LS/TS Run-time Suite

The LS/TS Run-time Suite provides the Run-time Environments that are needed to run agent-based autonomic systems and applications by adding specialized functionalities to the base Java Run-time Environment (JRE).

CAL – the Core Agent Layer

The CAL defines and implements the agent abstractions and components that the software engineer needs in order to design agent-based systems and applications. Its main component is the Autonomous Agent, which can exhibit proactive, goal-oriented behavior and flexibly communicate with other agents to achieve coordination and cooperation. Other components include directory services, notification services as well as access to the messaging infrastructure.

Powerful execution engines

The LS/TS Run-time Suite provides two advanced execution engine types to implement agent-based logic: LISA and MARGE. They can be adapted, extended and even combined:

• LISA uses tasks and sub-tasks as its main concepts and uses external events, logical conditions or time to determine its next step. A simple API supports inter-agent messaging.
• MARGE enables the implementation of proactive, goal-oriented agents. Using a Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) architecture, MARGE agents apply their knowledge of the environment to select and combine plans of actions in order to obtain the goals that are defined by the developer. An API allows agents to reason and coordinate plans and actions before execution.

Effective semantic communication

For communication the LS/TS Run-time Suite relies on the Web Ontology Language (OWL) and communicative actions such as requests, notifications and queries. This allows inter-agent message representation even for complex domain models with multiple ontological views. A simple, yet powerful API makes these benefits available across all LS/TS applications.

Security and multi-user management

The LS/TS Run-time Suite enforces security policies for both agents and clients. It provides full multi-user management capabilities through the administrator tool of the Suite.

Flexible operation modes

For increased fault-tolerance, load-balancing or other architectural reasons, the Business and Enterprise Editions of the LS/TS Run-time Suite can be run in different operation modes:

• Single mode: the default, one instance of the Run-time Environment executes the application
• Cluster mode: several instances of the Run-time Environment act as one logical system towards clients, systems and the application itself, but execute in parallel and provide seamless handover if one node should fail
• Federation mode: several Run-time Environments are loosely-coupled and run separate parts of an application, acting as self-configuring, independent logical entities toward external components

Resource control

The LS/TS Run-time Suite provides configurable resource pools and detailed monitoring functionalities.

Client access

LS/TS is capable of the predominant client access technologies:

• Remote Method Invocation (RMI) enables Web front-ends, rich user clients and other applications to appear as an agent within the application and to connect and communicate.
• A Web Services gateway allows other systems and rich user clients to connect to LS/TS via SOAP communication.
• Java Message Service (JMS) support makes LS/TS interoperable with other systems and clients at system and application levels.