<p><i>Successful integration of simulations within the Network-Based Defence (NBD), specifically use of simulations within Command and Control (C2) environments, enforces a number of requirements. Simulations must be reliable and be able to respond in a timely manner. Otherwise the commander will have no confidence in using simulation as a tool. An important aspect of these requirements is the provision of fault-tolerant simulations in which failures are detected and resolved in a consistent manner. Given the distributed nature of many military simulations systems, services for fault-tolerance in distributed simulations are desirable. The main architecture for distributed simulations within the military domain, the High Level Architecture (HLA), does not provide support for development of fault-tolerant simulations.</i></p><p><i>A common approach for fault-tolerance in distributed systems is check-pointing. In this approach, states of the system are persistently stored through-out its operation. In case a failure occurs, the system is restored using a previously saved state. Given the abovementioned shortcomings of the HLA standard this thesis explores development of fault-tolerant mechanisms in the context of the HLA. More specifically, the design, implementation and evaluation of fault-tolerance mechanisms, based on check-pointing, are described and discussed.</i></p>

Load management is an essential and important factor for distributed simulations running on shared resources due to load imbalances that can caused considerable performance loss. High Level Architecture (HLA) -based simulation is a framework that works to facilitate the design and management of distributed simulations. HLA coordinates the interaction between simulation entities (federates). However, HLA-based simulation standards do not present the ability to manage resources or help detect load imbalances that could directly cause decrease of performance. Focusing on this constraint, a migration-aware dynamic balancing system has been designed for HLA simulations to offer an efficient load-balancing scheme that works in large-scale environments. This system presents some limitations on estimating costs and benefits, so we propose an enhancement to this existing load balancing system, which improves the accuracy of estimating the number of migrations for the next load redistribution. The proposed scheme detects the load imbalances by evaluating the recourses overhead. The scheme classifies the recourses based on the overhead as overloaded and underloaded, followed by matching the highest overloaded recourses with the lowest underloaded recourses. Furthermore, the proposed scheme aims to precisely estimate the number of migrations by evaluating and analyzing the recourses to obtain the best number of migrations. Therefore, certain migrations that do not contribute to an improvement in the simulation performance are avoided. This avoidance is based on comparing time delay and time gain. Moreover, to be considered for migration, the overall sum of the time gains should be larger than the overall sum of the time delays. The proposed scheme has shown an improvement on decreasing the execution time.

Successful integration of simulations within the Network-Based Defence (NBD), specifically use of simulations within Command and Control (C2) environments, enforces a number of requirements. Simulations must be reliable and be able to respond in a timely manner. Otherwise the commander will have no confidence in using simulation as a tool. An important aspect of these requirements is the provision of fault-tolerant simulations in which failures are detected and resolved in a consistent manner. Given the distributed nature of many military simulations systems, services for fault-tolerance in distributed simulations are desirable. The main architecture for distributed simulations within the military domain, the High Level Architecture (HLA), does not provide support for development of fault-tolerant simulations. A common approach for fault-tolerance in distributed systems is check-pointing. In this approach, states of the system are persistently stored through-out its operation. In case a failure occurs, the system is restored using a previously saved state. Given the abovementioned shortcomings of the HLA standard this thesis explores development of fault-tolerant mechanisms in the context of the HLA. More specifically, the design, implementation and evaluation of fault-tolerance mechanisms, based on check-pointing, are described and discussed. / QC 20101111

