	p. 188
7.3 Events	p. 188
7.4 Further References	p. 190
7.4.1 Texts	p. 190
7.4.2 Agent-Based Software Engineering Collections	p. 191
7.4.3 Journals and Magazines	p. 192
7.5 Web Resources	p. 192
7.5.1 UMBC Agent Web	p. 192
7.5.2 MultiAgent.com	p. 193
7.5.3 Agents Portal	p. 193
7.5.4 KTweb	p. 193
7.5.5 SemanticWeb.org	p. 193
7.5.6 AgentLink	p. 194
7.6 Organizations	p. 194
7.6.1 IFMAS	p. 194
7.6.2 FIPA	p. 195
7.6.3 AgentLink	p. 195
7.7 Agent-Based Software Development	p. 196
About the Authors	p. 197
Index	p. 199

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