21st Century Simulation: Exploiting High Performance Computing and Data Analysis

This paper identifies, defines, and analyzes the limitations imposed on Modeling and Simulation by outmoded paradigms in computer utilization and data analysis. The authors then discuss two emerging capabilities to overcome these limitations: High Performance Parallel Computing and Advanced Data Analysis. First, parallel computing, in supercomputers and Linux clusters, has proven effective by providing users an advantage in computing power. This has been characterized as a ten-year lead over the use of single-processor computers. Second, advanced data analysis techniques are both necessitated and enabled by this leap in computing power. JFCOM's JESPP project is one of the few simulation initiatives to effectively embrace these concepts. The challenges facing the defense analyst today have grown to include the need to consider operations among non-combatant populations, to focus on impacts to civilian infrastructure, to differentiate combatants from non-combatants, and to understand non-linear, asymmetric warfare. These requirements stretch both current computational techniques and data analysis methodologies. In this paper, documented examples and potential solutions will be advanced. The authors discuss the paths to successful implementation based on their experience. Reviewed technologies include parallel computing, cluster computing, grid computing, data logging, OpsResearch, database advances, data mining, evolutionary computing, genetic algorithms, and Monte Carlo sensitivity analyses. The modeling and simulation community has significant potential to provide more opportunities for training and analysis. Simulations must include increasingly sophisticated environments, better emulations of foes, and more realistic civilian populations. Overcoming the implementation challenges will produce dramatically better insights, for trainees and analysts. High Performance Parallel Computing and Advanced Data Analysis promise increased understanding of future vulnerabilities to help avoid unneeded mission failures and unacceptable personnel losses. The authors set forth road maps for rapid prototyping and adoption of advanced capabilities. They discuss the beneficial impact of embracing these technologies, as well as risk mitigation required to ensure success

High Performance Computing Facilities for Joint Military Simulation Data Management

The overwhelming amount of output data inundating many in the simulation user community is a widespread problem. Much of this torrent is generated by current high-end computational capabilities. Joint and combined forces analysts are faced with the major tasks of first validating and then utilizing the data generated by modern techniques. A major part of the solution is an optimized data management software architecture. To enable the analysts to achieve success commensurate with the users ’ goals, a dedicated and appropriately designed data management facility was required. Taking cognizance of the advances made in the physical sciences ’ community, such a facility was conceived, designed and is being proposed to the HPCMP. The techniques of identifying, quantifying and implementing important data-handling parameters should be applicable to many large data-set problems in the Test and Evaluation community. This paper will discuss the general state-of-the-art in data management, the specific problems presented by the U.S. Joint Forces Command simulations of up to a million independent SAF entities on a global-scale terrain, the methods used defining the problems presented thereby, and the path to the decision to standup a new facility. Adopting the successful techniques found effective in basic science, e.g. studying approaches used by other scientific research efforts, effective data management schemes have been discovered. Both the design process an