Empowering simulation analysis with data-management tools

When engineers engage in simulation studies, they first go through a modeling phase, i.e., the development of a computerized model, and then proceed to an analysis phase, i.e., the repeated execution of the computerized model for a variety of parameters. Since the advent of desktop computing, most simulation studies have relied on processing in interactive mode rather than in batch mode. This paper illustrates how batch processing of analysis activities allows the engineer to focus on drawing conclusions from the simulation experiments instead of wasting time in interactively setting up and conducting the analysis. It is concluded that since batch processing requires additional control capabilities, the analysis power of simulation can be fully realized only when simulation programs are integrated with data management tools.