Dynamic balancing of computation and communication load is vital for the execution stability and performance of distributed, parallel simulations deployed on shared, unreliable resources of large-scale environments. High Level Architecture (HLA) based simulations can experience a decrease in performance due to imbalances that are produced initially and/or during run-time. These imbalances are generated by the dynamic load changes of distributed simulations or by unknown, non-managed background processes resulting from the non-dedication of shared resources. Due to the dynamic execution characteristics of elements that compose distributed simulation applications, the computational load and interaction dependencies of each simulation entity change during run-time. These dynamic changes lead to an irregular load and communication distribution, which increases overhead of resources and execution delays. A static partitioning of load is limited to deterministic applications and is incapable of predicting the dynamic changes caused by distributed applications or by external background processes. Due to the relevance in dynamically balancing load for distributed simulations, many balancing approaches have been proposed in order to offer a sub-optimal balancing solution, but they are limited to certain simulation aspects, specific to determined applications, or unaware of HLA-based simulation characteristics. Therefore, schemes for balancing the communication and computational load during the execution of distributed simulations are devised, adopting a hierarchical architecture. First, in order to enable the development of such balancing schemes, a migration technique is also employed to perform reliable and low-latency simulation load transfers. Then, a centralized balancing scheme is designed; this scheme employs local and cluster monitoring mechanisms in order to observe the distributed load changes and identify imbalances, and it uses load reallocation policies to determine a distribution of load and minimize imbalances. As a measure to overcome the drawbacks of this scheme, such as bottlenecks, overheads, global synchronization, and single point of failure, a distributed redistribution algorithm is designed. Extensions of the distributed balancing scheme are also developed to improve the detection of and the reaction to load imbalances. These extensions introduce communication delay detection, migration latency awareness, self-adaptation, and load oscillation prediction in the load redistribution algorithm. Such developed balancing systems successfully improved the use of shared resources and increased distributed simulations' performance.

The optimization, control, and characterization of engineering components or systems require fast, repeated, and accurate evaluation of a partial-differential-equation-induced input-output relationship. We present a technique for the rapid and reliable prediction of linear-functional outputs of elliptic partial differential equations with affine parameter dependence. The method has three components: (i) rapidly convergent reduced{basis approximations; (ii) a posteriori error estimation; and (iii) off-line/on-line computational procedures. These components -- integrated within a special network architecture -- render partial differential equation solutions truly "useful": essentially real{time as regards operation count; "blackbox" as regards reliability; and directly relevant as regards the (limited) input-output data required. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

Dynamic balancing of computation and communication load is vital for the execution stability and performance of distributed, parallel simulations deployed on shared, unreliable resources of large-scale environments. High Level Architecture (HLA) based simulations can experience a decrease in performance due to imbalances that are produced initially and/or during run-time. These imbalances are generated by the dynamic load changes of distributed simulations or by unknown, non-managed background processes resulting from the non-dedication of shared resources. Due to the dynamic execution characteristics of elements that compose distributed simulation applications, the computational load and interaction dependencies of each simulation entity change during run-time. These dynamic changes lead to an irregular load and communication distribution, which increases overhead of resources and execution delays. A static partitioning of load is limited to deterministic applications and is incapable of predicting the dynamic changes caused by distributed applications or by external background processes. Due to the relevance in dynamically balancing load for distributed simulations, many balancing approaches have been proposed in order to offer a sub-optimal balancing solution, but they are limited to certain simulation aspects, specific to determined applications, or unaware of HLA-based simulation characteristics. Therefore, schemes for balancing the communication and computational load during the execution of distributed simulations are devised, adopting a hierarchical architecture. First, in order to enable the development of such balancing schemes, a migration technique is also employed to perform reliable and low-latency simulation load transfers. Then, a centralized balancing scheme is designed; this scheme employs local and cluster monitoring mechanisms in order to observe the distributed load changes and identify imbalances, and it uses load reallocation policies to determine a distribution of load and minimize imbalances. As a measure to overcome the drawbacks of this scheme, such as bottlenecks, overheads, global synchronization, and single point of failure, a distributed redistribution algorithm is designed. Extensions of the distributed balancing scheme are also developed to improve the detection of and the reaction to load imbalances. These extensions introduce communication delay detection, migration latency awareness, self-adaptation, and load oscillation prediction in the load redistribution algorithm. Such developed balancing systems successfully improved the use of shared resources and increased distributed simulations' performance.

