Ensuring the QoS in computer networks through the use of the pay&require multi-agent system and electronic auctions

In modern computer networks, agent-based systems are widely used. The very fundamental usage of agents are for management systems e.g. supporting SNMP-based databases and multiple client-server communications. This paper describes the Pay&Require mechanism implementing a multi-agent approach for a QoS-enabled computer network. The unique features of the P&R system are its comprehensive approach to the cooperation of agents dedicated to traffic monitoring, the selective response to the QoS-oriented admission of user requests, event-driven reconfiguration and transmission quality brokerage. The brokerage in quality purchase was based on different models – from a simple reactive agent to an agent with learning capabilities. The presented approach uses auctions in which agents (brokers) can buy quality parameters according to customer requirements. The use of auctions allows the dynamic pricing of data transmission services.