Secure Mobile Agents
An extensible and open server for mobile agents written in Java. Focused on security, interoperability, and protection against malicious hosts.
What is SeMoA?
A Java-based platform for developing and deploying secure mobile agents.
SeMoA stands for "Secure Mobile Agents". It is about developing an extensible and open server for mobile agents. The server is written in Java, and agents can be written in Java as well (JDK 1.3). The focus is on all aspects of mobile agent security, including protection of mobile agents against malicious hosts.
Another important feature is SeMoA's interoperability with other platforms such as Aglets and JADE, which enables you to run their agents in a SeMoA server environment. This cross-platform compatibility makes SeMoA a versatile choice for multi-agent system development.
What are Mobile Agents?
Understanding the paradigm that powers distributed computing.
The Concept
Mobile agents are autonomous software programs that can migrate from one host to another in a network, carrying their code and execution state. Unlike traditional client-server communication where data moves to the code, mobile agents move the code to the data.
This paradigm shift offers significant advantages in distributed computing environments, particularly when dealing with large datasets, unreliable network connections, or real-time processing requirements.
Key Characteristics
- Autonomy: Operate independently without continuous human intervention
- Mobility: Migrate between hosts while maintaining execution state
- Reactivity: Respond to changes in the environment
- Communication: Interact with other agents and services
- Goal-oriented: Work towards specific objectives
Core Concepts
Understanding the key principles behind SeMoA's architecture.
Agent Migration
Agents can move between hosts while preserving their execution state, enabling distributed computation and reducing network bandwidth requirements.
Agent Security
Comprehensive protection mechanisms for both agents and hosts, including sandboxing, code signing, and encrypted communication channels.
Interoperability
SeMoA is designed for compatibility with Aglets and JADE platforms, enabling cross-platform agent execution and collaboration.
Benefits of Mobile Agents
Why mobile agent technology matters for modern distributed systems.
Reduced Network Load
Move computation to data instead of moving large datasets across the network. Particularly valuable for bandwidth-constrained environments.
Latency Reduction
Perform local operations on remote hosts, eliminating multiple round-trip communications and significantly reducing response times.
Asynchronous Execution
Agents can continue working even when disconnected from the originating system, ideal for mobile devices and unreliable connections.
Dynamic Deployment
Deploy and update functionality at runtime without system restarts. Agents can be dynamically loaded and upgraded as needed.
Natural Collaboration
Multiple agents can work together, negotiate, and coordinate to solve complex problems that require distributed intelligence.
Encapsulation
Agents encapsulate protocols and interactions, making distributed systems more modular, maintainable, and easier to understand.
Application Areas
Where mobile agent technology makes a difference.
Distributed Computing
Execute computations across multiple nodes, moving processing to where the data resides.
E-Commerce
Shopping agents that compare prices, negotiate deals, and complete transactions autonomously.
Network Management
Monitor network health, diagnose issues, and perform maintenance tasks across distributed infrastructure.
Information Retrieval
Search agents that gather, filter, and synthesize information from multiple distributed sources.
IoT & Embedded
Lightweight agents for resource-constrained devices in Internet of Things applications.
Workflow Automation
Automate complex business processes that span multiple systems and organizations.
Research & Academia
Platform for studying distributed AI, multi-agent systems, and autonomous computing research.
Security Applications
Intrusion detection, vulnerability scanning, and security monitoring across networks.
SeMoA Features
What makes SeMoA stand out in the mobile agent ecosystem.
Security First
Comprehensive security model protecting agents and hosts
Extensible
Open architecture for custom extensions
Java Based
Write agents in standard Java
Cross-Platform
JADE & Aglets compatibility
Ready to Explore Mobile Agents?
Discover tools, platforms, and resources for building secure mobile agent systems.