The understanding and conceptualization of cities and its constituent systems such as transportation and healthcare as open and complex is shifting the debates around the technical and communicative rationales of planning. Viewing cities in a holistic manner presents methodological challenges, where our understanding of complexity is applied in a tangible fashion to planning processes. Bridging the two rationales in the tools and methodologies of planning is necessary for the emergence of a 'non-linear rationality' of planning, one that accounts for and is premised upon complexity. Simulations representing complex systems provide evidence and support for planning, and have the potential to serve as an interface between the more abstract and political decision making and the material city systems. Moving beyond current planning methods, this thesis explores the role of simulations in planning. Recognizing the need for holistic representations, the thesis integrates multiple disparate simulations into a holistic whole achieving complex representations of systems. These representations are then applied and studied in an interactive environment to address planning problems in different contexts. The thesis contributes an approach towards the development of complex representations of systems; improvements on participatory methods to integrate computational simulations; a nuanced understanding of the relative value of simulation constructs; technologies and frameworks that facilitate the easy development of integrated simulations that can support participatory planning processes. The thesis develops contributions through experiments which involved problems and stakeholders from real world systems. The approach towards development of integrated simulations is realized in an open source framework. The framework creates computationally efficient, scalable and interactive simulations of complex systems, which used in a participatory manner delivers tangible plans and designs. / <p>QC 20170602</p>

Dynamic balancing of computation and communication load is vital for the execution stability and performance of distributed, parallel simulations deployed on shared, unreliable resources of large-scale environments. High Level Architecture (HLA) based simulations can experience a decrease in performance due to imbalances that are produced initially and/or during run-time. These imbalances are generated by the dynamic load changes of distributed simulations or by unknown, non-managed background processes resulting from the non-dedication of shared resources. Due to the dynamic execution characteristics of elements that compose distributed simulation applications, the computational load and interaction dependencies of each simulation entity change during run-time. These dynamic changes lead to an irregular load and communication distribution, which increases overhead of resources and execution delays. A static partitioning of load is limited to deterministic applications and is incapable of predicting the dynamic changes caused by distributed applications or by external background processes. Due to the relevance in dynamically balancing load for distributed simulations, many balancing approaches have been proposed in order to offer a sub-optimal balancing solution, but they are limited to certain simulation aspects, specific to determined applications, or unaware of HLA-based simulation characteristics. Therefore, schemes for balancing the communication and computational load during the execution of distributed simulations are devised, adopting a hierarchical architecture. First, in order to enable the development of such balancing schemes, a migration technique is also employed to perform reliable and low-latency simulation load transfers. Then, a centralized balancing scheme is designed; this scheme employs local and cluster monitoring mechanisms in order to observe the distributed load changes and identify imbalances, and it uses load reallocation policies to determine a distribution of load and minimize imbalances. As a measure to overcome the drawbacks of this scheme, such as bottlenecks, overheads, global synchronization, and single point of failure, a distributed redistribution algorithm is designed. Extensions of the distributed balancing scheme are also developed to improve the detection of and the reaction to load imbalances. These extensions introduce communication delay detection, migration latency awareness, self-adaptation, and load oscillation prediction in the load redistribution algorithm. Such developed balancing systems successfully improved the use of shared resources and increased distributed simulations' performance.

