A management request broker based on transactional mobile agents for IN-TINA services

Contemporary computer networks are heterogeneous. But few programming tools embrace, or even acknowledge, this complexity. New methods and approaches are required if next-generation networks are to be configured, administered and utilized to their full potentials. The growing field of ORBs, mobile agents and transactional researches seeks to address problems in this domain. In this paper we discuss the potential uses of a management request broker (MRB) in network and service management. This MRB is based on an ORB, an environment for executing mobile agents and an integrated transaction service. The keyword of our approach is TMA (transactional mobile agent). The core of this paper comprises descriptions of the MRB functions and the potential applications of TMA in the five OSI functional areas of network and service management. Descriptions of the MRBs organization and of the platform on which it can be developed are explained. An IN-TINA integrated telecom architecture is presented as an application domain. Prospects activity in the area conclude the presentation