Networking technology and DIS

For wide-area networking of distributed interactive simulation (DIS) a real-time, resource-reserving, multicast network with appropriate encryption is required. Latency and data volume requirements are described. Standards for DIS communications and their impact on network traffic are explained. Evolutionary history is traced for the current network serving these needs, the Defense Simulation Internet. The most likely path for future expansion of DIS networking uses emerging commercial technologies such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and Internet protocol multicast (IPmc) with resource reservation. The architecture and issues for an ATM network meeting future DIS requirements is described; areas of active research such as compression and multicast grouping are explained.<
>