Premium
Microcomputer vs. mainframe simulations: A case study
Author(s) -
Bengtson Neal M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
software: practice and experience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1097-024X
pISSN - 0038-0644
DOI - 10.1002/spe.4380191004
Subject(s) - microcomputer , computer science , operating system , basis (linear algebra) , space (punctuation) , computer graphics (images) , simulation , telecommunications , chip , geometry , mathematics
A comparison was made between using a simulation language to run models on a mainframe computer and on a microcomputer with a hard disk. The study was performed at NASA Langley using both the SLAM II mainframe and PC versions. The procedure for executing SLAM II on a PC is given. A batch job was created to simplify this procedure and allows PCs with a hard disk to execute simulations with one command. NASA's space transportation system operations model and the examples in the SLAM II text were used as a basis for the comparison. The PC simulations completed in predictable times. These were almost always faster than the more unpredictable mainframe times.