Extensible Software Architecture for a Distributed Engineering Simulation Facility

Abstract

A need has arisen for an easy-to-use, flexible, transparent, and cross-platform communication backbone for configuration and execution of distributed simulations and experiments. Open source, open architecture, and custom student written programs have extended the capabilities of educational research facilities and opened the way for the development of the architecture presented in this thesis. The architecture is known by the recursive acronym hADES: hADES Architecture for Distributed Engineering Simulation. Included in this thesis is a discussion of the design and implementation of the novel hADES software architecture for Ethernet and wireless IEEE 802.11 network-based distributed simulation and experiment facilities. The goal of this architecture is to facilitate rapid integration of new and legacy simulations and laboratory equipment to support undergraduate and graduate research projects as well as educational classroom activities and industrial simulation and experiments.