Computable.nl
  • Thema’s
    • Carrière
    • Innovatie & Transformatie
    • Cloud & Infrastructuur
    • Data & AI
    • Governance & Privacy
    • Security & Awareness
    • Software & Development
    • Werkplek & Beheer
  • Sectoren
    • Channel
    • Financiële dienstverlening
    • Logistiek
    • Onderwijs
    • Overheid
    • Zorg
  • Computable Awards
    • Overzicht
    • Nieuws
    • Winnaars
    • Partner worden
  • Vacatures
    • Vacatures bekijken
    • Vacatures plaatsen
  • Bedrijven
    • Profielen
    • Producten & Diensten
  • Kennisbank
  • Nieuwsbrief

Secret agents

04 oktober 2001 - 22:004 minuten leestijdOpinieSecurity & Awareness
Martin Healey
Martin Healey

The concept of agent technology is not new in the IT world, but the applications of it are as yet rather limited. The appalling service provided by "automatic" telephone help systems should provide an incentive to change that and in so doing expand the range of applications.

Agents are software sub-systems that work independently in the background on behalf of a requester. They can be event-driven or interactive. In the former case they search for something and when a match is found they send an alert to a supervisor. In the latter case a user makes a request and in so doing activates the agent; the answer may be interactive, but in many cases the response takes a long time and would be handled in a similar fashion to an alert.
The most common application to date has been in system management. The agents trace the activity of specific management tools and report results back to a higher level management system. This works because each agent is mapped onto a known, static, subsystem and they can exploit a common interface up to the higher level system. The simple snmp protocol for instance worked well in the management of communication networks, often extended to operating systems, data bases, etc. Unfortunately few other applications can be so formally represented. The tremendous problems encountered with Internet searches are a clear pointer to the problems involved with handling unstructured systems.
Agent technology has been applied to individual PCs (Microsoft Office Assistant) and to "crawlers" in the Internet. Neither has been accepted in general and Office Assistant must be a contender for the most turned off feature of any software. The problem though is not the concept, but the implementation. It is reasonable to assume that with experience these systems will get better. Office Assistant is dubious because it is intrusive, but the basic problem is that the Wizards rely on a comprehensive help library, which Windows simply hasn’t got.
As usual the root of the problem is the lack of standards. For instance while Tivoli can exploit snmp standards, the higher levels are proprietary. If standards are to be developed, then the architecture of an agent system needs better defining from the beginning. Using the Tivoli model, the following elements of an architecture can be recognised.
Base agents. These are the basic "mail" elements which filter, sort and keep requesters and agents in touch.
Avatars. This is a term stolen from games machines. These are responsible for attracting attention of a user to an event (the dreaded Microsoft paper clip is an example). They can of course interact with other software as in management products rather than visually, and they can be intelligent. The UK Post Office and the University of East Anglia have been experimenting with direct translation to sign language for the deaf. This area is ripe for innovation.
Communication. Different systems have to inter-work unambiguously. This is relatively easy if all sub-systems are from the same supplier, but this is a real problem with, say, the Internet, which involves an undefinable group of providers. This is another area where XML will help.
Intelligence. There is a vast range of intelligence required of agents. Some are trivial, but the future lies in applications of Knowledge-based technology and Artificial Intelligence. There must also be a range of capability such that simpler agents can run in lightweight clients, with higher functionality in big servers. It seems inevitable that AI should keep on cropping up whenever there is a new concept in the IT world.
Dialogues. Not for the first time, the IT industry is faced with the need to interact effectively with the user, and if the bulk of the Web and help desk systems are examples, then we still have a huge gulf to cross. We are only capable of creating structured dialogues, which are not what users want. Perhaps we will at last see some progress with Natural Languages now.
There are however a lot of subsidiary topics to ponder on. At the head of the list are the ability to map the users ideas into the correct question and then how to assess the quality of the data being accessed. People will obviously rely on the answers to an incorrectly formulated query derived from inadequate data, with serious consequences. Following this minefield there are questions of ownership, tariffing and security to be addressed. There is a long way to go, but there are some encouraging signs that progress is being made.

Meer over

Softwarebeheer

Deel

    Inschrijven nieuwsbrief Computable

    Door te klikken op inschrijven geef je toestemming aan Jaarbeurs B.V. om je naam en e-mailadres te verwerken voor het verzenden van een of meer mailings namens Computable. Je kunt je toestemming te allen tijde intrekken via de af­meld­func­tie in de nieuwsbrief.
    Wil je weten hoe Jaarbeurs B.V. omgaat met jouw per­soons­ge­ge­vens? Klik dan hier voor ons privacy statement.

    Whitepapers

    Computable.nl

    Beveiliging begint bij de Server

    Waarom lifecycle-denken cruciaal is voor IT-security

    Computable.nl

    Staat van Digitale Connectiviteit binnen de Bouw- en Installatiebranche 2025

    Digitale connectiviteit is de kern van veel processen in de bouw en volgens insiders van strategisch belang voor de toekomst van de sector. Waar sta jij?

    Computable.nl

    GenAI: Veiligheidsrisico of wapen tegen dreiging?

    Wat AI betekent voor jouw securityaanpak? Alles over de risico’s en strategieën om GenAI verantwoord in te zetten.

    Meer lezen

    ActueelCarrière

    Veroordeelde ASML-spion overtrad sancties en pleegde computervredebreuk

    OpinieSecurity & Awareness

    Over post-quantum security (en waarom je nú moet handelen)

    OpinieSecurity & Awareness

    Inzicht in kwetsbaarheden aanvalsoppervlak gaat voor budget

    Beursvloer Cybersec Netherlands
    EventsSecurity & Awareness

    Waarom Amerikaanse techreuzen geen soevereiniteit kunnen garanderen

    OpinieSecurity & Awareness

    NIS2 is geen bedreiging (maar gouden kans voor it-kanaal)

    ciso
    ActueelSecurity & Awareness

    Nova Advisor Agent: gamechanger voor ciso of ai-hype?

    Geef een reactie Reactie annuleren

    Je moet ingelogd zijn op om een reactie te plaatsen.

    Populaire berichten

    Meer artikelen

    Uitgelicht

    Partnerartikel
    AdvertorialData & AI

    Private AI helpt gemeenten met vertrou...

    In een tijd waarin gemeenten geconfronteerd worden met groeiende verwachtingen van burgers, toenemende wet- en regelgeving en druk op budgetten,...

    Meer persberichten

    Footer

    Direct naar

    • Carrièretests
    • Kennisbank
    • Planning
    • Computable Awards
    • Magazine
    • Abonneren Magazine
    • Cybersec e-Magazine
    • Topics

    Producten

    • Adverteren en meer…
    • Jouw Producten en Bedrijfsprofiel
    • Whitepapers & Leads
    • Vacatures & Employer Branding
    • Persberichten

    Contact

    • Colofon
    • Computable en de AVG
    • Service & contact
    • Inschrijven nieuwsbrief
    • Inlog

    Social

    • Facebook
    • X
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    © 2025 Jaarbeurs
    • Disclaimer
    • Gebruikersvoorwaarden
    • Privacy statement
    Computable.nl is een product van Jaarbeurs