Advanced Tutorial: Parallel and Distributed Methods for Scalable Discrete Simulation

Discrete simulation is an indispensable approach to investigate systems whose complexity prohibits analytical modeling and for which real-world experimentation is costly or dangerous. To keep pace with system models of increasing levels of detail and scope, a simulator's ability to make full use of the available hardware, typically through parallel and distributed simulation, is a vital concern. Building on well-studied synchronization algorithms, the field's focus has shifted towards aspects such as the avoidance of redundant computations in ensemble studies and the exploitation of heterogeneous hardware platforms. In this tutorial, we describe the fundamental notions of parallel and distributed simulation and summarize the main classes of synchronization algorithms as well their use when applied under the constraints of the domains of transportation and spiking neural networks. Current research directions and challenges are discussed in light of the tension between efficiency through specialization and wide applicability through generalization.