NEST: a network simulation & prototyping testbed
A. Dupy, Jed Schwartz, Y. Yemini, David F. Bacon · 1989
This paper describes Nest, a graphical environment for distributed networked systems simulation and rapid-prototyping. Nest users can develop and test distributed systems and protocols (from crude models to actual system code) within simulated network scenarios. Nest represents an environment-based approach to simulation. Users view Nest as an extension of their standard UnixTM environment. Nest offers the generality of language-based simulation techniques and the efficiencies of model-based techniques. Users interact with Nest through standardized graphical interfaces. Nest permits the users to modify and reconfigure the simulation during execution. Thus, it is possible to study the dynamic response of a distributed system to failures or burst-loads. Nest is organized as a simulation server, responsible for execution of complex simulation scenarios, and client monitors responsible for simulation control. The client/server model permits distribution of Nest over a network environment. This permits migration of simulations to powerful remote computational servers as well as development of a shared multi-site simulation/integration testbed. Nest is portable and extensible. It has been ported to virtually all UnixTM variants and distributed since 1987 to over 150 sites worldwide. It has been used in scores of studies ranging from communication protocols, to distributed databases and operating systems as well as distributed manufacturing systems.