The effect of mobile agents in managing network systems

This paper investigates the performance management of two different size networks using mobile agents. The performance metrics studied are the response time, traffic and utilisation. Mobile agent performance is analysed through management task simulations using an optimised network engineering tool (OPNET). Four simulation scenarios were implemented in networks; two with no load applied and two with the following applications - E-mail, ftp application, database application and http. It was found from this study that mobile agents perform efficiently in large networks in terms of reducing response time and traffic.