software agents as facilitators of coalition interoperability. coax team [ for 6th ccrts, annapolis,...

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Software Agents as Facilitators of Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001 version ] [ 13 Jun 2001 version ] [ Based on Agents Mega Overview and CoAX Miami briefs ] [ Based on Agents Mega Overview and CoAX Miami briefs ] [ 60 Slides - inc Blanks, diversions, suplementaries etc ] [ 60 Slides - inc Blanks, diversions, suplementaries etc ]

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Page 1: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

Software Agents as Facilitators ofSoftware Agents as Facilitators ofCoalition Interoperability.Coalition Interoperability.

CoAX TeamCoAX Team

[ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001]2001]

03 May 200103 May 2001

[ 13 Jun 2001 version ][ 13 Jun 2001 version ]

[ Based on Agents Mega Overview and CoAX Miami briefs ][ Based on Agents Mega Overview and CoAX Miami briefs ][ 60 Slides - inc Blanks, diversions, suplementaries etc ][ 60 Slides - inc Blanks, diversions, suplementaries etc ]

Page 2: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

Blank

Page 3: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 3

CoAXCoAX Software Agents as Facilitators ofSoftware Agents as Facilitators ofCoalition InteroperabilityCoalition Interoperability

David Allsopp

Patrick Beautement

Jeffrey Bradshaw

John Carson

Michael Kirton

Niranjan Suri

Austin Tate

Page 4: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 4

CoAXCoAX

• Challenges of Coalition OperationsChallenges of Coalition Operations

• The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)

• What are Agents?What are Agents?

• SummarySummary

• Lessons and InsightsLessons and Insights

• Why might Software Agents help?Why might Software Agents help?

OverviewOverview

More about IntegrationMore about Integration

More about the GridMore about the Grid

Military BenefitsMilitary Benefits

Page 5: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 5

CoAXCoAX

• Challenges of Coalition OperationsChallenges of Coalition Operations

• The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)

• What are Agents?What are Agents?

• SummarySummary

• Lessons and InsightsLessons and Insights

• Why might Software Agents help?Why might Software Agents help?

OverviewOverview

Page 6: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

HOME BASE

THEATRE

National Grand StrategicJoint HQs

Coalition

Air

Units

Joint Force AirComponent Commander

(JFACC in JFAC HQ)Staffs: A1 - 9 + Nat'l Reps

JFACC

Coalition

Land

Units

Joint Force LandComponent Commander

(JFLCC in JFLC HQ)Staffs: G1 - 9 + Nat'l Reps

JFLCC

Coalition

Maritime

Units

Joint Force MaritimeComponent Commander

(JFMCC in JFMC HQ)Staffs: N1 - 9 + Nat'l Reps

JFMCC

OtherComponents:

LOGISTICS,MARINES,

SF etc

GRANDSTRATEGIC

MILITARYSTRATEGIC

OPERATIONAL

TACTICAL Nat'lReps

Nat'lReps

Nat'lReps

JOINT TASK FORCE HQ(JTF HQ)

Staffs: J1 - 9 + Nat'l Reps

Joint Task ForceCommander JTFC

NGOs

UN

UN Secretary General

UN SRSG

GOVERNMENTS

OGDs

Page 7: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

Phases of Operations related to CoAX demosPhases of Operations related to CoAX demos

Initial Planning

• Political aims• Military guidance• Campaign planning• Commander's intent• Deployment

More Linear

Was the focus of theCoAX 6 / 9-month

demos

Execution

• Variable organisations• An opponent• Campaign re-planning• Short-notice tasking• Operation execution• Execution monitoring• Reporting / feedback,• Outcome assessment

Dynamic / iterativeuncertain

Is the focus of theCoAX 18-month

demo

Recovery

• Conflict resolution• Re-deployment• Peace support

More Linear

CoAX 30-month demoCovers all the above, plus greater levels of dynamic response and adaptation

to changes in Coalition structures, capabilities and services.

Page 8: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

C4

I Su

pp

ort

Sy

ste

ms

C4

I Su

pp

ort

Sy

ste

ms

CommandFramework

ResponsibilitiesAuthority

MonitoringCo-ordination

COMMANDER

Command / IntentCommand / Intent

Action/Tasks

Intent

Directions,Instructions

Control

Orders

Collate,Aggregate

Notify

Reports

Status

Formal ControlFormal Control

Informal Processes

Relevance assessment,problem formulation,

scoping / framing,brain storming,collaboration.

