Gateways Background

The Johns Hopkins University

Applied Physics Laboratory

11100 Johns Hopkins Road

Laurel, MD USA 20723-6099

2011 Spring Simulation Interoperability Workshop

Automated Tools for Gateway Selection and Configuration

12S-SIW-051

2012 Spring SIWMarch 26-29, 2011

Robert LutzDavid Drake

Ryan BruntonWilliam Riggs

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory11100 Johns Hopkins Road

Laurel, [email protected]

[email protected]@[email protected]

Dannie CuttsThe AEgis Technologies Group,

Inc.Huntsville, AL256.799.1154

[email protected]

Kurt LessmannMichael O’ConnorTrideum Corporation

Huntsville, AL256.704.6116

[email protected]@trideum.com


Gateways Background

Multi-architecture LVC environments are commonplace in support of DoD distributed test and training events

There are numerous difficult technical issues that must be addressed when integrating simulations across different simulation architectures

• Middleware incompatibilities

• Dissimilar development processes

• Dissimilar metamodels for runtime data exchange Solutions to these issues can be extremely resource intensive to implement

and inadequate testing can adversely affect the quality of the simulation results

There is a need to improve the quality and reduce the time and costs associated with the development of multi-architecture LVC environments

• Original motivation for the Live-Virtual-Constructive Architecture Roadmap (LVCAR) effort

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Gateway Challenges

Despite the many documented success stories associated with the use of gateways to facilitate LVC interoperability, there are also some significant issues that impact technical, schedule, and cost risk

• No central “marketplace” of gatewayso Few mechanisms for user to determine what reuse opportunities are

availableo No mechanisms for direct comparisons of gateways

• Gateways built for specific needso Not built for reuse/not built for extensibilityo Extensive duplication of existing gateway capabilities

• Process of developing mappings (i.e., translations) among simulation data elements is very time consuming and error-proneo Little reuse of mapping data or automated tool support available

• Process of gateway configuration is highly manual and varies from gateway to gateway o Potential barrier to migrating to better gateway products

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Live-Virtual-Constructive Architecture Roadmap (LVCAR) Implementation

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LVCAR Study

LVCAR – Implementation Project (LVCAR-I)

Gateways/Bridges Common Capabilities SOA PilotCommon Object

Models

We Are Here

Implementation of LVCAR Study

Recommendations

The DoD Way Ahead for LVC Interoperability


LVCAR-I Gateways Effort – Initial Products Gateways Characterization Report

• Identified capabilities offered by a wide range of different existing gateways• Mapped user requirements to these capabilities to identify gaps

Gateway Configuration Model (GCM)

• Identifies an explicit set of gateway requirements, and discusses how the emerging gateway products and processes will address those requirements

Gateway Capability Description (GCD)

• Delineates the various capabilities that individual gateways can offer to user programs, along with specific levels of implementation for each unique capability

Gateway Performance Benchmarks (GPB)

• Identifies specific gateway performance measures, along with use cases that describe how and where these measures should be applied

Gateway Tutorial

• Discusses basic technical concepts and provides user guidance on acquiring gateways

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2011 Spring Simulation Interoperability Workshop6

LVCAR-I Gateways Effort –Current Products Developed a common Gateway Description Language (GDL)

• A machine-readable format/syntax, for describing both user gateway requirements and the capabilities that individual gateways can offer

• Supports user discovery of needed gateway capabilities Developed a common SDEM Mapping Language (SML)

• Formalized format and syntax for mappings between different SDEMs• Reduces number of required mappings, and supports reuse of mapping data

Developed an initial repository for GDL-based gateway descriptions

• Incorporates applicable search and requirements-to-capabilities matching algorithms

Developed initial tools for GDL and SML file creation/editing

Developed a Common Components Tool (CCT)

• Captures gateway initialization data in a common underlying database format Developed gateway implementation-specific plug-ins

• Converts CCT data into the form needed to configure the gateway for a particular application


Gateway Selection Process

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GDL EditorSearch

3. Search the GDL file repository and

create a Best Matches list

1. Create files describing gateway products and

capabilities using Gateway Description Language

(GDL)

Searchable files describing gateway products using Gateway

Description Language (GDL) based on Gateway Capability

Description

2. Create search

criteria based on high priority

capabilities, storing it in GDL format

5. Discuss with Community of

Interest: Gateway Developers & Vendors, and

other Gateway Users

6. Select gateway to deploy based on

meeting exercise capabilities,

configurability, licensing, and user

feedback

Selected Gateway

Reevaluate✓

GDL Editor

GDL Editor

4. Best Matches from Search

Gateway 1:

Gateway 2:

Gateway 3: etc.


