Development of the parallel and distributed simulation field

Abstract

This paper documents the origins and development of the parallel and distributed simulation field, especially as it relates to parallel discrete event simulation (PDES) technology. My focus is on the people and ideas that contributed to the creation and evolution of PDES technology over the past five decades. Much of this paper reviews the research conducted in academia and research laboratories that were the driving forces behind the development of PDES technology as well as subsequent efforts in government and industry to bring the technology to modeling and simulation practitioners. The origins of PDES technology lie in a fundamental technical issue called the synchronization problem. This problem is discussed, as well as the two main solution approaches that were created. The development of these approaches and their evolution to form the time management services of the High Level Architecture (HLA) standard are described, as well as the community of researchers and practitioners that formed in establishing this field. Commercialization efforts are discussed followed by a brief discussion of areas requiring further research. The importance of the Society for Modeling and Simulation International (SCS) and its flagship journal, Simulation, in the development of the field are discussed. Throughout this discussion, I provide my personal observations and take away lessons concerning the development of the field.