Formal Guidance

DoctrineCONOPS

SOPs

TransformationTransformation

CurrentSituation.

Knowledge

CreativityInitiativeInsight

COMMAND TEAM

Informal ControlInformal Control

EventsEventsT

HE

WO

RL

DT

HE

WO

RL

DT

HE

WO

RL

DT

HE

WO

RL

D

ResultsResults

Inform (ation)Inform (ation)

After M. Chin /J. Clothier

DSTO 1998

Page 9: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 9

CoAXCoAXThe Command ProcessThe Command Process

… … is really fractal …is really fractal …

AirAirLandLand

MaritimeMaritime

CampaignCampaign

JointJoint

… … semi-autonomous / nested loops ...semi-autonomous / nested loops ...

… … not mechanistic …not mechanistic …

Page 10: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

Asynchronous Asynchronous hierarchical hierarchical

cyclecycle

Synchronous Synchronous hierarchical hierarchical

cyclecycle Execu

tion

Execu

tion

M

on

itori

ng

/

Mon

itori

ng

/

Ad

justm

en

tA

dju

stm

en

t

Opponent's Opponent's cycle(s)cycle(s)

Destructive Destructive interference interference

patternspatterns

Directives, Directives, plans and plans and

ordersorders

Reports and Reports and BriefingsBriefings

Grand Grand StrategicStrategic

StrategicStrategic

OperationaOperationall

TacticalTactical

Campaign Campaign CycleCycle

Pla

n

Pla

n

Main

ten

an

ce

Main

ten

an

ce

Page 11: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 11

CoAXCoAXImplications for Software AgentsImplications for Software Agents

• Coalition operations are complex, heterogeneous, open, dispersed and change dynamically:– CoAX should embrace heterogeneity, not exclude it, and – the creation of virtual organisation(s) with agents in the team.

• It is difficult to achieve and maintain: agile, dominant and coherent operations; and shared information and common battlespace visualisations:– CoAX should provide flexible distributed infrastructure, and– enable the aggregation and sharing of Coalition capabilities /

applications systems / infrastructures, and– provide means to translate information / enable interoperability between

systems, and– deal with the integration of systems that were developed with particular

nations’ processes and doctrine in mind.

Page 12: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 12

CoAXCoAXImplications for Software AgentsImplications for Software Agents

• There are essentially two conditions in conflict: stability and change:– During stability, CoAX should aid the monitoring of the state of the

'systems in conflict' and in identifying the underlying pressure for change towards an undesirable state.

– During change, CoAX should adapt to events which have occurred (and which were not expected) and support the actions / novel processes which have to be taken to mitigate their effects.

• Autonomy of partners and their agents must be respected:– CoAX must provide secure and assured environments supporting

different levels of security classification / trust, and– agents must be able to adjust their processing demands as the

resources in the environment become more scarce - but levels of service must be maintained - and so malicious / dysfunctional behaviour detection becomes more crucial.

Page 13: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

Blank

Page 14: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 14

CoAXCoAX

• Challenges of Coalition OperationsChallenges of Coalition Operations

• The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)

• What are Agents?What are Agents?

• SummarySummary

• Lessons and InsightsLessons and Insights

• Why might Software Agents help?Why might Software Agents help?

OverviewOverview

Page 15: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 15

CoAXCoAXWhat is an Agent?What is an Agent?

The term “agent” can mean many different things:The term “agent” can mean many different things:

• Mobile CodeMobile Code

• Distributed Distributed component librariescomponent libraries

• “ “Disembodied” code Disembodied” code with temporal duration with temporal duration or persistent state or persistent state

• “ “Intelligent routers”Intelligent routers”

• Web Search ToolsWeb Search Tools

• Semantic broker Semantic broker and name space and name space services services

• Electronic Electronic commerce with commerce with message-passing message-passing entitiesentities

• Interface Interface animationanimation

• Applets Applets

• Dynamic Dynamic servicesservices

• Control Control protocolsprotocols

• RobotsRobots

Page 16: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 16

CoAXCoAXWhat is an Agent?What is an Agent?

• Shoham’s definition:– "A software entity which functions continuously and autonomously

in a particular environment, often inhabited by other agents and processes."

