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Distributed Fault Location in Networks Using Learning Mobile Agents

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Approaches to Intelligence Agents (PRIMA 1999)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 1733))

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Abstract

This paper describes how multiple interacting swarms of adaptive mobile agents can be used to locate faults in networks. The paper proposes the use of distributed problem solving using learning mobile agents for fault finding. The paper uses a recently described architectural description for an agent that is biologically inspired and proposes chemical interaction as the principal mechanism for inter-swarm communication. Agents have behavior that is inspired by the foraging activities of ants, with each agent capable of simple actions; global knowledge is not assumed. The creation of chemical trails is proposed as the primary mechanism used in distributed problem solving arising from the self-organization of swarms of agents. Fault location is achieved as a consequence of agents moving through the network, sensing, acting upon sensed information, and subsequently modifying the chemical environment that they inhabit. Elements of a mobile code framework that is being used to support this research, and the mechanisms used for agent mobility within the network environment, are described.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Systems and Computer Engineering, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6

    Tony White & Bernard Pagurek

Authors
  1. Tony White
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  2. Bernard Pagurek
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Electrotechnical Laboratories, Umezono 1-1-4, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0045, Japan

    Hideyuki Nakashima

  2. Deakin University Geelong, Scool of Computing and Mathematics, Victoria 3217, Australia

    Chengqi Zhang

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© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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White, T., Pagurek, B. (1999). Distributed Fault Location in Networks Using Learning Mobile Agents. In: Nakashima, H., Zhang, C. (eds) Approaches to Intelligence Agents. PRIMA 1999. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 1733. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46693-2_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-46693-2_14

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-66823-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-46693-2

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