A survey of modelling and simulation software frameworks using Discrete Event System Specification

Abstract

Discrete Event System Specification is an extension of the Moore machine formalism which is used for modelling and analyzing general systems. This hierarchical and modular formalism is time event based and is able to represent any continuous, discrete or combined discrete and continuous systems. Since its introduction by B.P. Zeigler at the beginning of the eighties, most general modelling formalisms able to represent dynamic systems have been subsumed by DEVS. Meanwhile, the modelling and simulation (M&S) community has introduced various software frameworks supporting DEVS-based simulation analysis capability. DEVS has been used in many application domains and this paper will present a technical survey of the major DEVS implementations and software frameworks. We introduce a set of criteria in order to highlight the main features of each software tool, then we propose a table and discussion enabling a fast comparison of the presented frameworks.