Mobile agents in peer-to-peer networks

• US 20040088347A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Yeager, William J., Chen, Rita Y.
• Granted Patent: US 8,108,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/107 with limitation or expansion of the discovery scope
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Embodiments of a mechanism for implementing mobile agents in peer-to-peer networks. An initiating peer may generate a mobile agent to perform one or more tasks on or gather information from other peers in the peer-to-peer network. The mobile agent may include an itinerary of peers that the mobile agent may visit. The mobile agent may be transmitted on communications channels in the peer-to-peer network to each peer on the itinerary in turn, and return to the initiating peer after visiting or attempting to visit each peer on the itinerary. In one embodiment, the mobile agent may traverse its itinerary via virtual communication channels (pipes) implemented according to a peer-to-peer platform. A mobile agent may include information identifying input pipes for each peer on its itinerary. Peers may generate and advertise input pipes for use by mobile agents.

Claims

1. A peer-to-peer network system, comprising:

an initiating peer node configured to;

generate a mobile agent including an itinerary indicating a plurality of peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network to be visited by the mobile agent, wherein the mobile agent further includes a function configured to be performed at each peer node indicated by the itinerary;

send the mobile agent to a first peer node of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary;

the first peer node, configured to;

receive the mobile agent;

perform the function as indicated by the mobile agent; and

send the mobile agent to a next peer node of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

2. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of peer nodes on the itinerary is configured to:

receive the mobile agent;

perform the function as indicated by the mobile agent; and

send the mobile agent to a subsequent peer node of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

3. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein the itinerary indicates one or more peer-to-peer communication channels for receiving the mobile agent, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different one of the peer nodes of the itinerary, and wherein, to receive the mobile agent, the first peer node is further configured to receive the mobile agent over a corresponding one of the peer-to-peer communication channels indicated by the itinerary.

4. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 3, wherein the peer-to-peer network is configured to implement a peer-to-peer communication protocol for sending peer-to-peer communications to a destination peer node over a peer-to-peer communication channel using a network transport protocol of the peer-to-peer communication channel.

5. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 3, wherein, to send the mobile agent to a next peer node of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary, the first peer node is further configured to select a next peer-to-peer communication channel corresponding to the next peer node from the one or more peer-to-peer communication channels in the itinerary.

6. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein the first peer node is further configured to modify the itinerary to indicate that the mobile agent has visited the first peer node.

7. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein the initiating peer node and peer nodes indicated by the itinerary each include a mobile agent handler configured to receive and send mobile agents.

8. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein the initiating peer node is further configured to:

discover on the peer-to-peer network an advertisement for each peer node on the itinerary, wherein the discovered advertisements each indicate a corresponding peer node that is configured to receive mobile agents; and

generate the itinerary from the discovered advertisements.

9. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 8, wherein, to generate the itinerary from the discovered advertisements, the initiating peer node is further configured to generate a list of peer-to-peer communication channels for receiving the mobile agent, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different one of the peer nodes on the itinerary.

10. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile agent is configured to return to the initiating peer node after visiting all peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

11. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile agent is configured to return to the initiating peer node before visiting all peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

12. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein, to send the mobile agent to a next peer node of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary, the first peer node is further configured to:

determine if the next peer node indicated by the itinerary is available to receive the mobile agent;

if the next peer node indicated by the itinerary is available to receive the mobile agent, send the mobile agent to the next peer node indicated by the itinerary.

13. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 12, wherein, to send the mobile agent to a next peer node of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary, the first peer node is further configured to:

if the next peer node indicated by the itinerary is not available to receive the mobile agent;

select another peer node indicated by the itinerary as the next peer node on the itinerary; and

send the mobile agent to the selected next peer node.

14. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mobile agent is configured to be sent as one or more peer-to-peer messages in the peer-to-peer network.

15. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein, to perform the function as indicated by the mobile agent, the first peer node is further configured to add data to a data payload of the mobile agent.

16. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 15, wherein the initiating peer node is further configured to:

receive the mobile agent; and

extract the data payload from the mobile agent.

17. The peer-to-peer network system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes is configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment on the network according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the plurality of nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, find and exchange codats, and send and receive mobile agents in the peer-to-peer environment.

18. A peer node, comprising:

a processor;

a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

generate a mobile agent and an itinerary for the mobile agent, wherein the itinerary indicates a plurality of peer nodes in a peer-to-peer network to be visited by the mobile agent, and wherein the mobile agent indicates a function to be performed at each peer node indicated by the itinerary; and

send the mobile agent to a first peer node on the itinerary;

wherein the mobile agent is configured to visit each of the peer nodes indicated by the itinerary and perform said function on each visited peer node.

19. The peer node as recited in claim 18, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive the mobile agent from a peer node on the itinerary, wherein the mobile agent includes a data payload generated by the function on one or more of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary; and

extract the data payload from the mobile agent.

20. The peer node as recited in claim 18, wherein the itinerary includes a list of peer-to-peer communication channels, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different peer node on the itinerary, and wherein, to send the mobile agent to a first peer node on the itinerary, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to send the mobile agent over one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the first peer node on the itinerary.

21. The peer node as recited in claim 20, wherein, to send the mobile agent over one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the first peer node on the itinerary, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to select the one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the first peer node on the itinerary from the list of peer-to-peer communication channels in the itinerary.

22. The peer node as recited in claim 18, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to:

discover on the peer-to-peer network an advertisement for each peer node on the itinerary, wherein the discovered advertisements each indicate a corresponding peer node that is configured to receive mobile agents; and

generate the itinerary from the discovered advertisements.

23. The peer node as recited in claim 22, wherein, to generate the itinerary from the discovered advertisements, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to generate a list of peer-to-peer communication channels for receiving the mobile agent, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different one of the peer nodes on the itinerary.

24. The peer node as recited in claim 18, wherein, to send the mobile agent to a first peer node on the itinerary, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to send the mobile agent as one or more peer-to-peer messages on the peer-to-peer network.

25. The peer node as recited in claim 18, wherein the peer node is configured to participate in a peer-to-peer environment with other peer nodes according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, find and exchange codats, and send and receive mobile agents to and from other peer nodes in the peer-to-peer environment.

26. A peer node, comprising:

a processor;

a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

receive a mobile agent according to an itinerary of the mobile agent, wherein the itinerary indicates a plurality of peer nodes in a peer-to-peer network including the peer node, wherein the mobile agent includes a function configured to be performed at each peer-node indicated by the itinerary;

perform the function of the mobile agent; and

send the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary.

27. The peer node as recited in claim 26, wherein the itinerary includes a list of peer-to-peer communication channels, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different peer node on the itinerary, and wherein, to send the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to send the mobile agent over one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the next peer node.

28. The peer node as recited in claim 27, wherein, to send the mobile agent over one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the next peer node, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to select the peer-to-peer communication channel corresponding to the next peer node from the list of peer-to-peer communication channels in the itinerary.

29. The peer node as recited in claim 26, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to modify the mobile agent to indicate that the mobile agent visited the peer node.

30. The peer node as recited in claim 26, wherein, to perform the function of the mobile agent, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to store data as part of a payload of the mobile agent.

31. The peer node as recited in claim 26, wherein, to send the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to send the mobile agent as one or more peer-to-peer messages on the peer-to-peer network.

32. The peer node as recited in claim 26, wherein the peer node is configured to participate in a peer-to-peer environment with other peer nodes according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, find and exchange codats, and send and receive mobile agents to and from other peer nodes in the peer-to-peer environment.

