Transactional agent model for fault-tolerant object systems

ABSTRACT

A transactional agent is a mobile agent which manipulates objects in multiple computers by autonomously finding a way to visit the computers. The transactional agent commits only if its commitment condition like atomicity is satisfied in presence of faults of computers. On leaving a computer, an agent creates a surrogate agent which holds objects manipulated. A surrogate can recreate a new incarnation of the agent if the agent itself is faulty. If a destination computer is faulty, the transactional agent finds another operational computer to visit. After visiting computers, a transactional agent makes a destination on commitment according to its commitment condition. We discuss design and implementation of the transactional agent which is tolerant of computer faults.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.2 DATABASE MANAGEMENT
      H.2.4 Systems

General Terms:
Algorithms, Reliability

Keywords:
fault-tolerant, mobile agent, transaction