A Survey on Wireless Sensor Network Simulators

A Survey on Wireless Sensor Network Simulators

2007-10-21 10:45

Tran Minh Tam's Weblog -

According to my survey, there are many simulators in the literatures and practice:

1. TOSSIM:

• A TinyOS mote simulator which is useful for testing both the algorithms and implementations
• Allowing experimentation with low-level protocols in addition to top-level application systems
• Tython:
  • A scripting environment which uses TOSSIM for testing and analyzing sensor network applications

2. NS-2:

• Discrete event simulator: provides support for simulation of TCP, routing, and multicast protocols over wired and wireless (local and satellite) networks.
• Pros:
  • Separate protocol implementation from scenario scripting
• Cons:
  • No support for WSN (need extensions)
  • Mixture of oTcl and C++

3. Mannasim (NS-2 Extension for WSN):

• Pros:
  • Have SGT (Script Generator Tool): front-end of for TCL script creation, written in Java, reducing the burden of programmer

4. SENSE:

• Pros:
  • Extensibility: Component-port Model & Simulation Component Classification
  • Reusability: extensive use of C++ template
  • Scalability
• Cons:
  • All simulations require writing C++ code
    

5. OMNet++:

• Pros:
  • Strong GUI support
  • Provides Component architecture for models. Components (modules) are written in C++, then assembled into larger components and models using a high-level language (NED).
• Discrete event simulator with many extensions for wireless network simulation.
• NesCT:
  • Convert nesC classes to C++ classes for OMNet++

6. Castalia (OMNet++ Extension for WSN):

• Pros:
  • Generic reliable and realistic framework for the first order validation of an algorithm before moving to implementation on a specific sensor platform

7. J-Sim (formerly Java-Sim):

• Pros:
  • Component-oriented architecture instead of OO design like NS-2
  • Platform neutral
  • Extensible
  • Reusable
• Cons:
  • Low performance (for large WSN simulation)

8. Qualnet (formerly GloMoSim):

9. VisualSense (for Ptolemy II):

10. AlgoSenSim:

• It is not protocol stack oriented but algorithm oriented: localization, distributed routing, flooding…

11. GTNetS:

12. Other Simulators:

• SensorSim: DIED
• WISENET: For AVR IS
• atemu: For AVR IS and MICA2 board components
• Shawn: Not much documentation
• Avrora: for AVR IS and MICA2 board components