The EXtensible Modeling and Simulation Framework (XMSF)

Katherine L. Morse, Ph.D.
AVP Technology, SAIC
10260 Campus Point Drive, MS C3
San Diego, CA 92121, USA

KATHERINE.L.MORSE@saic.com

Abstract

The EXtensible Modeling and Simulation Framework (XMSF) provides a framework which allows both Department of Defense (DoD) and non-DoD Modeling and Simulation (M&S) projects to take advantage of Web-based technologies. Such a framework aids M&S applications to interoperate, as well as enable M&S development. SAIC is one of the three XMSF founding partners in conjunction with the MOVES Institute at the Naval Postgraduate School and George Mason University. XMSF is a community initiative to enable interoperability and composability. The XMSF partners are working with multiple organizations in
the M&S community of interest including SISO, Web3D, OMG, and many commercial and DoD stakeholders.

SAIC's initial XMSF exemplar uses web-based communication protocols, SOAP and BEEP, to allow an High Level Architecture (HLA) compliant simulation to communicate with the DMSO/SAIC Run Time Infrastructure (RTI) over the Web. As has been demonstrated many times, standard HLA federations can be run on a LAN. However, the implications of running HLA federations via web services are enormous. The positive impact on lifecycle costs and availability can be significant:

Legacy simulation may be made available without moving its dedicated hardware or trying to create a new installation on potentially rare hardware, both very expensive propositions.
The simulation can stay home-based with its technical support and configuration management.
There's no switching between supporting different federations at different times.
Web enabling federates is a required step forward for enabling rapid composability of simulations to support the operational warfighter.

Dr. Morse will review the history of XMSF and current outreach initiatives, open research problems and efforts, as well as describing broadening interest in the web-enabled RTI.

Biography

Dr. Katherine L. Morse is a Chief Scientist and Assistant Vice President, Technology with SAIC. She received her B.S. in mathematics (1982), B.A. in Russian (1983), M.S. in computer science (1986) from the University of Arizona, and M.S. (1995) and Ph.D. (2000) in Information & Computer Science from the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Morse has worked in the computer industry for over 20 years, specializing in the areas of simulation, computer security, compilers, operating systems, neural networks, speech recognition, image processing, and engineering process development. Her Ph.D. dissertation is on dynamic multicast grouping for Data Distribution Management, a field in which she is widely recognized as a foremost expert. Dr. Morse was on the HLA design team, and continues to support it today. She served as Vice Chair of the IEEE 1516 working group and drafting group, and continues to serve as Vice Chair of the IEEE SISC. Dr. Morse is continuing to break new ground in distributed simulation via her pioneering work on HLA-ADL integration, and the Extensible Modeling & Simulation Framework (XMSF).