What is Network Simulation?
To understand network simulation you have to understand simulation and to understand simulation you have to understand system, model, simulation, computer network model so let us start with the system.
What is a system?
Generally speaking, a system [1] is a collection of objects that interact with each other to achieve a common goal. For example, the government is a system in which objects such as, leaders, police, and bureaucrats work altogether to serve the public of the country.
What is a model?
A model is an abstract representation of a system. The well-known example is a computer game in which cars, roads, and obstacles are an abstract representation and the whole game is a car game model. An equation x+y=10 that represents a line is a model. Generally speaking, an equation in mathematics is a model.
What is the simulation?
Conducting an experiment on a model is called simulation, when a game runs it is the simulation of the car
game. You might have gone to a two wheeler showroom where they make you learn driving on a simulator. To train pilots, aviation organizations use simulators.
What is a computer network model ?
A computer network model is an abstract representation of links, nodes ( router, switches, hubs
and sensor nodes). Further, the TCP/IP stack model that executes under the nodes. Moreover, a computer network is a complex system in which there are several attributes such as, mobility, signal noise, transmit power, the energy of a node, security. In addition, these attributes will require another model to incorporate into the existing model and that is how a network model evolves into a simple to complex model.
What is network simulation ?
Experiment on a network model is called simulation, usually softwares are used to conduct the experiment on computer network models which are called simulators, the famous simulators are
ns-2, ns-3, OPNET, Qualnet, Jsim, OMNeT++.
Conclusion- To sum up, I have explained briefly system, model, simulation and computer network model. Hope this will help you to understand network simulation.
______________________________________________
References
[1] http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/4b.html