Approach for managing mobile agents in networks
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for managing a mobile agent in a network, wherein the mobile agent is configured with at least a capability to cause itself to move between nodes in the network, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- detecting that the mobile agent has moved from a first network element in the network to a second network element in the network;
in response to detecting that the mobile agent has moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, determining whether a network management process received a request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network;
in response to determining that the network management process received the request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, determining whether the mobile agent moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network prior to the network management process receiving from the mobile agent the request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network; and
in response to determining that the mobile agent moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network prior to the network management process receiving from the mobile agent a request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, the network management process causing the mobile agent to be terminated.
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Abstract
An approach for managing mobile agents in a network generally involves configuring a mobile agent in a secure manner such that the mobile agent will automatically terminate itself if the mobile agent cannot communicate with a specified entity before moving or the mobile agent cannot successfully communicate with a specified entity within a specified period of time. According to another embodiment, if a management process cannot communicate with a mobile agent within a specified period of time, then the management process attempts to cause the termination of the mobile agent. The management process may contact another management process that has the ability to terminate the mobile agent and request that other management process to cause the termination of the mobile agent. According to another embodiment, the management process may cause the creation and dispatch of a “hunter-killer” mobile agent configured to locate and cause the termination of other mobile agents.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for managing a mobile agent in a network, wherein the mobile agent is configured with at least a capability to cause itself to move between nodes in the network, the computer-implemented method comprising:
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detecting that the mobile agent has moved from a first network element in the network to a second network element in the network; in response to detecting that the mobile agent has moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, determining whether a network management process received a request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network; in response to determining that the network management process received the request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, determining whether the mobile agent moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network prior to the network management process receiving from the mobile agent the request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network; and in response to determining that the mobile agent moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network prior to the network management process receiving from the mobile agent a request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, the network management process causing the mobile agent to be terminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for managing a mobile agent in a network, wherein the mobile agent is configured with at least a capability to cause itself to move between nodes in the network, the computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when processed by one or more processors, causes:
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detecting that the mobile agent has moved from a first network element in the network to a second network element in the network; in response to detecting that the mobile agent has moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, determining whether a network management process received a request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network; in response to determining that the network management process received the request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, determining whether the mobile agent moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network prior to the network management process receiving from the mobile agent the request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network; and in response to determining that the mobile agent moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network prior to the network management process receiving from the mobile agent a request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, the network management process causing the mobile agent to be terminated. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for managing a mobile agent in a network, wherein the mobile agent is configured with at least a capability to cause itself to move between nodes in the network, the apparatus comprising:
one or more processors; and a memory storing instructions which, when processed by the one or more processors, causes;
detecting that the mobile agent has moved from a first network element in the network to a second network element in the network;in response to detecting that the mobile agent has moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, determine whether a network management process received a request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network; in response to determining that the network management process received the request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, determine whether the mobile agent moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network prior to the network management process receiving from the mobile agent the request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network; and in response to determining that the mobile agent moved from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network prior to the network management process receiving from the mobile agent a request issued by the mobile agent to perform the move from the first network element in the network to the second network element in the network, causing the network management process to cause the mobile agent to be terminated. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
Specification