Engineering large-scale distributed auctions

The functional characteristics of market-based solutions are typically best observed through the medium of simulation, data-gathering and subsequent visualization. We previously developed a simulation of multiple distributed auctions to handle resource allocation (in fact, bundles of unspecified goods) and in this paper we want to deploy an equivalent system as a distributed application. There are two notable problems with the simulation-first, application-second approach: (i) the simulation cannot reasonably take account of network effects, and (ii) how to recreate in a distributed application the characteristics demonstrated by the mechanism in the simulation. We describe: (i) the refactorings employed in the process of transforming a uni-processor lock-step simulation into a multiprocessor asynchronous system, (ii) some preliminary performance indicators, and (iii) some reflections on our experience which may be useful in building MAS in general.