Agent-based infrastructure of supply chain network management

Supply-chain network (SCN) is a philosophy for enterprise integration based on a society formed by autonomous agents by bonding together to solve a common problem. In this article, a multiagent infrastructure for the information support of SCN management is proposed. It consists of SCN problem domain agents and an agent platform. The problem domain agents are called Member and Group Supply Chain Advisors (SCA). Each of them is composed of different types of agents. Problem solving agent is oriented for a unique class of e-management problem such as Inventory Management, Production Management, and Capacity Management. Information agent (unit or system) is oriented towards application of reusable methods, techniques and solutions for problem solving at the unit or group level. User Interface and Communication Agent are responsible for communication, coordination and negotiation policies. An SCA agent inherits from the ClientAgent class of the Agent Platform, which provide a framework of normative work within which agents exist and operate as well as logical and temporal contexts for the creation, operation and destruction of agents. An agent platform was developed based on the DCOM model and FIPA reference model and communication language. This platform consists of the following components: Directory Facilitator, Agent Management System, Agent Communication Channel, Internal Platform Message Transport, and Wrapper Agents. The use of this platform not only ensures interoperability among our agents and reusable components, but also allows us to take advantage of agent-based, DCOM, and CORBA services offered by the SCN units that can be used and customized as needed.