HLA Federation Development and Execution: Automated EndtoEnd Support of the FEDEP with the HLA Tools

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HLA Federation Development and Execution
Automated End-to-End Support of the FEDEP with
the HLA Tools Suite 99S-SIW-130
Defense Modeling Simulation Office (703)
998-0660 Fax [phone]hla_at_msis.dmso.
mil http//www.dmso.mil/
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Overview

• Introduction
• FEDEP
• HLA Tools Architecture
• The I/ITSEC Moon Rover Federation
• DMSO Sponsored Tool Suite
• Lessons Learned
• Conclusion

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Introduction
from DIS Vision Document
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Federation Development and Execution Process
(FEDEP)
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HLA Tools Philosophy

• HLA is an architecture, not software -- however
  to facilitate cost-effective implementation of
  HLA,
• DMSO is developing an initial suite of HLA
  support software (including Runtime
  Infrastructure software and a variety of
  integrated tools)
• DMSO facilitates open development of supported
  tools
• Open access to the specification
• Creation of formal data interchange formats
  (DIFs) where necessary
• Industry participation in DIF development

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HLA Tools Architecture

• Developed to
• Establish an open framework for the development
  of HLA tools
• Promote an interoperable set of tools
• Create an extensible tool set that will evolve as
  requirements grow

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HLA Tool Architecture
Object Modeling Tool
Requirements Definition Tool
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HLA Tool Architecture
Execution Environment
Performance Modeling Tool
Authoritative Data Sources
Requirements Definition Tool
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HLA Integrated Tools Demonstration Moon Rover
Federation
I/ITSEC 98
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DMSO Supported Tools and the I/ITSEC Federation
Moon Rovers
FVT
FMT
DCT
STEALTH
Runtime Infrastructure
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DMSO Supported Tools
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Rhino Federation Configuration

• Windows NT 4.0 workstations
• Run-Time Infrastructure 1.3v5
• Pentium II 300 MHz PCs
• C programming language
• Three computers running four federates
• 2 Moon Rovers, 1 Stealth and 1 CGF
• Integrated with COTS arcade cabinets and controls
• Native HLA application / no adapters
• Purpose built FOM
• Successfully completed HLA compliance testing

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Federation Background

• Moon Rovers converted from DIS
• Converted from HMMWV driving simulators
• Intel Pentium II and Windows NTbased
• COTS 3D graphics board
• Initial conversion took less than 2 months
• Converted from DIS to RTI 1.0 and then RTI 1.3
• Moon Rovers were converted to
• Exercise HLA educational and outreach framework
• Verify no loss of simulator fidelity,
  functionality or performance between DIS and HLA
• Exercise FEDEP process model
• Document and share experience and lessons learned

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Federation Description

• Database represents two craters on the Jupiter
  moon
• Cultural features include
• Volcanic plum and resulting lava river
• Underground tunnels and caverns
• Above ground roads and bridges
• Crop circle and excavation site
• Jupiter visible in the distance
• Lava creature and moving pillars are generated by
  a simple CGF federate
• 3D Stealth federate allows observation from any
  location
• Rovers shoot fireballs at each other and the
  creatures
• Creatures chase and kill rovers unless shot three
  times

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DMSO Supported Tools
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OML Purpose

• Provides a central library to support the reuse
  of FOMs and SOMs
• Supports the Federation Development and Execution
  Process (FEDEP)
• Provides a basis for the evaluation of existing
  federates as possible federation members by the
  examination of their SOMs
• Provides access to persistent and reference
  FOMs and SOMs
• Supports the piece-part creation of new FOMs and
  SOMs from existing FOMs and SOMs
• Provides existing FOMs and SOMs as design
  examples
• Provides developers and sponsors with a means of
  advertising their federate/federation capabilities

FOMs
SOMs
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OML Functionality

• The OML is a WWW-based application which
  provides
• Searching across all FOMs and SOMs in the library
• Browsing within an individual FOM or SOM
• Web pages correspond to the OMT tables (routing
  space table, object classes, attributes, etc.)
• Hyperlinks between OMT components
• Checking in new FOMs/SOMs to the library
• Checking out a copy of a FOM/SOM from
• the library using a standard OMT Data
  Interchange Format (DIF)
• Editing additional OM metadata to fully describe
  a FOM/SOM
• Registering owners of FOMs/SOMs