• Alternative definition:– "Agents can be viewed as (software) entities acting on behalf

of, or mediating the actions of, a human user and having the ability to autonomously carry out tasks to achieve goals or support the activities of the user."

• Characteristics of an agent-based environment:– Open, dispersed, component-based with many 'virtual'

organisations and indeterminate interactions.

Page 17: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

Agent Interaction ModesAgent Interaction Modes

MA (Avatar)MA (Avatar)

KEY: Information transfers'Housekeeping'SW-Agent ConversationOpponent Activities Human-Agent 'Conversation'

Four types of agents:

• MA / Mediator (green),

• IA / Information (blue),

• HA / Hostile (red).

• HK / 'Housekeeping' (black),

CYBERSPACE

'App'

HA

HA

HK

HK

Info

IA

IAMA

MA

MA

Page 18: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 18

CoAXCoAXSoftware Agent ExamplesSoftware Agent Examples

• Interface Agents:– Briefers, e-Tannoy, secretaries, satellite assistants,

– Assistants (eg: Mediator - email reader),

– Monitoring / problem-solving / alerting.

• Information / Middle Agents:– Search / filtering / markup (DAML) agents,

– Document conversion / formatting / summarisation,

– Distributed / shared 'virtual' databases,

– Legacy system 'wrapping' / interoperability.

• Housekeeping:– Virus checkers,

– Domain authorisation,

– Performance monitoring ('Scram').

Page 19: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

Blank

Page 20: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 20

CoAXCoAX

• Challenges of Coalition OperationsChallenges of Coalition Operations

• The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)

• What are Agents?What are Agents?

• SummarySummary

• Lessons and InsightsLessons and Insights

• Why might Software Agents help?Why might Software Agents help?

OverviewOverview

Page 21: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

TO PROVIDE A MECHANISM SO THAT HUMANS TO PROVIDE A MECHANISM SO THAT HUMANS

CAN ACT DECISIVELY IN THECAN ACT DECISIVELY IN THE

VIRTUAL WORLD OF 'CYBERSPACE'VIRTUAL WORLD OF 'CYBERSPACE'

SOFTWARE

AGENTS

Why Software Agents?Why Software Agents?

Page 22: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

Autonomy:Autonomy:

• goal directedgoal directed

• pro-active and reactivepro-active and reactive

• mobile mobile

Adaptation:Adaptation:

• dynamic interactiondynamic interaction

• machine learning machine learning

Co-operation:Co-operation:• communication protocolscommunication protocols• knowledge sharingknowledge sharing• co-ordination strategiesco-ordination strategies

AdaptiveAdaptive Co-operativeCo-operative

AutonomousAutonomous

Useful Characteristics of Software AgentsUseful Characteristics of Software Agents

Page 23: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 23

CoAXCoAXMapping Agents to the TaskMapping Agents to the Task

• Software Agent-based environments map well to the Coalition challenges. They:– are open, dispersed, heterogeneous and component-based,

– support 'virtual' organisations where ill-defined, iterative and recursive interactions take place and where agents themselves can be composed of other agents

• Software Agents can be organised into separate technical domains which can be mapped to domains with meaning in the 'real' world, such as:– national / country domains,

– organisational / functional domains,

– individual decision-maker's domains,

– virtual / 'overlapping' domains ...

Page 24: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 24

CoAXCoAX

UK Country'Domain'Other

Nation's'Domain'

US CountryUS Country'Domain''Domain'

B

JFAC HQ'sOrganisational 'Domain'

Tactical AirTactical AirOperations FunctionalOperations Functional

'Domain''Domain' C

JTFHQ's Organisational'Domain'

A

JTFC's (from the UK)Individual 'Domain'

8

7

4

5a 5b

2

1

D3

9

6

Page 25: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

CoalitionCoalitionCommand ProcessesCommand Processes

Ope

ratio

nal

Ope

ratio

nal

Con

text

Con

text

Com

man

d S

uppo

rtC

omm

and

Sup

port

App

licat

ions

App

licat

ions

Agent DomainServices

HK IA

Bespoke 'Application'Bespoke 'Application' User-customised 'Application'User-customised 'Application'

SoftwareSoftwareAgentAgent

SoftwareSoftwareComponentComponent

SoftwareSoftwareAgentAgent

SoftwareSoftwareComponentComponent

Software Agent Conversations

USERUSER USERUSER USERUSERMA'MA' MA''MA'' MA'''MA'''

Agent-enabled Information Service InfrastructuresAgent-enabled Information Service Infrastructures(eg: The DARPA Grid)(eg: The DARPA Grid)In

fra-

Infr

a-st

ruct

ure

stru

ctur

e

CYBERSPACECYBERSPACE HA /IA

IA

HK

Software Agent Support to Coalition OperationsSoftware Agent Support to Coalition Operations

Page 26: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

Blank

Page 27: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 27

CoAXCoAX

• Challenges of Coalition OperationsChallenges of Coalition Operations

• The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)

• What are Agents?What are Agents?

