Dominoes: A ”Simulation-as-a-Service” Platform for User-Friendly Interdisciplinary Co-Simulations

Abstract

This work introduces a Simulation-as-a-Service platform designed to simplify the creation, management, and execution of simulation components for interdisciplinary co-simulations in urban disaster management. The platform can be used by simulation experts from various domains, such as first-responder coordination, supply grids, and communication networks. The modular and extensible platform supports the SimulationOps process and adapts to diverse and novel use cases and simulation domains. It enables seamless simulation execution across any technology, deployment, or environment, from personal computers to clusters or cloud systems. Users can develop simulation components using their preferred domain-specific technologies, including programming languages and simulation tools, while a platform-specific encapsulation ensures their compatibility. The presented Simulation-as-a-Service platform is implemented using a microservice architecture with an event-driven communication pattern. It has been successfully tested in a laboratory setting to simulate an urban flooding scenario.