University: Villanova University
Department: Department of Computing Sciences
In collaboration with: Decision and Information Technology of the
      Villanova School of Business

We are using OPNET for:

1. Service Oriented Architecture Modeling
Sponsoring Professors: Thomas Way, Vijay Gehlot and Elliot Sloane 

Service Oriented Architectures are rapidly becoming an accepted means of providing network information exchange across a heterogeneous fabric of nodes. Understanding issues of bandwidth, scalability, Communities Of Interest (COI), and security are crucial to the success of the application of this architectural approach. We are investigating methods for modeling existing SOAs in a configurable and parameterized way to enable simulation of a variety of heterogeneous, wireless (and wired) networks under a variety of bandwidth, node capability, security and compression scenarios.

We have completed an evaluation of OPNET, and have identified the Application Characterization Environment (ACE), Wireless and 3D modules as most important to our modeling and simulation research.

Current research projects include the development of an enterprise-scale model of a heterogeneous network consisting of a hierarchy of clustered nodes, groupings of clusters, and super-groups of groups, with additional mobile nodes with much greater flexibility in connectivity.

Portions of this research have been performed as part of Villanova University's Center of Excellence in Enterprise Technology (CEET), and its flagship research program, the Applied Research in Computing Enterprise Services (ARCES) Project.

Related Publications

• Elliot Sloane, Thomas Way, Vijay Gehlot, and Robert Beck. Using Hybrid SoSE Approaches for Modeling and Validating Large Scale Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) System of Systems as Next-Generation Global Military Informatics Platforms with Colored Petri Nets (CPN) and Extend/MESA. IEEE System of Systems Conference, San Antonio, Texas, April 16-18, 2007. (pdf 517KB)
   
• Elliot Sloane, Thomas Way, Vijay Gehlot, Robert Beck, James Solderitsch and Elzbieta Dziembowski. A Hybrid Approach to Modeling and Validating a Large Scale SOA Systems of Systems Using CPN and MESA/Extend. 2007 1st Annual IEEE Systems Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, April 9-12, 2007. (pdf 313KB)
   
• Vijay Gehlot, Thomas Way, Robert Beck and Peter DePasquale. Model Driven Development of a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Using Colored Petri Nets. First Workshop on Quality in Modeling, ACM/IEEE 9th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems, October, 2006. (pdf 145KB) 

2. Modeling Wireless Medical Device Networks
Sponsoring Professor: Vijay Gehlot, Elliot Sloane and Thomas Way

In the US, hospitals are often operating at, or close to, their full bed capacity, which frequently causes incoming ER patients to be detoured to more distant facilities because no beds are available for the existing patients in the ER. The process of moving patients from the ER, through their care, recovery, and discharge, is often complex, requiring matching of beds, monitors, space, and staff resources to the unique hour-to-hour mixture of patients and illnesses in the enterprise.

Some hospitals are adapting "lean manufacturing" techniques in which the facility uses wireless patient monitors to allow flexible use of patient beds, space, and staff resources to match changing patient-acuity demands. Unfortunately, wireless medical devices cannot be safely deployed with complete independence, because dangerous radio- and data-interference limitations exist.

This research focuses on modeling, simulation and analysis of Wireless Medical Device Networks (WMDNs) to assist with wireless medical network pre-planning and ongoing configuration change management. Developed models can be part of an effective Verification and Validation process for the wireless medical device network to ensure patient safety and also to facilitate the necessary clinical outcomes. We are planning to evaluate OPNET, including the ACE module, for this form of systems modeling to determine its applicability as a tool for this research.

Related Publications

• Elliot Sloane, Vijay Gehlot, Tom Way and Robert Beck. System of Systems Issues for the 2008 US National Healthcare Information Network Remote Patient Monitoring Requirements. Submitted to 2nd Annual IEEE Systems Conference, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, April 7-10, 2008.
   
• Tom Way, Vijay Gehlot, Elliot Sloane, Robert Beck and Surya Kuchibhotla. Identifying and Reducing Risk in a Hospital Wireless Patient Monitoring System of Systems using OPNET and Coloured Petri Net Modeling and Simulation Techniques. Submitted to 2nd Annual IEEE Systems Conference, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, April 7-10, 2008.
   
• Elliot Sloane, Thomas Way, Vijay Gehlot, Anany Levitin and Robert Beck. SoSE Modeling and Simulation Approaches to Evaluate Security and Performance Limitations of a Next Generation National Healthcare Information Network (NHIN-2). IEEE System of Systems Conference, San Antonio, Texas, April 16-18, 2007. (pdf 238KB)
   
• Elliot Sloane, Vijay Gehlot, Robert Beck and Thomas Way. Conceptual SoS Model and Simulation Systems for a Next Generation National Healthcare Information Network (NHIN-2): Creating a Net-Centric, Extensible, Context Aware, Dynamic Discovery Framework for Robust, Secure, Flexible, Safe, and Reliable Healthcare. 2007 1st Annual IEEE Systems Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, April 9-12, 2007. (pdf 130KB)
   
• Vijay Gehlot and Elliot B. Sloane. Ensuring patient safety in wireless medical device networks. IEEE Computer, 39(4):32--38, 2006. (pdf) 

Courses Using OPNET 

CSC 9010 (Special Topics: Service Oriented Architecture Design and Analysis) is a  course under active development by by Prof. Vijay Gehlot and Prof. Thomas Way, for initial offering in Spring 2008. The course will teach the principles of discrete-event simulation as applied to the simulation and modeling of computer networks. The course will make use of a number of approaches, including OPNET Modeler, the OPNET ACE module for characterization, and Colored Petri Nets for teaching network simulation to graduate students.

Contact Information:

Thomas Way
thomas.way@villanova.edu
http://www.csc.villanova.edu/~tway

This page was last updated in November 2007.