Real-time control and management of distributed applications using IP-multicast

A central issue within any distributed computer environment is how to control and manage running applications. This paper presents an implementation of a framework for control and management of distributed applications and components using IP-multicast. The framework allows for easy and scalable control of single applications, groups of applications or parts of applications using a new agent-based architecture. Messaging is done using the control bus and the scalable reliable real-time transfer protocol for reliable distribution of data. The paper presents how this framework is integrated into Java-based applications and how developers specify access points. The paper also presents an application called multicast Manager, mManager, a Java implementation that provides a user interface to the framework. The mManager allows administrators to get an overview of currently running applications and if necessary control these applications. The paper presents example usage scenarios where the framework is used to create bandwidth-adaptive applications and better group awareness.