Using specification and description language to represent users’ profiles in OMNET++ simulations

Abstract

Omnet++ is a powerful and open-source simulation tool which is basically intended to model discrete-event systems. In particular, Omnet++ is extensively used to model and simulate computer networks. Typically, when a Wide Area Network needs to be modeled, different assumptions are made in order to simplify the complexity associated with human behavior. Nevertheless, human behavior can also be modeled, at least to some extent, by using Multi Agent Systems (MAS). This paper presents a methodology that allows connecting a MAS model –which accounts for human behavior–, with a standard Omnet++ model –which represents the behavior of a computer network. The approach presented here can be useful to obtain a better representation of the human behavior through a MAS model when using Omnet++. Furthermore, our approach simplifies the modeling process by splitting the complexity of a real system into two different parts. Therefore, on the one hand computer scientists can focus on the Omnet++ model while, on the other hand, specialists in human behavior can focus on the MAS model. Finally, our approach also facilitates the distribution of the models among different computers.