Directory Facilitator

Directory Facilitator (DF):

Directory Facilitator (DF) is an optional component of multi agent system. It is responsible to provide yellow-pages directory service to other agents. Agents may register their services to the DF or query the DF to find out what services are offered by other agents. Agent is responsible to provide information related to service e.g. servie_type, service_name etc. Furthermore, an agent can also deregister or modify service.

Agents

Any agent can interact with a DF in the following situations:

Ø To make its services public

Ø To identify agents that provide a particular service through the yellow-pages

FIPA imposes that each Agent Platform has its own DF that is known as default DF. Other DFs may also register with default DF to create a federation.

Current Status:

Currently our group has completed analysis and design of DF and started development. We are going to complete development phase up to October 25, 2003.

Research Issues:

Refinement of architecture in such a way that will make DF scalable and decentralized.