Exploring Simulation in Sensor Network Models

Abstract

Simulation is an important measure to estimate different properties of a planned network such as throughput and cost. However, many parameters need to be adjusted to approximate real-world conditions properly. In this paper we present a visualization system that visually supports and guides the analysis of (physical) network simulation problems. Automatic optimizers run as a black box giving an (locally) optimal result in terms of the underlying simulation model and parameter configuration. This is often not ideal for practical usage. Our system assists the user in the process of comparing different simulations to quickly achieve the optimal configuration in terms of user preference. It highlights differences between simulation runs and indicates which parameter modification leads to the best improvement. We expect that this results in large time savings for the domain expert while configuring the simulation system.