Distributed simulation is the execution of a scenario by simulations running on multiple host computers. Each simulation is usually responsible for simulating the behavior of one or more players (“entities”) in the scenario. The simulations exchange entity state and entity interaction data using a computer network and an agreed-upon communications protocol.

FLAMES^® supports distributed simulation by providing built-in, customizable support for the Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), described below, and the High Level Architecture (HLA) standards. Because each standard is supported independently, FLAMES can participate in a DIS and an HLA exercise simultaneously. FLAMES also has other capabilities that support interactive and analytical simulation.

FLAMES DIS Option

The Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) protocol is an IEEE standard protocol that allows dissimilar simulations to exchange information over a network as they each execute their respective scenarios. Many simulations are designed to support some or all of the DIS protocol, thereby allowing interoperability between them. Multiple simulations executing concurrently and exchanging data using the DIS protocol are often referred to as a DIS exercise.

The FLAMES DIS Option allows FLAMES-based simulations to communicate with other simulations in a DIS exercise using the DIS protocol. Various windows in FORGE™ allow the specification of DIS exercise parameters and the supplemental, DIS-related attribute data required for each player in the scenario. With DIS enabled, FLAMES will automatically communicate with other properly configured simulations during scenario execution.

The IEEE DIS standard provides the specification for many types of Protocol Data Units (PDUs), the basic unit of data exchange in a DIS exercise. Various versions of the DIS standard define different types of PDUs or define given types of PDUs differently. To allow FLAMES to support multiple versions of DIS and to provide support for customized PDUs, FLAMES is designed to be completely independent of the specific format and version of PDUs. PDU-specific processing is performed outside of FLAMES in PDU processors that are each written for a specific type of PDU.

The DIS Option is bundled with several PDU processors that provide support for multiple DIS versions and the most commonly used PDUs. As a result, FLAMES can participate in many DIS exercises right off the shelf without any software development.

The DIS Option includes the source code to all of the bundled PDU processors and everything you need to customize the processors and add support for additional PDUs.

Licensing

Trial versions of the FLAMES Engine and most of the FLAMES Options, including the DIS Option, are included with the FLAMES Developer. These trial versions are fully functional, but they have limited capacity, and may be used only for development and evaluation purposes. To unlock the full capacity, you must purchase an unrestricted license.