A Component Model for Discrete Event Simulation

The paper describes the ideas behind a technique for hierarchical linking of simulations as a way of building large-scale simulations from components that interact with each other via communication ports. The resulting component simulation view is compared with the presently used simulation world views. The classification of simulation components, which groups components into timeless, time-dependent, and time-independent categories, implies that components must be linked by type-specific simulation engines. The discovery of the properties of lookback, the ability of a component to change its past without affecting other components, enables another classification which categorizes communication ports into regular, virtual, and lookback ports. These two classifications enable a hierarchical simulation modeling methodology that addresses two important issues in large-scale simulation: composability and efficiency.

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