Automated Interoperability Testing System

The advent of the High Level Architecture (HLA) increased the complexity, time, and expense of performing simulation network integration as compared to the previous DIS standard. While DIS was a well-defined, static data protocol, HLA has many additional complexities, including the Runtime Infrastructure (RTI) and API, unlimited Federation Object Model (FOM) structures, and indeterminate low-level networking configurations. These new variables have provided additional flexibility in the range of simulation types to which HLA can be applied, however, it has drastically increased the opportunity for network configuration errors, RTI compatibility errors, FOM construction errors, data definition errors, and interaction logic errors. This has drastically increased the amount of time and effort it takes to correctly integrate a new federate into an HLA federation. MÄK is taking a two-prong approach to providing products to meet these requirements. MÄK is developing the FOMspy federation analysis tool, and will augment the commercially selling RTIspy product with additional RTI debugging features. Prototypes have been developed in Phase I for evaluation of the FOMspy design, and complete implementation will take place in Phase II. Additional enhancements to the RTIspy will be made in Phase II, and both tools will be tested in a large HLA exercise.