Reflex Autonomicity in an Agent-Based Security System :: The Autonomic Access Control System

The application of the biological metaphor of the autonomic nervous system to computing has created the paradigm of autonomic computing, in which computer systems self-regulate by using automatic reactions to defend, optimize and heal. Agent technologies have been highlighted in the literature as particularly appropriate for the development of autonomic systems. This paper reports on an investigation of the use of the autonomic concepts of reflex autonomicity and apoptosis in the development of a multi-agent system. Findings are discussed with reference to the use of the JADE agent platform for development