NATO Modelling and Simulation Group 131 (“Modelling and Simulation as a Service: New concepts and Service Oriented Architectures”) did a first survey on the topic of “M&S as a Service” and provided collective knowledge and experience of a dozen nations and NATO bodies to ACT. Based on this survey and extensive experiences from developing a service-oriented reference architecture for a distributed integrated test bed for the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), this paper outlines a service-based reference architecture for effective and efficient use of M&S.

更多

This paper shows how the requirements for the next generation of simulation environments are addressed within the proposed reference architecture. The paper also shows the relations between the proposed reference architecture and the NATO M&S Master Plan and identifies missing but required standards. Finally it identifies potential follow-on activities and gives recommendations for possible standardization activities.

收起

MSG-136 evaluated the MSaaS concept in various experiments. The experimentation results and initial operational applications demonstrate that MSaaS is capable of realizing the vision that M&S products, data and processes are conveniently accessible to a large number of users whenever and wherever needed. MSG-136 strongly recommends NATO and nations to advance and to promote the operational readiness of M&S as a Service, and to conduct required Science & Technology efforts to close current gaps.

更多

This document provides the Allied Framework for Modelling and Simulation as a Service (MSaaS) Technical Reference Architecture. The aim of this document is to provide technical guidelines, recommended standards, architecture building blocks and architecture patterns that should be considered in realizing MSaaS capabilities. The Technical Reference Architecture uses the NATO C3 Classification Taxonomy as a tool for describing capability concepts and as a repository for architecture building blocks and patterns.

收起

ABSTRACT

NATO and nations use simulation environments for various purposes, such as training, capability development, mission rehearsal and decision support in acquisition processes. Consequently, Modelling and Simulation (M&S) has become a critical capability for the alliance and its nations. M&S products are highly valuable resources and it is essential that M&S products, data and processes are conveniently accessible to a large number of users as often as possible. However, achieving interoperability between simulation systems and ensuring credibility of results currently requires large efforts with regards to time, personnel and budget.

更多

Recent developments in cloud computing technology and service-oriented architectures offer opportunities to better utilize M&S capabilities in order to satisfy NATO critical needs. M&S as a Service (MSaaS) is a new concept that includes service orientation and the provision of M&S applications via the as-a-service model of cloud computing to enable more composable simulation environments that can be deployed and executed on-demand.

This paper covers the following topics:

 Simulation Resources Reuse and Tools Demo

 MSaaS Use Cases and Experimentation

 MSaaS Engineering Process

 M&S Ecosystem Implementation Guidance

 Current NATO MSaaS Program of Work

收起

Modelling and Simulation as a Service: New Concepts

and Service-Oriented Architectures

(STO-TR-MSG-131)

更多

Executive Summary

Modelling and Simulation (M&S) is a key enabler for the delivery of capabilities to NATO and Nations in the domains of training, analysis and decision-making. M&S solutions have to be integrated seamlessly in future computer information systems capabilities to ensure increased efficiency, affordability, interoperability and reusability. Technical developments in the area of Service-Oriented Architectures (SOAs) may offer opportunities for providing M&S solutions that address current NATO critical shortfalls.

The application of a “services” model to Modelling and Simulation, henceforth called “Modelling and Simulation as a Service” (MSaaS), promises to greatly reduce the barriers of cost and accessibility and to result in greater utility of M&S throughout NATO and the Nations.

MSG-131 responds to a request by Nations and ACT to investigate a “NATO MSaaS” technical concept, and to investigate a supporting Reference SOA.

The general approach taken by MSG-131 is to collect experience from Member Nations regarding the use of cloud solutions and service-oriented approaches within the M&S domain. This survey is used to develop a shared understanding of “M&S as a Service” in the NATO context. In addition, the survey provides a comprehensive documentation of MSaaS case studies and provides an overview of existing service-oriented (reference) architectures in the M&S domain. Based on these existing experiences and architectures, conclusions and recommendations are derived on the way forward.

