The Agent Transaction Model

Abstract

Realizing the shortcomings of existing open-nested transaction models, we presented an extension to these models that is suitable for MAS in this chapter. Particularly, the support for non-recursive structures and the extensive support of cooperation through ECA rules coupling the transaction trees are completely new to the open-nested paradigm.

Considering the application-oriented requirement analysis presented in Chap. 2 and the technical requirements analysis of Chap. 5, we strongly feel that the proposed transaction model can face all its challenges specially through the powerful and yet flexible definition of the transaction trees and its bundling of normal and contingency behaviors in one structure. The transaction model allows for a full decentralization of the underlying middleware by introducing the Execution Agents. They are responsible for the robust execution of the transaction model. Although, we have formally proven the correctness of execution of the transaction model concerning its serializability and recoverability, the implementation of the model within the Execution Agent remains open. This is addressed in the following chapter.