Distributed Real-Time Simulation Network Monitoring

The development of a distributed simulation network monitoring and management system is critical to achieving the capability to detect and isolate small abnormalities in network applications or portions of the distributed simulation network before they reach a catastrophic stage. The objective of this R&D project is to continue development of such a network management system consisting of innovative network management and monitoring infrastructure, deep packet inspection, network performance inferencing, and abnormality detection and diagnosis technologies that will enhance the network administrator’s and distributed simulation event director’s ability to successfully conduct complex, many-player, long-duration events. In Phase I, feasibility of these technologies was conclusively demonstrated in an integrated fashion in a laboratory network environment. Phase II will mature the technologies and the integrated network management system through Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 and 6 with TRL 6 acceptance testing conducted in the Aeronautical Systems Center Simulation and Analysis Facility (SIMAF). BENEFIT: Military organizations using distributed simulation networks or networks of any kind will find the network management system produced by this project useful. The component technologies¬—network management infrastructure, deep packet inspection, network performance inferencing, and application and network abnormality detection and diagnosis—all have significant commercial potential as standalone software products.