Application-layer networks (ALN) are software
architectures that allow the provisioning of services
requiring a huge amount of resources by connecting large
numbers of individual computers. The ALN simulation
project CATNET evaluates a decentralized mechanism for
resource allocation in ALN, which is based on the
economic paradigm of the Catallaxy, against a
centralized mechanism using an arbitrator object. In both
versions, software agents buy and sell network services
and resources to and from each other. The economic
model is based on self-interested maximization of utility
and self-interested cooperation between agents. This
article describes the design of money and message flows
for centralized and decentralized coordination in both
versions and shows preliminary results.