Multi-Agent Based Network Monitoring and Management using Jade

Abstract

The most difficult area in any implementation of a successful network is the monitoring and maintenance of such a network.  The network management solutions available today use the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), which uses a centralized management approach. The drawbacks of such an implementation over-weigh the advantages . SNMP provides excellent statistics on the macro level but does not provide the level of details that is often required to completely resolve many network issues . Unlike SNMP the Multi Agent System (MAS) works in a distributed computing paradigm. This paper discusses a MAS solution to certain real world requirements of any network administrator. A real world problem domain is also discussed.

Keywords: SNMP , MAS , Network monitoring