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SimEnterprise R2 (Cadalyst Labs Review)
1 Oct, 2007 By: IDSA ,Mike HudspethVirtual simulator lets users improve simulation throughput and manage IT resources.
One of the really uncomfortable realities of life is that things change. Just when you get used to something, it's different. That's truer now than it has ever been throughout the history of man. Get ready to redefine some long-held beliefs.
It has always been the case that if you wanted to explore virtual simulation and testing, you had to have some experts. You had to depend on people who did whatever kind of analysis you wanted all day, every day. It needed to be that way mainly because the concepts and the software were so complex that you had to specialize to get accurate results. Sure, nowadays you can get some preliminary results from scaled-down analysis packages that come with your modeling software. But how much do you trust those results? The SimEnterprise product line from MSC Software gives you an alternative.
The first thing you need to know is that SimEnterprise is aimed at eventually eliminating physical prototypes. I know you're saying to yourself that you have to have prototypes, and I agree. I learned long ago that it's next to impossible for management to say something won't work when there is a working physical model of a design sitting on a table in front of them. There'll always be a place for prototypes — just maybe not for testing, which is what MSC intends.
 SimEnterprise R2 |
All of this is a tall order, to be sure. SimEnterprise is less a program and more a platform. It contains SimDesigner, SimXpert, and SimManager. SimManager helps you manage your resources. SimXpert is a user environment that creates templates. SimDesigner integrates different engineering programs. Let's take a look at each.
Under the Hood
SimManager has an Internet-based user interface (figure 1). That means you won't spend an outrageous amount of time looking for things. Because it has a more-or-less open interface, you can use non-MSC programs that you already have and know. Talk about compatibility! Sim-Manager captures what you've done — that is, it documents the context in which you work.
 Figure 1. With a familiar Internet-based interface, SimManager is easy to use and offers a lot of search muscle. |
I think one of the neatest things SimManager can do is look for resources on your network to maximize computer power. Huh? If you need to run a simulation of something and other computers on your network aren't doing anything, SimManager can access them and spread the work onto their processors.
 Figure 2. SimXpert allows you to map out whatever process you're working on graphically. |
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