1. An agent-based system for creating and accessing a data warehouse comprising: a network of interconnected distributed databases; a user agent connected to the network for initiating an application specific request for data; a plurality of functional agents for receiving goals from said user agent and for invoking processes for completing said goals; and a plurality of resource agents, each associated with one of said distributed databases, for receiving and storing goals from said functional agents and obtaining application specific data from appropriate databases for use by said user agent.