• SummarySummary

• Lessons and InsightsLessons and Insights

• Why might Software Agents help?Why might Software Agents help?

OverviewOverview

Page 28: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 28

CoAXCoAX

Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX) - Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX) - a Coalition Technology Integration a Coalition Technology Integration

Experiment (TIE)Experiment (TIE)

DARPA, AFRL Rome, AIAI, Boeing, Dartmouth, DERA Malvern,DARPA, AFRL Rome, AIAI, Boeing, Dartmouth, DERA Malvern,Lockheed Martin ATL, Michigan, OBJS, USC/ISI, UWF/IHMCLockheed Martin ATL, Michigan, OBJS, USC/ISI, UWF/IHMC

Support from BBN, GITI, ISX, MITRE, MIT Sloan, Schafer, StanfordSupport from BBN, GITI, ISX, MITRE, MIT Sloan, Schafer, Stanford

Coalition Agents eXperiment (CoAX)Coalition Agents eXperiment (CoAX)http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/project/coax/http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/project/coax/

Page 29: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 29

CoAXCoAXAim of Coalition TIEAim of Coalition TIE

• To address unique aspects of Coalition operations through the development and evaluation of:– agent infrastructures / architectures,

– agent domain management services,

– agent information, task, process and event management services.

• Aim will be met through delivery of:– Phased technical demonstrations of increasing complexity,

– Connection of a variety of diverse agent systems,

– Development of generic Coalition-oriented Grid services.

• Requirements:– Use of a wide variety of different agent systems / infrastructures,

– Use of existing military (non-agent) applications.

Page 30: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 30

CoAXCoAX

Derived from LeRoy Pearce (Canadian MOD), 1999

Key Coalition DriversKey Coalition Drivers

• Different cultures, doctrines, and languages:– Different doctrine, decision making, rules of engagement and, in

general, mission 'agendas',– Command authorities - agreement and transfers,– Different interpretation of situational information.

• Incompatibility of respective national information systems:– Different technology skill and equipment levels,– Lack of information systems resource sharing agreements,– Variable reliability of components and infrastructures,– Lack of compatible security architectures,– Need for rapid configuration and reconfiguration by personnel with

limited training.

• Limited 'models' for Coalition force operations.

Page 31: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 31

CoAXCoAXKey Technical DriversKey Technical Drivers

• Cannot assume interoperability, reliability or availability of different nations systems.

• Need for partial (secure) sharing and visualization of processes, information, capabilities and facilities.

• Need to work with agents in multiple, dynamically determined domains.

• Need for rapid, agile, adaptable inter-agent task, process & event management.

• Need for rapid formation, management and change of agent relationships.

• Need to maintain levels of service - even under adversity.

Page 32: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 32

CoAXCoAXCoAX ComponentsCoAX Components

LAN

LAN

LANGrid DARPADARPACoABS GridCoABS Grid(GITI, ISX)(GITI, ISX)

Agent FrameworksAgent FrameworksKAoS Agents (Boeing, IHMC)KAoS Agents (Boeing, IHMC)NOMADS Mobile Agents (IHMC)NOMADS Mobile Agents (IHMC)EMAA/CAST Agents (LMEMAA/CAST Agents (LM--ATL)ATL)D’Agents (Dartmouth)D’Agents (Dartmouth)eGents (OBJS)eGents (OBJS)

Agent Grid ServicesAgent Grid ServicesTask and Task and ProcessProcess Management (AIAI) Management (AIAI)Domain Management Services (IHMC, Boeing)Domain Management Services (IHMC, Boeing)Asynchronous Wireless Connectivity (OBJS)Asynchronous Wireless Connectivity (OBJS)Plan Deconfliction (Michigan)Plan Deconfliction (Michigan)

