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of agents. In the case of balancing the resources in the system, a new type of
agents is introduced-unemployed agents denoted as
A
g
3
. Their activity proceeds
as follows:
•
When an agent of a certain type
A
g
1
or
A
g
2
realized the task it was entrusted with
and should be liquidated, it is not liquidated but transformed into the unemployed
agent (
A
g
3
).
•
The agent
A
g
3
travels between the nodes and offers its activity in a particular node
as the agent
A
g
1
or
A
g
2
.
•
If the agent of type
A
g
1
(
A
g
2
) is necessary in a particular node, a given agent of
type
A
g
3
generates the agent
A
g
1
(
A
g
2
) and then undergoes self-liquidation.
The unemployed agent of type
A
g
3
searches for a task to realize in the system. The
concept of the unemployed agent allows for the transformation of excessive agents
of a given type into agents of another type which are missing in the system at that
moment, in other words, it allows for the
re-skilling
of agents of one type to the agent
of another type (e.g.
A
g
1
to
A
g
2
), whenever necessary. It makes the management of
agents more efficient without having to generate them frequently, more specifically,
it becomes the tool for scaling the agent system.
The above proposals of the ways of stabilization of the number of agents, is an
example of possibilities of constructing appropriate mechanisms for managing the
agent systems. Summing up, the discussion about the scaling of the agent system, it
may be concluded that it is necessary to create appropriate mechanisms for adjusting
(preferably dynamic) the size and character of the system to the range of the task. It
may be executed in two ways by:
•
Adjusting the number of agents of a given type to the realization of specific tasks;
increasing (or decreasing) the number of agents of a given type, so that their
number would be preferably adjusted to the size of the task they are to perform. It
is connected with the appropriate generation and removal of agents.
•
Adjusting the quality of agents acting in the system to the task realized by the
system. The following variants can be considered:
- An adequate increase (or decrease) in the number of agents of a given type so
that their number would be preferably adjusted to the size of the task to perform.
- During the operation of the system the agents may receive help from the agents
of a new type. Therefore, it may be considered that a certain number of a new
type of agents can be inserted into the system during the realization of a task.
The proper selection of different types of agents which cooperate to realize a
task is necessary here.
- Replacing agents of a given type with the new, improved versions of agents.
This kind of operation may take place without disturbing the task of the system
(successive replacement of agents).
The above-mentionedmodifications of the agent systemmay be realized in the system
with the use of the methods described, and particularly:
