Innovative network modeling and simulation tool

The paper discusses the enhanced analysis and simulation capabilities provided by the Communications Network Modeling Tool (CNMT) designed by Adroit Systems Inc. for Rome Laboratory, Rome NY. The CNMT is a software system that was developed to provide the National Air Intelligence Center (NAIC) of the Air Force with the ability to analyze telecommunications networks with greater efficiency and accuracy. The CNMT´s primary information repository is the NAIC LINKS & NODES (L&N) Sybase database. Data is imported from the L&N database into the CNMT system that was developed using the ARC/INFO geographic information system (GIS). CNMT allows the data to be displayed geographically with existing map data including vector World Data Bank II and ARC gigitized raster graphics images to enhance the visual relationship between the communications objects and their locations. The CNMT system users are able to develop telecommunications network models for different physical transmission media and overlay logical user network models representing C² chain-of-command hierarchies. Scenario generation provides a flexible, efficient process for defining and loading a combined network with voice and message traffic profiles. Simulation capabilities provide the capability to execute circuit switched and store and forward traffic simulation on network models using a COTS simulation tool (COMNET II.5) to determine the network´s performance characteristics. A collate and display results component provides the capability to further examine the network models and their simulation results