Jozef Winkowski

A Multi-Agent System
for Distributed Job and Resource Management

875

Abstract

A multi-agent system for a network of computers is described.

The system consists of a distributed set of agents, each of which runs locally on a computer in the network. The agent running on a computer is responsible for performing jobs initiated on this computer and for managing the local resources. Each job proceeds according to a program and it involves a number of indivisible pieces of work called tasks, each task to be done with the aid of resources of certain types. A resource is either a facility (a processor, a printer, etc.) or a unit of data (a file, a record, etc.).

The system has no central control. It is controlled only by its agents. The agents are independent and they behave according to a protocol. The behaviour of agents simulates a game of tasks for access to resources. It is such that each task has a guarantee to be executed, what implies a systematic progress of the respective jobs.

Key words: computer, network, agent, multi-agent system, job, task, resource, competition, game, protocol.