ALP-CoABS Interprogram Technology Integration

Executive Summary

Progress for March 1999

• I had a phone discussion (3/2) with Marshall Brinn, ALPINE Technical Director, on ALP-CoABS technical interchange.  See report <http://www.objs.com/agility/tech-reports/9903-ALP-phone-brinn-FM.html>.  I sent Marshall a set of technical questions on the ALP architecture, along with the URL of the Design Document (which Jim Hendler had previously sent to Brian Kettler).
• I obtained further information on several CoABS projects (from their individual Web sites) for inclusion in the design document.
• I read the latest draft (3.1) of the Grid use cases document, and reread descriptions of the ABIS Grid and the Grids in the Navy's Network-Centric Warfare concept for ideas on grid functionality.
• I read some agent-related papers in the March SIGMOD Record, including a paper on CMU's LARKS agent capability description language used in their Matchmaker (currently planned as part of the CoABS grid prototype).
• I attended a CoABS meeting for new PIs on 3/11;  the meeting was useful in terms of understanding the current status of the program, meeting people face to face, and making contacts.
• Following up an earlier email interaction, I met for 2 hours 3/12 with Brian Kettler (ISX), lead on the CoABS Grid work, to discuss grid-ALP relationships.  The meeting was useful in providing the basis for future work connecting the grid and ALP.  See trip report on both the CoABS new PI meeting and meeting with Brian Ketter <http://www.objs.com/agility/tech-reports/990311-CoABS-New-PI-Mtg-n-Kettler-Grid-Mtg-FM.html>.
• I interacted with Roger Pyon to resolve a funding issue.
• Brian Kettler and I exchanged email to follow up our 3/12 meeting;  he sent his notes of the meeting, and I sent him some ABIS references.
• I had a phone discussion with Craig Thompson updating status on CoABS-ALP and the Grid work, and discussing material to be presented at a Grid meeting in Philadelphia on 3/24.  I later sent Craig some ALP slides for use in the 3/24 Grid meeting.
• I responded to Craig in supporting a request from Jim Hendler for information on CoABS participant activity by sending material on the Grid and the CoABS-ALP work.
• I had a phone discussion with Marshall Brinn discussing ALP next steps and scheduling a meeting for 3/17.  At that meeting, we went over the status of the ALP and CoABS programs, and possible interaction approaches.  See report <http://www.objs.com/agility/tech-reports/990317-ALP-mtg-Brinn-FM.html>.
• Based on our 3/17 meeting, Marshall Brinn sent me the latest ALP Plugin Developer's Guide (PDG) dated 3/99, and answers to the technical questions I'd sent earlier.  I read through this new material, identified changes between the new and old PDGs, and sent some additional ALP questions to Marshall.
• I began a revision the Design Document <http://www.objs.com/agility/tech-reports/9902-COABS-ALP-design-doc-1.html> to include some new CoABS project information and additional information on grid-ALP relationships based on my interactions with Marshall Brinn and Brian Kettler.
• I reviewed the results of the 3/24 Grid meeting in Philadelphia, including Brian Kettler's latest Grid presentation, and Craig Thompson's trip report.
• I completed a revised draft of my white paper Characterizing Computer-Related Grid Concepts <http://www.objs.com/agility/tech-reports/9903-grid-report-fm.html>.
• I received a request from Brian Kettler for Craig and I to contribute some material for Brian's Grid Vision document.  After a phone call with Craig to discuss the material to be added, I drafted some material for the vision document (including both material based on my Grid white paper and material describing ALP-grid relationships), and sent it to Craig.  This material, plus material added by Criag, was sent to Brian.
• I scheduled a visit to Dartmouth on May 6 (based on an invitation from David Kotz, PI of the D'Agents project) to give a talk on various aspects of agent mobility.

Plans for April 1999

• continue interactions with Brian Kettler and Marshall Brinn regarding ALP-CoABS technology transfer ideas.
• continue development of the Design Document;  in particular:
• validate associations between issues and CoABS projects and make associations more specific
• construct matrix from validated associations
• begin focusing on most likely areas for fruitful interaction, running ideas by Brian and Marshall for comments
• contact CoABS TIE coordinators to identify further details of potential ALP-CoABS interaction areas.