1. Towards an Integration Test Architecture for Open MAS
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues
Gustavo Robichez de Carvalho
Rodrigo de Barros Paes
Carlos José Pereira de Lucena
03/10/2005

2. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues <lfr@inf.puc-rio.br>
Outline
Motivation
The integration problem
Integration Test Architecture
Related Work
Diagnosis Based Adaptability
Conclusions
Next Steps
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

3. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues <lfr@inf.puc-rio.br>
Motivation
MAS pros
Use of distributed resources
Towards multiple goals in parallel
Reduce risk of a single point of failure
MAS con
Complex environment rules
Incorrect assumptions
Failure to act on incorrect assumptions
Degraded performance
Incorrect results
System Halt (worst case)
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

4. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues <lfr@inf.puc-rio.br>
Motivation Example
TAC
Trade Agent Competition
Interaction rules must be respected
New developed agent
How to ensure correct interaction with the system?
How to observe agent’s malfunctions?
How to detect causes of malfunctions?
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

5. Integration Test Architecture
Open MAS approach
System observation
Report generation
XMLaw based
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

6. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues <lfr@inf.puc-rio.br>
XMLaw
Enforcement language
Environment
Structural model
Relations among law elements
Dynamic model
Event-driven architecture
Communication among elements
Central Server
Mediator Agent blocks “out-law” messages
Paes, R., Carvalho, G., Lucena, C., Alencar, P., Almeida, H., and da Silva, V. T. (2005). Specifying laws in open multi-agent systems. In Agents, Norms and Institutions for Regulated Multiagent Systems - ANIREM, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

7. XMLaw – Structural Model
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

8. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues <lfr@inf.puc-rio.br>
XMLaw Example
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

9. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues <lfr@inf.puc-rio.br>
Observing the System
Assertions establishment
Observation Points
Time to live
Cardinality
Agent Type
Agent Role
Entrance State
Execution Trace
Execution Context
Evolution Logic …
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

10. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues <lfr@inf.puc-rio.br>
Observation Points
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

11. Integration Test Architecture
Collector Agent
Subscribe to all events (1)
Store Events (2)
Block / Unblock operation mode (3)
Report Engine
Templates Definition
Reports Generation (4)
New Agent
Send Interaction Messages
A new Agent to be integrated
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

12. Integration Test Architecture
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

13. Related Work
Horling, Bryan, Lesser, Victor, Vincent, Regis, Bazzan, Ana, and Xuan, Ping. Diagnosis as an Integral Part of Multi-Agent Adaptability. Proceedings of DARPA Information Survivability Conference and Exposition, IEEE Computer Society, pp January 2000

14. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues <lfr@inf.puc-rio.br>
Related Work
Diagnosis Based Adaptability
Expectation and Assumptions
Knowledge about the agent's expected operational behavior
TAEMS
Detecting Possible Failures
Methods for detecting deviations from expectations
Performing the Diagnosis
Faculties for diagnosing these deviations when they are found
Causal Model
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

15. Expectations and Assumptions - TAEMS
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

16. Performing the Diagnosis – Causal Model
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

17. Conclusion and Next Steps

18. Comparing both approaches
Diagnosis Based Adaptability
Expected Behavior
Agent Property
TAEMS
Abnormal method results
Quality, cost and duration
Diagnosis
Causal Model
Integration Test Architecture
System Property
XMLaw
Observation points
Human Report Interpretation
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

19. Luiz Fernando Rodrigues <lfr@inf.puc-rio.br>
Conclusion
Law approach
Single point of control
Expected Behavior
Diagnosis Approach
Diagnose Model
Diagnose Automation
Report Generation
Information filter
Human Interpretation
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

20. Next Steps and Future Work
Study of Diagnose Techniques
Model-based
Symptom-direct
Collaborative
Use a diagnose technique in the integration test architecture
Luiz Fernando Rodrigues

21. Questions?