First steps in metacomputing with Amica

The metacomputing system Amica is a new approach to support the development of coarse-grained applications for distributed dynamic heterogeneous systems (e.g. computers linked to the Internet). It aims at the location-transparent and convenient design of distributed applications and at the easy integration of legacy systems. Applications are described in the form of application graphs based on a predefined set of reusable components and connectors. This graph is dynamically interpreted using the Amica infrastructure. Amica provides uniform access to computational resources using the well-known factory pattern. Additionally, a memory subsystem supports the location-transparent use of complex data objects which may be replicated to increase access speed. To transfer data, specific network resources can be used. We report initial experiences with using Amica for a computationally intensive real-world problem: the parallel simulation of cellular mobile systems. Measurements show that Amica, even in its premature stage, provides a convenient interface and sufficient efficiency to build distributed applications utilizing heterogeneous dynamic resources.