What is DSOL?

DSOL is an open source, java based, suite for continuous and discrete event simulation. Its first release was introduced at IEEE's Winter Simulation Conference 2002.

Why DSOL?

The hypothesis underlying the development of DSOL is that the web-enabled era has provided us with the tools and techniques to specify the concepts of simulation in a set of loosely-coupled, web-enabled services. An underlying notion on the quality of most current simulation tools is that they lack:

  • usefulness: with respect to their embedded knowledge of the system under investigation. It is too difficult to link simulation tools to underlying transactional information systems.
  • usability with respect to coordination of distributed conceptualization and specification of models representing the system under investigation.
  • usage with respect to their integration and use within (portalled) organizational management information systems.

What were the requirements for DSOL?

  • N decision makers should be supported over the internet by the suite;
  • N model formalisms should be supported (continuous, discrete).
  • N experts should be simultaneously be supported in the specification of models.
  • Simulation services should be equipped to be linked to other web-enabled services (reporting, databases).
  • N processors should be accessible for the execution of experiments.