Collaborative modeling and simulation for order management in virtual enterprise

Collaborative modeling and simulation take strong advantage of resource sharing across the Internet for an extended enterprise or a virtual enterprise. Collaborative graphical modeling is more attractive, but also more difficult, when applied on the World Wide Web. One solution for integrating 2D graphical modeling and a Web-based online analyzer is discussed, and a prototype is realized through a campus network. An order management model is designed collaboratively using the EXTEND modeling tool to map the operations involved in the scheduling, production and transportation of a geographically distributed iron-ore enterprise. The distributed managers can submit orders and then obtain the simulation results online from a Web online analyzer which is realized by an Apache Web server, PHP and mySQL tools. The prototype shows effective experimental results. It is intended to study the system further in creating a complete model base for a simulation server and a graphical user interface for browsers.