GDL Editor – Gateway Description & Matching Gateway Description

• Designed to efficiently create GDL files via a GUI-based procedural “wizard”

• The tool will step the user through a process to collect requirements via Gateway Capabilities Definition and Gateway Performance Benchmark information

• Generates a GDL file for repository archival Gateway Matching

• This capability was designed to aid the gateway user in selecting the most appropriate gateway solution

• Creates or imports a user-defined gateway requirements via GDL file

• Imports developer-provided gateway capabilities GDL files from repository

• Generates a set of best gateway matches for user consideration and archival

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GDL Editor User Interface –Capability Definition

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GDL Editor User Interface –Capability Definition

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GDL Editor User Interface – Requirements Matching

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GDL Editor User Interface – Requirements Matching

1212


Gateway Mapping and Configuration Process

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• Greatly enhances retention of simulation mappings and gateway configurations

• SDEM, mapping, and configuration reuse permits reduced gateway configuration cycle effort & time

Gateway

Searchable SML Local

Library

Searchable SML Remote Repository

Library

Simulation Architecture

Simulation Component



Simulation Architecture




SDEM

1. Define/Reuse Mapping using SDEM Mapping Language (SML)

Editor

SML Editor

2. Create/modify Gateway Configuration using

Common Components Tool (CCT)

CCT withGateway-Specific

Plug-in

Gateway Configuration

written in Gateway-Specific

Format

Mapping Rules

Filtering Rules

Filtering Rules

All Files Stored

Simulation Data Exchange Model (SDEM)-to-SDEM

mapping written in SML

SDEM


Simulation Data Exchange Model (SDEM) Mapping Language (SML) Editor Designed to efficiently create SML files via a GUI-based procedural

“wizard”

• The tool will step the user through a process to create a mapping file between two SDEMso Imports the needed SDEMsoExports the SML compliant with SML schema

The tool will generate an SML file compliant with the SML schema

• If desired, upload the file to a repository for archival and reuse

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SML Editor – Defining the Mapping Between SDEMs

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Common Components Tool (CCT)

Designed to aid the gateway developer to extend gateways to new Architecture/SDEMs

• Imports SDEMs in their native format (OMT, TDL, ANDEM, …)

• Imports SDEM mapping file in SML format

• Imports gateway configuration data in GCL format

• Generates a database with mapping information

• Provides a plug-in architecture to support specific gateway implementations

Allows the gateway developer to:

• Access mapping data without having to import multiple file formats

• Create a gateway-specific CCT plug-in to generate required inputs for their gatewayo Can be code, file, or a combination of both

• Quickly extend their gateway to support new user mapping requirements

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Common Components Tool –Architecture

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CCT Core

CCTGateway Specific

Writer Plug-in

SML Loader

GCL Loader

ANDEM Loader

Gateway Developer

API

ASF LoaderAPI

CCT Database

ASF Loader Plug-in

CCT Loaders

Architecture Specific Format ( i.e. OMT, TDL) Loaders

Gateway Specific Writers


Employing Stored SML in the CCT to Generate a Gateway

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Common Components Tool

CCT User Interface

SML Data

SML Database

SML Database

Configura-tion Files

Gateway-Specific

CCT Plug-in

Federation/Exercise

Federation/Exercise

Distributed Sim API

Distributed Sim API

Generated/Configured Gateway

SML Data

Executable Distributed Simulation:

Software Source


CCT Demonstrated: Gateway Builder Employed for creating MATREX to TENA-Platform Exercise

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Common Components Tool

CCT User Interface

SML Data

SML Database

SML Database

Gateway Builder CCT

Plug-in

MATREX Federation

TENA-Platform Exercise

MATREX Federate

Generated and

Configured Gateway

SML Data

Example Distributed Simulation:

MS Visual Studio

Compilation

Gateway Builder Source Files

Microsoft Visual Studio

Project

Viewer

TENA/CORBA API


LVCAR Gateways Effort – Next Steps

Improve the usability of the GDL and SML Editors

• Interface enhancements, better documentation Develop a common implementation-independent Gateway

Configuration Language (GCL), in a machine-readable format/syntax, for describing gateway configuration data

• Includes both specification and editing tool Implement needed extensions to the CCT and gateway plug-ins

• Other architectures/SDEMs, and potentially entirely new gateway plug-ins

Develop new tools/methodologies for gateway benchmarking Develop more advanced, hands-on “Gateways 201” tutorial Community outreach

• Special Gateways Event at Fall 2012 SIW, and potentially others

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Questions and Feedback

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Primary Contact:Robert Lutz

[email protected]

David DrakeRyan BruntonWilliam Riggs

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory11100 Johns Hopkins Road

Laurel, [email protected]@[email protected]

Dannie CuttsThe AEgis Technologies

Group, Inc.Huntsville, AL256.799.1154

[email protected]

Kurt LessmannMichael O’Connor

Trideum CorporationHuntsville, AL256.704.6116

[email protected]@trideum.com

Documents

Gateways Background