33. A method, comprising:

an initiating peer node in a peer-to-peer network sending a mobile agent including an itinerary indicating peer nodes to be visited by the mobile agent to a peer node on the itinerary, wherein the mobile agent includes a function configured to be performed at each peer node indicated by the itinerary;

the peer node receiving the mobile agent;

performing the function of the mobile agent on the peer node; and

the peer node sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising repeating said receiving, said performing, and said sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary for each peer node indicated by the itinerary.

35. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the itinerary indicates one or more peer-to-peer communication channels for receiving the mobile agent, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different one of the peer nodes of the itinerary, and wherein said receiving comprises the peer node receiving the mobile agent over a corresponding one of the peer-to-peer communication channels indicated by the itinerary.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the peer-to-peer network is configured to implement a peer-to-peer communication protocol for sending peer-to-peer communications to a destination peer node over a peer-to-peer communication channel using a network transport protocol of the peer-to-peer communication channel.

37. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the peer node sending the mobile agent to a next peer node comprises selecting a next peer-to-peer communication channel corresponding to the next peer node from the one or more peer-to-peer communication channels indicated by the itinerary.

38. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising modifying the itinerary to indicate that the mobile agent has visited the peer node.

39. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein each peer node indicated by the itinerary includes a mobile agent handler configured to receive and send the mobile agent.

40. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising:

the initiating peer node discovering on the peer-to-peer network an advertisement for each peer node on the itinerary, wherein the discovered advertisements each indicate a corresponding peer node that is configured to receive mobile agents; and

generating the itinerary from the discovered advertisements.

41. The method as recited in claim 40, wherein said generating the itinerary from the discovered advertisements comprises generating a list of peer-to-peer communication channels for receiving the mobile agent, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different one of the peer nodes on the itinerary.

42. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the mobile agent is configured to return to the initiating peer node after visiting all peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

43. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising the mobile agent returning to the initiating peer node before visiting all peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

44. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the peer node sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary comprises:

determining if the next peer node indicated by the itinerary is available to receive the mobile agent; and

if the next peer node indicated by the itinerary is available to receive the mobile agent, sending the mobile agent to the next peer node indicated by the itinerary.

45. The method as recited in claim 44, wherein the peer node sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary comprises, if the next peer node indicated by the itinerary is not available to receive the mobile agent:

selecting another peer node indicated by the itinerary as the next peer node on the itinerary; and

sending the mobile agent to the selected next peer node.

46. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the mobile agent is sent as one or more peer-to-peer messages in the peer-to-peer network.

47. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said performing the function comprises one or more of the peer nodes on the itinerary adding data to a data payload of the mobile agent.

48. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising:

the initiating peer node receiving the mobile agent; and

extracting the data payload from the mobile agent.

49. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, find and exchange codats, and send and receive mobile agents in the peer-to-peer environment.

50. A method, comprising:

an initiating peer node in a peer-to-peer network generating a mobile agent and an itinerary for the mobile agent, wherein the itinerary indicates a plurality of peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network to be visited by the mobile agent, and wherein the mobile agent indicates a function to be performed on peer nodes indicated by the itinerary;

the initiating peer sending the mobile agent to a first peer node on the itinerary; and

wherein the mobile agent is configured to visit each of the peer nodes indicated by the itinerary and perform said function on each visited peer node.

51. The method as recited in claim 50, further comprising:

the initiating peer node receiving the mobile agent from a peer node on the itinerary, wherein the mobile agent includes a data payload generated by the function on one or more of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary; and

the initiating peer node extracting the data payload from the mobile agent.

52. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the itinerary includes a list of peer-to-peer communication channels, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different peer node on the itinerary, and wherein said sending the mobile agent to a first peer node on the itinerary comprises sending the mobile agent over one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the first peer node on the itinerary.

53. The method as recited in claim 52, wherein the peer-to-peer network is configured to implement a peer-to-peer communication protocol for sending peer-to-peer communications to a destination peer node over a peer-to-peer communication channel using a network transport protocol of the peer-to-peer communication channel.

