Analyzing Simulation Data

Telecom Environment

Analyzing Simulation Data

In the Telecom Environment of netWorks, new attribute data is being accumulated each time a path is traversed during a simulation. To calculate the attribute values for each path, the application must retrieve the corresponding attribute values from each simple equipment model in the path and then "add" them together using the appropriate concatenation rule. In many cases the attribute retrieval involves sampling from a statistical distribution associated with the model's attribute, so the attribute values for any given equipment model are somewhat dynamic. You can use the plotting facilities in netWorks to monitor some of the dynamics of a simulation.

The plots available in the netWorks application are described in the "Plots" section of Chapter 2, "User Interface Features,". Using these plots you can view a snapshot of the latest values for any active attribute, for either paths or individual equipment models. To view the values associated with path traversals, you create a plot object on the drawing panel and then drag the desired attribute icon from the Attributes palette onto the plot and drop it. The plot is then notified each time a new value is calculated for that attribute, and it updates its display accordingly.

To view attribute values in an equipment model, you again drag the simple equipment model onto a plot and release it. A dialog box then appears in which you can select the attribute you want to display. Instead of the plot being notified each time the equipment's attribute value changes, the plot queries the equipment at scheduled intervals to retrieve the value. You can adjust the polling frequency through the plot's control panel to best suit your simulation needs.

You can also save path attribute data in a SAS data set for later analysis using all of the SAS data analysis capabilities. If you save attribute data in a SAS data set, you can make use of the Analyze feature on an attribute control panel. Clicking the button submits SAS code to be executed at the end of your netWorks session that provides a cursory data analysis for the associated attribute data saved in the SAS data set.

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