A framework for providing consistent and recoverable agent-based access to heterogeneous mobile databases

Abstract

Information applications are increasingly required to be distributed among numerous remote sites through both wireless and wired links. Traditional models of distributed computing are inadequate to overcome the communication barrier this generates and to support the development of complex applications. In this paper, we advocate an approach based on agents. Agents are software modules that encapsulate data and code, cooperate to solve complicated tasks, and run at remote sites with minimum interaction with the user. We define an agent-based framework for accessing mobile heterogeneous databases. We then investigate concurrency control and recovery issues and outline possible solutions. Agent-based computing advances database transaction and control flow management concepts and remote programming techniques.