System Arena, Conclusions on the chapter - Computing...

Arena System

The Arena simulation system is the main software product of Systems Modeling. Systems Modeling Corporation was founded in 1982 by Dennis Pedgen, the author of SIMAN, the first industrially-oriented general-purpose language of simulation modeling. Currently, the scope of Systems Modeling includes simulation and development of technological software [6, 21].

The Arena system allows you to model the activities shown in Fig. 4.6, as well as networks and telecommunications systems.

Arena is equipped with a convenient object-oriented interface and has amazing capabilities to adapt to all sorts of subject areas. The system does not require writing code and is extremely easy to use, but it takes a long time to learn and have a good knowledge of probability theory, mathematical statistics, queuing theory theory and Petri nets.

The animation system Cinema animation is used to display simulation results. The Arena interface includes all kinds of tools for working with data, including spreadsheets, databases, ODBC, OLE, DXF format support.

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Fig. 4.6. Areas of use for Arena

The Arena simulation system includes:

• two-dimensional graphic editor;

• 3D graphics editor (3D player package);

• editors of temporary templates and timetables;

• the symbol editor and the library of graphic blanks;

• Link to the graphics library and the Microsoft clipboard.

Arena allows you to use discrete, continuous, and also combined discrete-continuous modeling.

This software supports the ability to interact with the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA package, the ActiveX object model for external management, access via ADO/ODBC to databases (Oracle, Access, Excel, SQL); supports importing files from the AutoCad package (in dxf format), data from the Visio package and Blue Pumpkin Workforce, communication between individual processes.

When modeling processes and systems in Arena, three building panels are used:

1. Basic Process Panel consists of modules that are the foundation for the models being created. The objects of this toolbar consist of graphical modules (Create, Dispose, Process, Dccsidc, Separate, Batch, Assign, Record) and data modules (Entity, Resource, Queue, Variable, Schedule, and Set).

2. Advanced Process Panel - advanced process panel; allows you to model more complex processes. If in the Basic Process Panel one module can be endowed with several internal properties, in Advanced Process these properties are rendered as stand-alone graphics modules. The panel consists of 13 graphic modules (Flowchart Modules): Delay, Dropoff, Hold, Match, Pickup, RcadWritc, Release, Remove, Seize, Search, Signal, Store, Unstore and seven Data Modules: Advanced Set Module , Expression, Failure, File, StateSet, Statistic and Storage.

3. Advanced Transfer Panel - the transfer and transfer process panel; contains 17 graphic modules: Enter Module, Leave Module, Pick Station, Route, Station; Access, Convey, Exit, Start, Stop; Activate, Allocate, Free, Halt, Move, Request, Transport and five data modules: Sequence, Conveyor, Segment, Transporter, Distance.

Within the framework of the discipline "Modeling of computer networks and STK" students will be offered exactly this tool as a means of simulation modeling, since:

• At the heart of the software package (Arena) Arena laid the mathematical apparatus of SMO and colored Petri nets, and the combination, as is known, takes the merits of both mathematical devices, and this combination generates a synergistic effect;

• Initially, developers are encouraged to use this package for modeling, analysis of networks and STK;

• in the TPU within the framework of the disciplines "computer simulation", "simulation simulation" and modeling and analysis of complex systems For more than 4 years this AP has been used. There are developments and experience in modeling systems.

4. The developer company offers a free academic license III I for educational institutions.

Conclusions by chapter

In this chapter we consider the means of modeling computer networks, their main functional capabilities, features and purposes of each of the products considered.

Rockwell Software Arena was selected for further modeling, having a number of advantages over other products (easy to learn and implement the task).

The next chapter implements the simulation model of a computer cluster for distributed-parallel computing using Arena 9.0 software.

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