Web-Enabled RTI An XMSF Exemplar

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Web-Enabled RTIAn XMSF Exemplar Katherine L.
Morse, Ph.D., SAIC Ryan Brunton, SAIC David
Drake, SAIC
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Goals / Accomplishments

• Build a prototype HLA federation using XMSF
  compliant Web Services for communication between
  federates in an existing federation
• HPAC and ITEM in the WMDOA federation
• Take initial steps to making an existing federate
  callable as a Web Service
• SOAP formatted RTI calls employing BEEP
  communication layer
• HLA specification compliant (DMSO RTI)
• Bi-directional calls allow Federate Ambassador
  call backs
• Encapsulation of non-reentrant RTI libraries
• Permits multiple instances of Web Service

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WMDOA

• Weapons of Mass Destruction Operational Analysis
  Federation
• Developed for Defense Threat Reduction Agency
  (DTRA)
• Provides an analyst with the capability to model
  the effects of nuclear, biological, and chemical
  weapons and facilities within a joint force
  campaign
• Includes combat model and WMD model
• Integrated Theater Level Model (ITEM)
• Interactive, animated computer simulation of
  military operations in theater-level campaigns
• Provides fully integrated air, land, and naval
  (including amphibious) warfare modules
• Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability
  (HPAC)
• Capability for modeling various aspects of
  release of nuclear, biological, and chemical
  (NBC) materials

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ITEM and HPAC Integrated Display
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Communication Architecture for Demonstration
Sun Platform
Windows Platform
HPAC
RTI
RTI Federate Ambassador Stubs
ITEM Simulation Engine
Remote RTI FederateAmbassadors
RTI API
RTI API
SOAP Services
SOAP Services
SOAP/BEEPCommunicationsover Internet
BEEP Communications
BEEP Communications
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Communication Sequence Diagram
WMDOA Federation
ITEM
User
Remote RTI Federate Ambassadors
Launch
RTI Federate Ambassador Stubs
Create Federation
HPAC
Join Federation
SOAPCommunications
Publish and Subscribe
Launch
Join Federation
Join Federation
Join Federation
Publish Subscribe
Publish Subscribe
Publish Subscribe
Register Objects
Register Objects
Register Objects
Discover Objects
Update Attributes
Update Attributes
Update Attributes
Reflect Attributes
Receive Interaction (Results)
Send Interaction (Results)
Receive Interaction (Results)
Receive Interaction (Results)
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Example SOAP Data Exchange

• Request to getAttributeHandle
• lt?xml version"1.0" encoding"UTF-8"?gt
• ltsoap-envEnvelope xmlnssoap-env"http//schemas.
  xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"gt
• ltsoap-envHeader/gt
• ltsoap-envBodygt
• ltgetAttributeHandlegt
• ltwhichClassgt15lt/whichClassgt
• lttheNamegttestClasslt/theNamegt
• lt/getAttributeHandlegt
• lt/soap-envBodygt
• lt/soap-envEnvelopegt
• Response
• lt?xml version"1.0" encoding"UTF-8"?gt
• ltsoap-envEnvelope xmlnssoap-env"http//schemas.
  xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/"gt
• ltsoap-envHeader/gt
• ltsoap-envBodygt
• ltresult_getAttributeHandle value"42"/gt
• lt/soap-envBodygt
• lt/soap-envEnvelopegt

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Why is This Important?

• Implements bi-directional communication
  initiation over the Web
• Superior to http with its uni-directional
  initiation
• http unsuitable for supporting simulation
  communication patterns
• Enables existing HLA compliant federates to be
  integrated easily over the Internet
• Including through most firewalls with minimal
  reconfiguration!
• Demonstrates Web Service wrapping of existing
  architectures
• Approach can also be applied to DIS, ALSP, etc.

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Next Steps

• Document current approach as an XMSF Profile
• Set of protocols used
• Set of data and metadata standards used
• Detailed description for applying protocols and
  data standards to implement the architecture
• First draft in 2003 Euro SIW paper
• Extend current implementation
• Expand the set of HLA services supported
• Develop Web Service wrappers for launching
  federates remotely
• Enables composability of federates stored in
  repositories
• Identify partnership opportunity for operational
  deployment of this XMSF Profile

Done
Done