I detta arbete har en trådad simulator tagits fram enligt standarden High Level Architecture (HLA). Simulatorn är kapabel att avgöra den kortaste vägen från alla noder till alla andra noder i ett radionätverk med 200 noder på i genomsnitt 263 millisekunder. Tidigare var det endast möjligt att simulera kommunikation mellan två noder i ett nätverk som hade direkt förbindelse med varandra. I och med detta tillägg kan kommunikationssignalen reläas fram genom nätverket om en direkt förbindelse inte är möjlig. Simulatorn, eller federatet som det kallas i HLA, bygger på en centraliserad routingalgoritm och kan konfigureras till att beräkna specifika vägar på begäran alternativt beräkna alla möjliga vägar genom nätverket utan att någon efterfrågan behövs. Simulatorn använder sig av en A*-algoritm som kan använda en av två heuristiker där den ena heuristiken tar fram den kortaste vägen mellan två noder i nätverket och den andra heuristiken tar fram den väg med bäst signalkvalitet mellan två noder. / This paper presents a threaded simulator designed according to the standard High Level Architecture (HLA). The simulator is capable of determining the shortest path from all nodes to all other nodes in a radio network with 200 nodes in 263 milliseconds on average. It was previously only possible to simulate communication between two nodes which had direct connection. As of this addition, the communication can be relayed through other nodes in the network if direct connection is not possible. The simulator, or federate as it is called in HLA, implements a centralised routing algorithm and can be configured to find specific paths on the basis of requests alternatively find all paths through the network without the need for any request. The simulator uses an A* (A-star) algorithm which can use one of two heuristics, one of which returns the shortest path and the other returns the path with the best signal quality.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:05:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2682.pdf: 1041726 bytes, checksum: e49637dd5b33d0f2161039b6aea0e32e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-12-20 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / Distributed and parallel simulations can be used to create virtual collaborative environments that involve human beings in applications of training, entertainment, etc. The High Level Architecture - HLA, developed by the Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DMSO) of the North American Department of Defense - DoD and adopted by IEEE for modeling and simulation of high level, is a framework of simulation standardization that basically aims at the reuse and interoperability of/among simulations. The HLA comprises the following services: Federation Management, Declaration Management, Object Management, Ownership Management, Time Management and Distribution of Data Management (DDM). RTI (Run-Time Infrastructure) is the implementation of the interface specification of HLA, whose main objective is to separate the communication from the simulation. A version of the RTI (RTI kit version 1.3 from Georgia Institute of Technology - Georgia Tech) was installed in the cluster of the Computer Department of the Federal University of São Carlos. This version consists of a set of support libraries for real-time distributed simulation. The problem with this version of the RTI is that it has many limitations, such as lack of support for human interaction. In order to overcome these limitations, an architecture was developed and evaluated, as part of this work, that uses the JXTA platform to initiate federates (simulations) and federations (set of federates) at runtime web services. This architecture aims to manage the distribution of data among federates, one of the most important services for distributed simulations. / Simulações paralelas e distribuídas podem ser utilizadas para criar ambientes virtuais colaborativos que envolvem seres humanos em aplicações de treinamento, entretenimento, etc. A Arquitetura de Alto Nível (High Level Architecture - HLA) desenvolvida pelo Escritório de Modelagem e Simulação de Defesa (DMSO) do Departamento de Defesa Norte-Americano DoD e adotada pelo IEEE para modelagem e simulação de alto nível é um framework de padronização de simulações que visa, basicamente, o reuso e a interoperabilidade de/entre simulações. A HLA compreende os seguintes serviços: Gerenciamento de Federação (conjunto de federados), Gerenciamento de Declaração, Gerenciamento de Objetos, Gerenciamento de Posse, Gerenciamento de Tempo e Gerenciamento de Distribuição de Dados (DDM). A RTI (Run-Time Infrastructure) é a implementação da especificação de interface da HLA, cujo objetivo principal é separar a comunicação da simulação. Uma versão da RTI (kit RTI versão 1.3 do Instituto de Tecnologia da Georgia - Georgia Tech) foi instalada no cluster do DC da UFSCar. Esta versão consiste de um conjunto de bibliotecas de suporte a simulações de tempo-real distribuídas. O problema com esta versão da RTI é que ela possui várias limitações, dentre elas, a falta de suporte à interação. De modo a superar essas limitações uma arquitetura foi desenvolvida e avaliada, como parte deste trabalho, que utiliza a plataforma JXTA para iniciar federados (simulações) e federações (conjunto de federados) em tempo de execução por meio de serviços web. Esta arquitetura visa gerenciar a distribuição de dados entre os federados, um dos serviços mais importantes de simulações distribuídas.