Authentication and Encryption

Authentication and encryption both confer value to a session-based exchange between
two or more people or two or more devices. The more robust the authentication and
encryption process, the more value it has but the more expensive it is to implement in
terms of processor, memory, and transmission bandwidth.
Authentication can be used to bring together complex user groups who can interact
in complex ways. An event can trigger sudden loading on the network. In such circumstances,
it is very important that authentication and admission algorithms remain
stable. If a number of devices wish to send information at the same time and insufficient
instantaneous bandwidth is available, then the software has to be sufficiently
intelligent just to buffer the data or slow the source.

Authentication and encryption also enables m-commerce. The ability to bring things
via a mobile handset implies the need to barter and negotiate and the need to research
price and product/service availability. This would suggest an increasing application
space for agent technology. 226