research-article

Large-scale network simulation: leveraging the strengths of modern SMP-based compute clusters

Authors:

Mirko Stoffers,

Sascha Schmerling,

Klaus WehrleAuthors Info & Claims

SIMUTools '14: Proceedings of the 7th International ICST Conference on Simulation Tools and Techniques

Pages 31 - 40

https://doi.org/10.4108/icst.simutools.2014.254622

Published: 17 March 2014 Publication History

Abstract

Parallelization is crucial for efficient execution of large-scale network simulation. Today's computing clusters commonly used for that purpose are built from a large amount of multi-processor machines. The traditional approach to utilize all CPU cores in such a system is to partition the network and distribute the partitions to the cores. This, however, does not incorporate the presence of shared memory into the design, such that messages between partitions on the same computing node have to be serialized and synchronization becomes more complex. In this paper, we present an approach that combines the shared-memory parallelization scheme Horizon [9] with the standard approach to distributed simulation to leverage the strengths of today's computing clusters. To further reduce the synchronization overhead, we introduce a novel synchronization algorithm that takes domain knowledge into account to reduce the number of synchronization points. In a case study with a UMTS LTE model, we show that both contributions combined enable much higher scalability achieving almost linear speedup when simulating 1,536 LTE cells on 1,536 CPU cores.

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Cited By

Kunz GStoffers MLandsiedel OWehrle KGross J(2016)Parallel Expanded Event Simulation of Tightly Coupled SystemsACM Transactions on Modeling and Computer Simulation (TOMACS)10.1145/283290926:2(1-26)Online publication date: 6-Jan-2016
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2832909
Stoffers MSehy TGross JWehrle KGarcia-Luna-Aceves JAlonso GDressler FBensaou BLoureiro A(2015)Data Dependency based Parallel Simulation of Wireless NetworksProceedings of the 18th ACM International Conference on Modeling, Analysis and Simulation of Wireless and Mobile Systems10.1145/2811587.2811593(291-300)Online publication date: 2-Nov-2015
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2811587.2811593

Index Terms

Large-scale network simulation: leveraging the strengths of modern SMP-based compute clusters
1. Computing methodologies
  1. Modeling and simulation

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Information & Contributors

Information

Published In

cover image ACM Other conferences

SIMUTools '14: Proceedings of the 7th International ICST Conference on Simulation Tools and Techniques

March 2014

211 pages

ISBN:9781631900075

General Chair:
Fernando Barros
University of Coimbra, Portugal
,
Program Chairs:
Kalyan Perumalla
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA
,
Roland Ewald
University of Rostock, Germany

Sponsors

EAI: The European Alliance for Innovation
Create-Net
ICST

In-Cooperation

SIGSIM: ACM Special Interest Group on Simulation and Modeling

Publisher

ICST (Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering)

Brussels, Belgium

Publication History

Published: 17 March 2014

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Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

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SIMUTools '14

Sponsor:

EAI

SIMUTools '14: 7th International ICST Conference on Simulation Tools and Techniques

March 17 - 19, 2014

Lisbon, Portugal

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Overall Acceptance Rate 20 of 73 submissions, 27%

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Cited By

Kunz GStoffers MLandsiedel OWehrle KGross J(2016)Parallel Expanded Event Simulation of Tightly Coupled SystemsACM Transactions on Modeling and Computer Simulation (TOMACS)10.1145/283290926:2(1-26)Online publication date: 6-Jan-2016
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2832909
Stoffers MSehy TGross JWehrle KGarcia-Luna-Aceves JAlonso GDressler FBensaou BLoureiro A(2015)Data Dependency based Parallel Simulation of Wireless NetworksProceedings of the 18th ACM International Conference on Modeling, Analysis and Simulation of Wireless and Mobile Systems10.1145/2811587.2811593(291-300)Online publication date: 2-Nov-2015
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2811587.2811593

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