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 location-transparent and convenient design of distributed applications and at 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 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.