Agents on the GridAgents on the GridAODB Agent (LMAODB Agent (LM--ATL)ATL)Observer Agents (Dartmouth)Observer Agents (Dartmouth)eGents E-mail Agents (OBJS)eGents E-mail Agents (OBJS)Malicious Agents (IHMC)Malicious Agents (IHMC)Web Weather Agent (USC/ISI)Web Weather Agent (USC/ISI)……

More about IntegrationMore about Integration

More about the GridMore about the Grid

Military Military SystemsSystemsCAMPS (AFRL,GITI, BBN)CAMPS (AFRL,GITI, BBN)MBP (DERA)MBP (DERA)……

Page 33: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 33

CoAXCoAXAgent Domain Management in CoAXAgent Domain Management in CoAX

• Broadens typical distributed security concerns to include:• Access management: Who can access what services? • Registration management: Who can join the domain under what

circumstances?• Resource management: Who can have which kind and how

much of a given computing resource?• Mobility management: What constraints should be placed on

mobile code?• Communication management: What constraints govern

interaction between conversing agents? • Obligation management: Are agents meeting their

commitments?

Page 34: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 34

CoAXCoAX9-month Demonstration Overview9-month Demonstration Overview

• Focused on information-gathering phase of Coalition Operation• First interoperation of agent-wrapped legacy and existing US and UK

systems (AFRL / BBN / GITI CAMPS and DERA MBP).• Agents and domains - 6 agent domains and ~25 agents:

– USC / ISI Ariadne agent providing publicly-available weather info,– Initial AIAI Process Panel.

• Domain management functionality:– Malicious observer agent thwarted by IHMC KAoS domain management and

NOMADS resource control mechanisms.– IHMC KAoS Policy Administration Tool (KPAT) administering communication,

registration, and resource policies.

• Stand-alone demonstrations:– MIT exception handling, U. Michigan plan deconfliction, Dartmouth ‘observer

agents’, OBJS eGents

Page 35: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

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Rathmell, R.A. (1999) A Coalition Force Scenario 'Binni - Gateway to the Golden Bowl of Africa', in Proceedings of the International Workshop on Knowledge-Based Planning for Coalition

Forces, (ed. Tate, A.) pp. 115-125, Edinburgh, Scotland, 10th-11th May 1999.

BINNIBINNI

Page 36: Software Agents as Facilitators of Coalition Interoperability. CoAX Team [ For 6th CCRTS, Annapolis, USA. 19 - 21 June 2001] 03 May 2001 [ 13 Jun 2001

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9-month Demonstration - Agents and Domains9-month Demonstration - Agents and Domains

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WeatherWeatherVizViz

AL PlanAL Plan

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 37

CoAXCoAX18-Month (July 2001) Demonstration Plan18-Month (July 2001) Demonstration Plan

• More realism in Coalition structures:– All CoAX members integrated (9 domains and ~35 agents),

– Coalition agents playing multiple roles in different domains,

– New policies provide additional robustness and responsiveness,

– Added functionality in process and task management.

• Increased validity of military scenario in the demonstration:– Richer information gathering phase,

– Extend scope to execution phase with agent systems responding dynamically to events.

• Incorporating Coalition functionality becomes easier:– Package selected domain management functionality as KAoS grid

helper.

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Coalition

JFAC HQ

Gao Intel

US

Observers(Intel)

UKShared

Met.

18-Month (July 2001) Demo Structure18-Month (July 2001) Demo Structure

Gao Obs.

AODBAODB

LM-ATLLM-ATL

WeatherWeather AriadneAriadne

CAMPSCAMPS

ALDBALDB

DbDbiiii

DbDbii

MBPMBP

Intel1Intel1

Intel2Intel2 DM2DM2

MM2MM2DM1DM1MM1MM1DM4DM4 MM4MM4

AODBAODB

DM8DM8 MM8MM8DM5DM5

MM5MM5DGODGO

DAODAO

GAOGAODM6DM6

MM6MM6

AL PlanAL Plan

Intel1aIntel1aIntel3Intel3

DM7DM7

MM7MM7

DbDbiiiiii

DM3DM3

MM3MM3

WeatherWeatherVizViz DM9DM9

MM9MM9PPPP

EH

IMIM

Plan Dec.Plan Dec.

