1. SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
A. Langs, C. Mehlig (Telespazio VEGA), S. Ferreri (Terma GmbH), M. Sarkarati (ESA/ESOC)
22/02/2019

2. Overview Introduction Platform-as-a-Service Software-as-a-Service
Deployment Concept
Cloud Based Provisioning
The SIMSAT Cloud Agent and Daemon
The Cloud Management API
User Interface
Performance Analysis
Conclusions and Future Work
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

3. Confidential/Restricted/Internal/General
Introduction
CORBA Naming Service
SIMSAT Operational Spacecraft Simulators
Simulation Kernel
MMI
Daemon
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

4. Confidential/Restricted/Internal/General
Introduction
Nowadays: Operational Simulator Delivery and Deployment
ESA Dedicated
Hardware
Simulator Delivery
SIMSAT …
Simulator #1
Simulator #1
Generic Models
Reference Architecture
Ground Models …
Simulator #2
Simulator #... … …
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

5. Introduction Simulator Delivery ESA Cloud Simulator #1 Simulator #2
SIMCLOUD: Cloud Based Deployment and Runtime
Simulator Delivery
ESA Cloud
Simulator #1
Simulator #2
Simulator #1
Simulator #1
SIMSAT
Generic Models
Ground
Models
Reference Architecture
Simulator #2
Simulator #2
Simulator #... …
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

6. Platform-as-a-Service and Software-as-a-Service
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

7. Deployment Concept
„Deployments“ Folder Containing a „Deployment“ per Operational Simulator
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

8. Cloud Based Provisioning
Original and SIMCLOUD Approach for Starting Simulators in SIMSAT
Original SIMSAT
SIMCLOUD
Start of daemon by the simulator user
Start of cloud agent & daemon by the cloud operator
VM / HW
Central PaaS 1
Daemons
Sim
Sim
Start SIMSAT MMI to open a simulation on a specific daemon
Start SIMSAT MMI to open a simulation by name/version 2
MMI
Simulation
Selection
Daemon reports avail. simulators of single share folder
Sim A
Sim B
Sim C
Agent reports avail. simulators of deployments folder
Sim A
Sim B
Sim C 3
Simulation
Launch
Launch of the simulation on the dedicated machine
Launch of the simulation on the ESA Cloud 4
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

9. Cloud Based Provisioning
SimCloud Main Components
Modified SIMSAT MMI
Central PaaS server
Cloud management layer
ESA vCloud
Shared file server with deployments
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

10. Cloud Based Provisioning
The SIMSAT Cloud Agent and Daemon
Cloud Agent manages a number of Cloud Daemons
Types of Cloud Daemons:
shared
elastic
Cloud Agent can create additional VMs each running a Cloud Daemon
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

11. Cloud Based Provisioning
The Cloud Management API
Additional layer using the VMware vCloud API
Controls the virtual datacentre hosting the VMs in the ESA Cloud
VMs are
1. created
2. started
3. configured
4. shut down
5. deleted
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

12. User Interface Selection by simulator name/version User confirmation
„Open Simulation“ Dialog
Selection by simulator name/version
User confirmation
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

13. User Interface started on an existing machine
Possible Results: Operational Simulator is …
started on an existing machine
not started at all (user aborts)
started on a new VM
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

14. Performance Analysis Multiple operational simulators
Overview
Multiple operational simulators
Comparison between
Physical machine(s)
Virtual machine
Virtual machine on the ESA Cloud
Credits: ESA
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

15. Performance Analysis
Virtualization Overhead
Bepi Colombo
Maximum speed factor while running simulator with Ground Stations
„Free running“ mode after restored operational simulation state
Virtualization costs 10-30% performance
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

16. Performance Analysis Maximum speed factor
Physical vs. Virtual: Test Cases
Performance relative to physical machine (G8)
Maximum speed factor
Generation time of operational configurations
Simulator performance
with multiple parallel emulators
high logging rate
under heavy load (with/without payload models)
Performance highly dependent on choice/set-up of the virtualization layer
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

17. Future Work Deployment Concept in the SIMSAT product
SIMCLOUD: From Proof-of-Concept to the SIMULUS Product
Deployment Concept in the SIMSAT product
Multi-User Multi-Version Multi-Mission Multi-SIMSAT
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

18. Future Work Webinterface for the PaaS
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

19. Conclusions
SIMCLOUD…
… changed the architecture, design and code of multiple SIMULUS components
… eases the runtime environment for simulator users
Virtualization and Cloud Concepts…
… can be a valuable alternative
… benefits the end user
simplified interaction
elasticity and gentle usage of resources
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019

21. Image Sources
SIMULUS logo:
Mission images: ESA
SESP SIMCLOUD: Running Operational Simulators in the Cloud
22/02/2019