Distributed discrete event simulation architecture with connectors

---

Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Computer Engineering, Turkey

Approval Date: 2014

Student: İSMET ÖZGÜR ÇOLPANKAN

Supervisor: MEHMET HALİT S. OĞUZTÜZÜN

Abstract:

In this thesis we propose a distributed approach to Simulation Modeling Architecture (SiMA) with software connectors via Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) as a middleware technology. SiMA is a DEVS-based modeling and simulation framework developed in TUBITAK BILGEM ILTAREN. Discrete Event System Specification (DEVS) is a formalism that arranges complex system models with a well-defined execution protocol. A connector is a first class entity which performs interaction among components and plays an important role in a component-based architecture. Connectors in Distributed SiMA are behavioral models that perform data conversions between models which have communication data type mismatches and data marshalling/unmarshalling for remote model communication. We claim that using a connector instead of modifying an already developed model increases the model reusability and keeps model developer from spending lots of time. We enable SiMA to run in a distributed environment via WCF which is Microsoft’s distributed systems technology. It offers Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) development environment and lots of configurable features in a single .NET API. At the end we also compare this approach with the existing distributed DEVS approaches in terms of base formalism, network layer technology, model partitioning, remote node synchronization scheme and message exchange pattern.