Web Browser
OMDT
OMT DIF
Internet
Internet
OML Server
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DMSO Supported Tools
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OMDD Purpose

• Speeds development of FOMs and SOMs using an OMDT
  through reuse of names, lexicons, data
  representations, and enumerations
• Provide access to standards-based contents for
  the construction of FOMs and SOMs
• Relate simulations to real world systems (OMDDS
  contents are mapped to Defense Data Dictionary
  System)
• Improve the understandability and reusability of
  FOMs and SOMs through the use of common names,
  lexicons, data representations, and enumerations
• Support the development of new data standards and
  modification of existing data standards to meet
  MS needs

HLA OMDDS
SOMs
FOMs
Attributes/ Parameters
Object Classes
Enumerated Data Types
Complex Data Types
Interaction Classes
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OMDD Functionality
Web Browser

• The OMDDS is a WWW-based application which
  provides
• Searching within categories of OMDD contents
• Browsing within categories of OMDD contents
• Viewing links from OMDD contents to OML and
  Defense Data Dictionary System contents
• Managing a users selection of OMDD contents
  across multiple Web sessions
• Exporting a users selected OMDD contents for
  OMDT Registration

Internet
OMDDS Server
OMDT
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DMSO Supported Tools
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OMDT Purpose

• Workstation based tool which supports the HLA
  user in
• Development of SOMs and FOMs
• Generation of federation execution details for
  RTI initialization
• Obtaining HLA OMs for potential reuse
• Providing the means to develop OMs with common
  data
• Development status
• C, Sun, SGI and Win95 systems
• Available now and is moving into maintenance
• Upgrades for new specs or DIFs
• To download, register with the HLA Software
  Distribution Center at http//hla.dmso.mil, topic
  HLA Software Distribution Center

Mission Space Objects
Descriptions
FOMs/SOMs in OMT format
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OMDT Functionality

• Desktop application
• Windows 95 look/feel
• HLA OMT-derived User Interface
• Enforces HLA Object Model concepts
• Reduces learning curve
• Provides user support through automatic
• Consistency checking across OMT tables
• OM library interface for upload and download of
  FOMs and SOMs
• FED file generation
• Online help

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DMSO Supported Tools
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RID Editor Purpose

• Each RTI implementation provides tunable
  parameters
• The RID Editor provides access to the RTI 1.3
  parameters
• The parameters include installation
  configuration, for example
• Network interface
• Performance tuning
• Consistency checking

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RID Editor Functionality

• The RID Editor is a JAVA application
• Reads the FOM and insures the RID is properly
  configured for that FOM
• The RID Editor provides documentation for all RID
  parameters
• The RID Editor provides cross-checking between
  related RID parameters
• Provides consistency checking (at RTI run time)
  between each federates RID

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DMSO Supported Tools
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FEPW Purpose

• Federation Planners Workbook (FEPW)
• Assists federation developers in the planning of
  High Level Architecture (HLA) federation
  executions
• Template for capturing the run-time federate and
  federation characteristics
• Provides a mechanism for describing the
  federation physical structure and performance and
  resource requirements
• FEPW DIF enables sharing of federation execution
  characteristics

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FEPW Functionality

• FEPW is a set of tables for specifying the
  configuration and run-time characteristics of a
  federation execution
• Support for major platforms through Java
  implementation
• FEPW DIF used to support federation Planning,
  Execution, and Testing Tools

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DMSO Supported Tools
FVT
Moon Rovers
DCT
FMT
STEALTH
Runtime Infrastructure
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FVT Purpose

• The Federation Verification Tool (FVT) assists
  federation developers in the Federation
  Integration and Test phase of the FEDEP
• Supports federation developers in verifying that
  each federate is meeting their data exchange
  responsibilities
• Federation Requirements are defined by the FOM,
  FED, and FEPW (object/interaction table)
• FVT can be used to
• Assess consistency across federation plans (FOM,
  FED, FEPW)
• Assess individual federate conformance to
  federation requirements
• Assess federation conformance to federation
  requirements during integration

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FVT Functionality

• How does FVT operate?
• FVT joins the federation as a federate, collects
  data from federates through standard RTI
  interface, and then checks federate behavior
  against the federation requirements.
• What does it do?
• The current focus of FVT is to verify that each
  federate updates and reflects the objects and
  sends and receives the interactions it is
  responsible for in the federation.

