Interfacing multi-agent models to distributed simulation platforms: The case of PDES-MAS

Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) are increasingly used to solve larger and more complex problems. To provide the computational resources needed to do this, MAS are increasingly distributed over multiple computational platforms. Different approaches for distributing MAS have been proposed over the years. One problem remains central whichever approach is used: how to translate MAS behaviour into a format suitable for the distribution approach used. In this paper we describe the Agent Distributed Shared Memory Interface (ADSMI), an interface between a general MAS description and the PDES-MAS platform as an implementation of a Distributed Shared Memory (DSM) system for distributed MAS simulations. The ADSMI provides a translation of MAS behaviour into event-interactions with PDES-MAS, as well as functionality for handling time progressing in the MAS, and a messaging mechanism between agents.