The Bio-Networking Architecture: a biologically inspired approach to the design of scalable, adaptive, and survivable/available network applications

Abstract

We believe that the challenges faced by future network applications, such as scalability, adaptability, and survivability/availability, have already been overcome by large scale biological systems and that future network applications will benefit by adopting key biological principles and mechanisms. Our initial effort at applying biological principles and mechanisms to the design and implementation of network applications has produced the Bio-Networking Architecture. In the Bio-Networking Architecture, a collection of autonomous mobile agents, called cyber-entities, are used to implement an application. The desirable characteristics of an application, i.e. scalability, adaptability, and survivability/availability, emerge from the collective actions and interactions of its constituent cyber-entities. We describe a Web content distribution application called Aphid, and show through simulations that Aphid adapts to changing user demand and location. Aphid's scalability and survivability/availability are also demonstrated.