Multicast Grouping for Dynamic Data Distribution Management

The High Level ArchitectureÕs Data Distribution Management services are the most recent in a succession of systems designed to reduce the amount of data received by individual simulations in large-scale distributed simulations. A common optimization in these interest management systems is the use of multicast groups for sending data to a selected subset of all potential receivers. The use of multicast has met with considerable success in this application. However, its use to date has relied on a priori knowledge of communication patterns between simulations and static assignment of multicast groups to these patterns. As larger, more complex, and less predictable simulations are built, the need has arisen for more efficient use of multicast groups as they are a restricted resource. This paper analyzes the potential benefits of using multicast as a way of motivating algorithms for performing dynamic grouping. An initial grouping algorithm is described and results of simulating its effectiveness are given.