Information models for queueing system simulation

When planning simulations of large-scale systems, it is important to anticipate what information is required to model the system and obtain desired output. This can be done without tying the study to a specific simulation package or language. It is valuable to do so to avoid unnecessarily long development and execution times. In this article, we offer a simulation information model (SIM) designed to help organize system information in the early stages of a project. (It can also be used to analyze existing models.) The SIM allows complexity analysis of the system to be performed, and may lead to a better selection of simulation language. The SIM is illustrated using two examples, and its relationship to current formalisms is discussed.