Mobile Agent Framework for Collaborative Processing in Sensor Networks

Although popular, the client/server-based distributed computing is not suitable for applications developed in sensor networks as the sensor network possesses some unique characteristics that the client/server-based approach cannot accommodate. Here, we summarize these features as follows: • Extremely constrained resources-limited communication bandwidth, power supply, and processing capability • Sheer amount of sensor nodes-a sensor network can contain up to thousands of sensor nodes • Fault-prone sensor nodes and communication links-due to harsh working environment and communication through unreliable wireless link • Exceptionally dynamic nature-existing sensor nodes can stop functioning due to power deple- tion, new sensors can be deployed, and sensor nodes can be mobile Ÿese properties request the distributed computing paradigm in sensor networks to be energy e«cient, scalable, fault tolerant, and adaptive.