Affiliations: [a] University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute for Computer Science and Business Information Systems (ICB), Data Management Systems and Knowledge Representation, Schützenbahn 70, 45117 Essen, Germany. Tel.: +49 201 183 3421; Fax: +49 201 183 4460; E-mail: unlandr@cs.uni-essen.de | [b] School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, 70 Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA, United Kingdom. Tel.: +44 141 331 8025; Fax: +44 141 331 3608; E-mail: h.tianfield@gcal.ac.uk
Abstract: The recent significant progresses in (wired and wireless) network and middleware technologies have opened a huge opportunity for many new research areas and paradigms related to open distributed computing systems. This paper aims to define a synthesis among these areas that are in one way or another related either to multi-agent systems or Grid computing or both, such as Semantic Grid, Agent-based Grid Computing, Service-oriented Architectures, (and utility-based computing). It is argued that there is a substantial overlap between the key issues being addressed by these areas. Thus, it makes sense to stimulate interdisciplinary research at a higher level of synthesis. This will open an exciting opportunity for ambient and open distributed computing environments that combines the qualities of the above mentioned individual research areas.
