The RTDEVS/CORBA environment for simulation-based design of distributed real-time systems

The increasing complexity of large-scale distributed real-time systems demands powerful real-time object computing technologies. Furthermore, systematic design approaches are needed to support analysis, design, test, and implementation of these systems. The authors discuss RTDEVS/CORBA, an implementation of discrete event system specification (DEVS) modeling and simulation theory based on real-time CORBA communication middleware. With RTDEVS/CORBA, the software model of a complex distributed real-time system can be designed and then tested in a virtual testing environment and finally executed in a real distributed environment. This model continuity and simulation-based design approach effectively manages software complexity and consistency problems for complex systems, increases the flexibility for test configurations, and reduces the time and cost for testing. The layered architecture and different implementation issues of RTDEVS/CORBA are studied and discussed. An example application is then given to show how RTDEVS/CORBA supports a framework for model continuity in distributed real-time modeling and simulation.