A main conclusion of MSG-131 is that M&S is a critical technology for NATO and the Nations, independent of whether it is provided “as a service” or not. However, service-based approaches to M&S offer many potential benefits. Therefore, an alignment of “M&S as a Service” with the Connected Forces Initiative (CFI) is required, as the primary objective of the CFI (i.e., sharing and pooling of resources) is closely reflected in MSaaS. Similarly, it is required to align M&S and MSaaS with the NATO C3 Classification Taxonomy as this is the primary tool used by NATO to chart the NATO Consultation, Command and Control (C3) landscape.

MSG-131 identified various open issues with regards to MSaaS, spanning a broad range from technical to organizational questions. In accordance with its Technical Activity Description, MSG-131 recommends investigation of MSaaS in more detail. A Technical Activity Proposal for a follow-on Research Task Group was developed by MSG-131 and endorsed in June 2014. The Task Group MSG-136 (“Modelling and Simulation (M&S) as a Service (MSaaS) – Rapid Deployment of Interoperable and Credible Simulation Environments”) will start its 3-year term in November 2014.

The NMSG has a formal Technical Cooperation Agreement with SISO on the development of M&S interoperability standards. MSG-131 strongly recommends that MSG-136 continues to engage with the SISO community to investigate areas where MSaaS-related standardization efforts are needed. The hands-on experiences with case studies will provide guidance and candidates for architectures, data models and interfaces that could become future SISO standards.

收起

This paper presents an approach to integrating a Petri net

simulator into a service-oriented simulation architecture in order to provide

on demand simulation as a service. As a concrete example the simulation

更多

tool Renew is wrapped as a service and used to simulate a sample

traffic control system represented as a Petri net model that is able to adjust

its parameters via reflective simulation in a distributed simulation

environment. The simulation architecture where modeling and simulation

is treated as a service (MSaaS) is presented. The main components, their

roles and attributes are briefly discussed.

收起

In this contribution, initial results of a research project on modelling and simulation as a service (MSaaS) within the context of optimal operation of distribution grids by exploiting flexibility are summarized. Based on a brief description of service-oriented architecture (SOA), definitions and key aspects of MSaaS as well as open conceptual and technical challenges are outlined. Some specific aspects and challenges are then related to a possible application: a service that predicts the flexibility that a power-to-heat system can offer is imple-mented as an instance of MSaaS. The calculations are based on the current state of the system and a model defined in the equation-based, object-oriented language Modelica, as well as historical data when available. Thereby, an accurate and reliable representation of the flexiblity becomes available that facilitates its use for system balancing, energy market participation and grid operations. This functionality is exposed through a representational state transfer (REST)-based service interface, designed to allow for the straightforward inte-gration with existing systems and other virtual resources. The service architecture and initial results of the implementation are described.

ABSTRACT

NATO and nations use simulation environments for various purposes, such as training, capability development, mission rehearsal and decision support in acquisition processes. Consequently, Modelling and Simulation (M&S) has become a critical capability for the alliance and its nations. M&S products are highly valuable resources and it is essential that M&S products, data and processes are conveniently accessible to a large number of users as often as possible. However, achieving interoperability between simulation systems and ensuring credibility of results currently requires large efforts with regards to time, personnel and budget.

更多

In an increasingly complex, competitive and connected world, the challenge is not responding to what we know today, but rather preparing for what tomorrow might bring. The future defence and security users will need a more rapid approach with greater scope to model and simulate the future operating environments. The Modelling and Simulation as a Service (MSaaS) Concept was developed to enable an Ecosystem and meet this need.

In this paper, I will be presenting the following topics:

 Need and Motivation for MSaaS

 MSaaS Benefits and Achievability

 MSaaS Business Model Development.

收起

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the concept of providing Modelling & Simulation as a Service (MSaaS), which has been developed from research performed by a Thales led team on behalf of the scientific branch of the UK MOD (Dstl). It describes an MSaaS ecosystem comprising M&S Resources, Registries, Repositories, process, infrastructure and tools. A key principle of MSaaS is the reuse of Modelling & Simulation (M&S) resources, which is facilitated by the use of Registries and Repositories. Different technologies are described for deploying simulations to cloud based environments; these include, virtualisation, containerisation and the use of ‘Infrastructure as Code’.

更多

The paper describes use cases that illustrate the application of MSaaS and a cloud based simulation that was implemented to investigate and demonstrate the MSaaS concept.

收起