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 39

CoAXCoAX30-Month (July 2002) Demonstration Plan30-Month (July 2002) Demonstration Plan

• Dynamic “come as you are” coalition formation:– Dynamic creation of ‘virtual coalition organisation’,

– Agents and domains added to coalition structure ‘on-the-fly’,

– Dynamic coalition tasks and processes.

• Tailored visualizations.• Tools to improve human / software agent interaction.• High-level tools usable without specialized training.• Packaged task, process, and event management capabilities as

generic Grid services.

Plus: Have bid for involvement in Millennium Challenge / JEFX 2002Plus: Have bid for involvement in Millennium Challenge / JEFX 2002

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 40

CoAXCoAXCoAX MessageCoAX Message

• Operational Message:– Interoperability of different nations’ systems,

– Agility and robustness,

– Support to coalition and “virtual” organizations.

• Technical Message:– Agents as an appropriate paradigm to facilitate interoperability of

disparate systems,

– Middleware of CoABS Grid is valuable for rapid configuration,

– Utility of domain management and task / process / event management services.

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 41

CoAXCoAXFurther Information and InvolvementFurther Information and Involvement

• CoAX and Binni documentation available: – 100+ page ‘living document’ describing CoAX contributions and

Binni ‘FLASH’ scenario,

– http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/project/coax/• We encourage further participation…

– In addressing key coalition and technical drivers,

– In seeking operational opportunities,

– In seeking inter-program links,

– In future demonstrations.

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 43

CoAXCoAX

• Challenges of Coalition OperationsChallenges of Coalition Operations

• The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)

• What are Agents?What are Agents?

• SummarySummary

• Lessons and InsightsLessons and Insights

• Why might Software Agents help?Why might Software Agents help?

OverviewOverview

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 44

CoAXCoAXUse of Software AgentsUse of Software Agents

• Aims:– Research Software Agents and the contribution they could make to increasing

productivity and force effectiveness in Coalition Operations.– Participate in collaborative software agent technology programmes.

• Potential benefits:– Assisting with the rapid formation and coherent operation of 'come-as-you-are'

Coalition organisations and forces.– Enabling command agility:

• decision-makers / personalised agents working as a virtual team,• agents improving access to the required information and resources,• helping to cope with uncertainty,• using agent-enabled grid: dispersed and robust.

– Supporting interoperability / use of legacy systems.

• Key research issues ...

Military BenefitsMilitary Benefits

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 45

CoAXCoAXKey Research IssuesKey Research Issues

• Agent communication:– meaning, ontology and semantics (involvement with DAML etc).

• Human-agent / software agent intelligent interactions (HASAII):– 'Conversation' techniques (NLP etc),

– Visualisation / representation.

• Implementation issues:– hybrid communities / interoperability / architectures,

– plug-and-play (building communities on-the-fly),

– extending the range of generic Grid services.

• Security: balancing risk vs certainty.• Related novel concepts and approaches:

– Alife / self-organisation / complexity / phenomena of emergence.

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 46

CoAXCoAX

• Challenges of Coalition OperationsChallenges of Coalition Operations

• The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)The Coalition Agents Experiment (CoAX)

• What are Agents?What are Agents?

• SummarySummary

• Lessons and InsightsLessons and Insights

• Why might Software Agents help?Why might Software Agents help?

OverviewOverview

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 47

CoAXCoAXSummarySummary

• Agent-based applications and infrastructures are coming!!• Agent systems will contain multiple heterogeneous sets of

software agents - they'll be part of your team.• The DARPA CoABS program is designing, implementing, and

testing a prototype “agent grid” which stresses run-time interoperability:

• of diverse architectures / systems,• of diverse agent types.

• This will enable communication and cooperation amongst heterogeneous sets of agents and legacy systems.

• Intelligent agent technology programs at DERA, DARPA, AFRL/IF and other research centres are producing technology to enable agent-based C4I systems for military applications.

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 48

CoAXCoAX

Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Patrick BeautementPatrick BeautementE109, DERA Malvern,E109, DERA Malvern,

St Andrews Road,St Andrews Road,Gt Malvern, WR14 3PS, UK.Gt Malvern, WR14 3PS, UK.

Tel: +44 (0)1684-89 6057Tel: +44 (0)1684-89 6057Fax: +44 (0)1684-89 4389Fax: +44 (0)1684-89 4389

Briefing available from http://www.beautement.co.uk

QuestionsQuestionsPlease ...Please ...