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DMSO Supported Tools
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FMT Purpose

• Displays MOM data
• Who is in the exercise?
• What are they subscribing and publishing?
• How time is advancing?
• Provides MOM-based control
• Force subscription and publishing
• Initiate RTI logging
• Acts on behalf of a federate
• Respond to synchronization, save or restore
  requests

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FMT Functionality

• Completely FOM independent
• Based entirely on MOM data
• Will work with your federation
• Highly platform independent
• Java based application
• Runs on platforms supported by the RTI
• Release schedule
• Limited user testing now
• Initial public release January, 1999
• 1.0 release March, 1999

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DMSO Supported Tools
FVT
Moon Rovers
DCT
FMT
STEALTH
Runtime Infrastructure
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DCT Purpose

• Purpose of Data CollectionTool
• Analysis of tactical/strategic operations
• Analysis of simulation model behavior (VV)
• Measures Of Effectiveness, Performance, and
  Success
• Maximize use of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS)
  data analysis tools (DBMS, Spreadsheet
  applications)
• Capture and Storage of Federation Data
• Persistent history and recording of Federation
  Object Model (FOM) data for a federation
  execution
• Characterizes the state of the federation
• Temporal evolution of objects
• Events/interactions exchanged between federates

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DCT Functionality

• Federation Independence
• FOM based Database Schema Generation
• FOM- aware Data Collector
• Data Collection Control Interface
• Java Collection Control Federate
• Launch, Start/Stop, Pause/Resume and change
  collector subscriptions
• Subscription according to type
• and/or DDM region
• Supports COTS Database and Analysis Tools
• Microsoft Access and Excel
• Support for all 1.3 Interface Specification
  compliant RTIs

Excel
Data Collection Files
Excel

• Database support
• MS Excel import
• MS Access Report Wizard

• Collection Files
• MS Excel import

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Lesson Learned FEDEP

• The FEDEP is more than a schematic
• Provided a guide for the federation development
  process
• Provided a context for identifying tool
  requirements
• Supported the identification of key tasks and
  responsibility

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Lesson Learned FOM Development

• Rhino FOM selected as the basis for federation
  development
• The existing FOM proved inadequate to achieve
  federation objectives
• Changes in FOM iterated through the tools
• Reuse of existing FOM with addition of tools
  caused the development of a federation unique FOM

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Lesson Learned Know the Federation

• Federations are unique, and have a personality of
  their own
• Minor changes in hardware and software can only
  be made with the entire federation in mind
• If at first you dont succeed, try it a different
  way
• Analyze the situation, dont react to it

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Lesson Learned Integration

• Integration testing is critical, develop a plan
• Develop a common understanding of the
  specification
• What worked in the lab may not work when
  federated with others
• Changing hardware platforms may affect
  performance of software
• Innocent software changes may cause hardware
  problems
• Integrate as tools EARLY, they provide insights
  into problems

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Lesson Learned Plan beyond the Process

• The FEDEP and Tools provide a process and
  framework not a solution

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Conclusions

• The FEDEP process works, but it does not replace
  YOU
• Integration activity is key to success
• Integrate tools early, document the process
• The FEDEP is iterative, use the feedback loops
• Develop a plan for integration
• Dont be concerned about changes
• The FEDEP supports change
• The tools facilitate change
• The development of FOM independent tools and
  standardized data interchange formats facilitates
  federation development

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The HLA Home Page

• Provides full service access to the broad HLA
  user community
• materials, software distribution, training
  registration, and other implementation support

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HLA Tools Bulletin Board

• A service to inform the community of tools and
  services available to support HLA implementations
• Products are listed alphabetically by company
  name
• Solicitation for product postings is made through
  the Bulletin Board
• Bulletin board is available through HLA Home Page
  to DoD, Academia and Industry

Commercially Developed Tools
Government Sponsored Tools