54. The method as recited in claim 52, wherein said sending the mobile agent over one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the first peer node on the itinerary comprises the initiating peer node selecting the one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the first peer node on the itinerary from the list of peer-to-peer communication channels in the itinerary.

55. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the initiating peer node includes a mobile agent handler for generating and sending the mobile agent.

56. The method as recited in claim 50, further comprising:

the initiating peer node discovering on the peer-to-peer network an advertisement for each peer node on the itinerary, wherein the discovered advertisements each indicate a corresponding peer node that is configured to receive mobile agents; and

generating the itinerary from the discovered advertisements.

57. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein said generating the itinerary from the discovered advertisements comprises generating a list of peer-to-peer communication channels for receiving the mobile agent, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different one of the peer nodes on the itinerary.

58. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the mobile agent is configured to return to the initiating peer node after visiting all peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

59. The method as recited in claim 50, further comprising the mobile agent returning to the initiating peer node before visiting all peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

60. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the mobile agent is configured to skip peer nodes on the itinerary that are not accessible.

61. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein the mobile agent is sent as one or more peer-to-peer messages in the peer-to-peer network.

62. The method as recited in claim 50, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, find and exchange codats, and send and receive mobile agents in the peer-to-peer environment.

63. A method for implementing mobile agents in a peer-to-peer network, comprising:

a peer node in the peer-to-peer network receiving a mobile agent according to an itinerary of the mobile agent, wherein the itinerary indicates a plurality of peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network including the peer node, wherein the mobile agent includes a function configured to be performed at each peer node indicated by the itinerary;

the peer node performing the function of the mobile agent; and

the peer node sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary.

64. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein the itinerary includes a list of peer-to-peer communication channels, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different peer node on the itinerary, and wherein said sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary comprises sending the mobile agent over one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the next peer node.

65. The method as recited in claim 64, wherein the peer-to-peer network is configured to implement a peer-to-peer communication protocol for sending peer-to-peer communications to a destination peer node over a peer-to-peer communication channel using a network transport protocol of the peer-to-peer communication channel.

66. The method as recited in claim 64, wherein said sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary comprises the peer node selecting the peer-to-peer communication channel corresponding to the next peer node from the list of peer-to-peer communication channels in the itinerary.

67. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein the peer node includes a mobile agent handler for receiving and sending the mobile agent.

68. The method as recited in claim 63, further comprising modifying the mobile agent to indicate that the mobile agent visited the peer node.

69. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein said performing the function comprises the peer node storing data as part of a payload of the mobile agent.

70. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein the next peer node initiated the mobile agent received by the peer node.

71. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein the mobile agent is sent as one or more peer-to-peer messages in the peer-to-peer network.

72. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, find and exchange codats, and send and receive mobile agents in the peer-to-peer environment.

73. A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to implement:

an initiating peer node in a peer-to-peer network sending a mobile agent including an itinerary indicating peer nodes to be visited by the mobile agent to a peer node on the itinerary, wherein the mobile agent includes a function configured to be performed at each peer node indicated by the itinerary;

the peer node receiving the mobile agent;

performing the function of the mobile agent on the peer node; and

the peer node sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary.

74. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 73, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement repeating said receiving, said performing, and said sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary for each peer node indicated by the itinerary.

75. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 73, wherein the itinerary indicates one or more peer-to-peer communication channels for receiving the mobile agent, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different one of the peer nodes of the itinerary, and wherein, in said receiving the mobile agent, the program instructions are further configured to implement the peer node receiving the mobile agent over a corresponding one of the peer-to-peer communication channels indicated by the itinerary.

76. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 75, wherein, in the peer node sending the mobile agent to a next peer node, the program instructions are further configured to implement selecting a next peer-to-peer communication channel corresponding to the next peer node from the one or more peer-to-peer communication channels indicated by the itinerary.

77. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 73, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement:

the initiating peer node discovering on the peer-to-peer network an advertisement for each peer node on the itinerary, wherein the discovered advertisements each indicate a corresponding peer node that is configured to receive mobile agents; and

generating the itinerary from the discovered advertisements.

78. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 77, wherein, in said generating the itinerary from the discovered advertisements, the program instructions are further configured to implement generating a list of peer-to-peer communication channels for receiving the mobile agent, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different one of the peer nodes on the itinerary.

79. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 73, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement the mobile agent returning to the initiating peer node after visiting all peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

80. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 73, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement the mobile agent returning to the initiating peer node before visiting all peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

81. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 73, wherein, in the peer node sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary, the program instructions are further configured to implement:

determining if the next peer node indicated by the itinerary is available to receive the mobile agent; and

if the next peer node indicated by the itinerary is available to receive the mobile agent, sending the mobile agent to the next peer node indicated by the itinerary.

82. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 81, wherein, in the peer node sending the mobile agent to a next peer node indicated by the itinerary, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement, if the next peer node indicated by the itinerary is not available to receive the mobile agent:

selecting another peer node indicated by the itinerary as the next peer node on the itinerary; and

sending the mobile agent to the selected next peer node.

83. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 73, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement sending the mobile agent as one or more peer-to-peer messages in the peer-to-peer network.

84. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 73, wherein, in said performing the function, the program instructions are further configured to implement:

one or more of the peer nodes on the itinerary adding data to a data payload of the mobile agent;

the initiating peer node receiving the mobile agent; and

extracting the data payload from the mobile agent.

85. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 73, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, find and exchange codats, and send and receive mobile agents in the peer-to-peer environment.

86. A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to implement:

an initiating peer node in a peer-to-peer network generating a mobile agent and an itinerary for the mobile agent, wherein the itinerary indicates a plurality of peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network to be visited by the mobile agent, and wherein the mobile agent indicates a function to be performed on peer nodes indicated by the itinerary;

the initiating peer sending the mobile agent to a first peer node on the itinerary; and

wherein the mobile agent is configured to visit each of the peer nodes indicated by the itinerary and perform said function on each visited peer node.

87. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 86, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement:

the initiating peer node receiving the mobile agent from a peer node on the itinerary, wherein the mobile agent includes a data payload generated by the function on one or more of the plurality of peer nodes indicated by the itinerary; and

the initiating peer node extracting the data payload from the mobile agent.

88. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 86, wherein the itinerary includes a list of peer-to-peer communication channels, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different peer node on the itinerary, and wherein, in said sending the mobile agent to a first peer node on the itinerary, the program instructions are further configured to implement sending the mobile agent over one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the first peer node on the itinerary.

89. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 88, wherein, in said sending the mobile agent over one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the first peer node on the itinerary, the program instructions are further configured to implement the initiating peer node selecting the one of the peer-to-peer communication channels corresponding to the first peer node on the itinerary from the list of peer-to-peer communication channels in the itinerary.

90. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 86, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement:

the initiating peer node discovering on the peer-to-peer network an advertisement for each peer node on the itinerary, wherein the discovered advertisements each indicate a corresponding peer node that is configured to receive mobile agents; and

generating the itinerary from the discovered advertisements.

91. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 90, wherein, in said generating the itinerary from the discovered advertisements, the program instructions are further configured to implement generating a list of peer-to-peer communication channels for receiving the mobile agent, wherein each peer-to-peer communication channel corresponds to a different one of the peer nodes on the itinerary.

92. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 86, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement the mobile agent returning to the initiating peer node after visiting all peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

93. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 86, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement the mobile agent returning to the initiating peer node before visiting all peer nodes indicated by the itinerary.

94. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 86, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement the mobile agent skipping peer nodes on the itinerary that are not accessible.

95. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 86, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement sending the mobile agent as one or more peer-to-peer messages in the peer-to-peer network.

96. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 86, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, find and exchange codats, and send and receive mobile agents in the peer-to-peer environment.