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 50

CoAXCoAXPotential Military Benefits (1) Potential Military Benefits (1)

• Providing a means to achieve 'cyberspace superiority' by equipping humans with a mechanism for acting effectively and decisively in the virtual world (eg: to engage in information and software warfare).

• Improving distributed human interactions (the so-called 'virtual co-location') and the power of using information networks and tools by representing their 'owner' as a proxy in the virtual world.

• Improving support to the Command Process by enhancing the ease and power of using applications by providing a taskable assistant to carry out actions in the virtual world (monitoring plan consistency, scheduling and resource management).

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 51

CoAXCoAXPotential Military Benefits (2) Potential Military Benefits (2)

• Enhancing decision-making by acting as a problem-solving assistant which could search, retrieve and collate information from any source, on behalf of the User, and return information in a context-sensitive form.

• Improving flexibility and 'command agility' by supporting and contributing to the type of modular, component-based and reconfigureable architecture required for Joint Battlespace Digitisation.

• Providing robustness, security, and interoperability support in dispersed and diverse infrastructures (eg: in the Joint and Coalition environment).

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 52

CoAXCoAXPotential Military Benefits (3) Potential Military Benefits (3)

• Enabling humans to have awareness of the virtual world by providing a 'cyberspace picture' such that some sense of the activity can be visualised (eg: areas where there are bottlenecks or opponent attack, current level of use etc).

• Improving understanding of C3ISTAR processes through the use of agent-based analysis, modelling and synthetic environments.

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MBP WrapperMBP WrapperMBP WrapperMBP Wrapper

The The GRIDGRID

Java-Java-SpaceSpace

MBPMBPProxyProxy

MBPMBPProxyProxy

Intel. Intel. UpdateUpdateAgentAgent

Intel. Intel. UpdateUpdateAgentAgent

LMLMInfoAgentInfoAgent

LMLMInfoAgentInfoAgent

DERADERAInfoAgentInfoAgent

DERADERAInfoAgentInfoAgent

Partitioned Partitioned ScenarioScenario

DataData

Partitioned Partitioned ScenarioScenario

DataData

Interfacing Master Battle Planner (MBP) to the GridInterfacing Master Battle Planner (MBP) to the Grid

More about the GridMore about the Grid

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 55

CoAXCoAX

JavaSpace APIJavaSpace API

Java MBP WrapperJava MBP WrapperReads and writes Reads and writes data to the data to the JavaSpaceJavaSpace

ObjectObjectTranslationTranslation

Converts Java Converts Java objects to C++ objects to C++

objectsobjectsJNIJNI

Allows C++ to Allows C++ to invoke Java invoke Java

methodsmethods

C++ MBP WrapperC++ MBP Wrapper

Provides MBP with Provides MBP with access to agents. access to agents. Interfaces to JavaInterfaces to Java

Legacy part of MBPLegacy part of MBP

Agent-enabling MBPAgent-enabling MBP

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DERA / S&E / SIP / DTG / CCRTS 56

CoAXCoAXAgent-enabling MBPAgent-enabling MBP

• Components:– MBPWrapper

– Javaspaces: buffer and security

– MBPProxyAgent

– InfoAgent

– UpdateAgent

– (EMAA/CAST Agents)

– (mock-up AODB)

– XML conversion classes

– the Grid

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LAN

LAN

LANGrid

Grid (registered agents / services federation) enables heterogeneous agent systems to: Register Advertise their capabilities & needs Find available resources Communicate across agent communities Form task-based teams Log activity

CoABS Grid / Y-JBI ConceptsCoABS Grid / Y-JBI Concepts

• Agent: an encapsulated software entity with its own identity, state, behavior, thread of control, and ability to interact and communicate with other entities including people, other agents, and legacy systems.

• Grid Registered Agent: agent registered with grid services.

• Grid Services: infrastructure agents that cooperate with each other to provide services to registered agents.

• Grid Agent Platform: set of Grid services and registered agents

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Nam ing-include symbolicnaming

Directory-simple ye llow pagesdatabase retrieva l

Logging-develop log syntax-support visualization

Translation-F IPA ACL(KQ M L,ICL)

Brokerage-recruitment andmediation

Visualization-sta tus-interaction

V0.1, V0.2

Grid ServicesGrid Services

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End of PresentationEnd of Presentation