Developing an agent based Feed Analyzer system in the cloud

This paper presents an experience report documenting the design and development of an agent-based distributed software system called the “Feed Analyzer” a system deployed to Microsoft´s Windows Azure Cloud Service. Cloud services are emerging as an increasingly attractive deployment option given that system developers can leverage the power of a scalable infrastructure without the need to purchase or directly manage hardware or IT resources themselves; all at relatively reduced costs. But as this trend towards the cloud continues, reliable software engineering methodologies that readily lend themselves to the development of cloud applications will become increasingly important. The goal of this experience report is not to evaluate the results of the Feed Analyzer project, either quantitatively or qualitatively, from the perspective of a working software system. The goal of the project itself was to evaluate the applicability of agent-based software engineering methodologies to the relatively new realm of cloud services. Consequently, the overarching purpose of this experience report is to contribute to the body of knowledge relative to the process of deploying agent-based systems to cloud platforms.