On-line simulation techniques for real-time management of systems

Summary form only given, as follows. On-line simulation refers to the use of simulation tools to aid in the management of operational systems. For example, faster-than-real-time simulation of the air transportation network can be used to aid air traffic controllers in managing traffic flows to reduce congestion and improve safety. Live feeds from air traffic control centers are used to build a situation database indicating the current status of the transportation network. This database is used to initialize faster-than-real-time simulations that are used to explore the impact of decisions made by traffic controllers in order to determine appropriate courses of action. Other applications of on-line simulation include use in managing military engagements, communication networks, or supply chains. I will describe techniques that we have developed to realize efficient on-line simulations. Parallel execution is used to achieve fast execution of simulation models. Techniques to incrementally clone running parallel simulations enable rapid, concurrent evaluation of alternate courses of action in order to aid in decision making processes. Our experiences in applying these techniques to applications such as air traffic control are described.