AN EFFICIENT SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS METHOD FOR NETWORK SIMULATION MODELS

Published

December 7, 2010

Author(s)

Kevin L. Mills, James J. Filliben

Abstract

Simulation models for data communications networks encompass numerous parameters that can each take on millions of values, presenting experimenters with a vast space of potential parameter combinations. To apply such simulation models experimenters face a difficult challenge: selecting the most effective parameter combinations to explore, given available re-sources. This paper describes an efficient method for sensitivity analysis, which can be used to identify significant parameters influencing model behavior. Subsequently, experimenters can vary combinations of these significant factors in order to exercise a wide range of model behaviors. The paper applies the sensitivity analysis method to identify the most significant parameters influencing the behavior of MesoNet, a 20-parameter network simulator. The method and principles explained in this paper have been used to investigate parameter spaces for simulated networks under a variety of congestion control algorithms

Proceedings Title

Proceedings of the 2010 Winter Simulation Conference

Conference Dates

December 5-8, 2010

Conference Location

Baltimore, MD

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

discrete event simulation, experiment design, sensitivity analysis

Citation

Mills, K. and Filliben, J. (2010), AN EFFICIENT SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS METHOD FOR NETWORK SIMULATION MODELS, Proceedings of the 2010 Winter Simulation Conference, Baltimore, MD (Accessed March 13, 2025)