Autonomic and Apoptotic Highly Distributed System

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has developed software that mimics the biological mechanisms of autonomic systems and apoptotic systems (the process that shuts down cells when they no longer serve a purpose). The software provides self-management and security for a distributed system such as a satellite swarm in which craft communicate and collaborate. Originally developed for space missions, this capability has now been extended for use in terrestrial applications involving cloud and grid-based systems and other applications requiring highly distributed operation.