Glossary

This glossary includes terms used in OPNET solutions. Though some terms are specific to certain solutions, it is helpful to include all terms together to promote an in-depth understanding. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

abstract index The index used by a Kernel Procedure to specify a subqueue.

The KP can also use built-in constants to access a subqueue.

access interrupt A type of forced interrupt that makes passive queues forward

their packets. Access interrupts are generated by the op_strm_access() KP.

active attribute Term used to represent the ability of an attribute to trigger ETS

code (a handler) when the value of the attribute is changed by a user. See also click handler, confirm handler, display handler, and network packet chart.
active queue Queues that forward packets to their output streams of their own

accord. Compare passive queue.

administration directory A directory (<user_home>/op_admin) that contains

configuration information and files specific to an individual user.

advanced attribute The attributes that are infrequently set. Advanced attributes

typically define information such as an objects appearance and location in the workspace. See attribute and primary attribute.
advanced model A fundamental node or link model that has not been derived from any other model. Also called base model. Compare derived model. analysis configuration A collection of analysis panels saved as a group. analysis panel A panel used to display simulation results from output files. An

analysis panel contains one or more graphs in which traces are drawn.
antenna module A module available with the Wireless functionality that is used

to specify the antenna properties for radio transmitter or receiver modules.

application capture agent See capture agent. application message chart A data exchange chart that filters out network

information and shows a task from a application-layer perspective.

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application task characterization The primary ACE Analyst file type, which

contains the high-level information about an application transaction.

application transaction In the context of ACE Analyst, an application

transaction is the entire set of application traffic exchanged to complete one user-level task. Thus an FTP download transaction consists of all traffic from the transmission of the first GET message to the arrival of the ACK message for the last data packet. In some cases an application transaction can contain smaller transactions. For example, a web page download over HTTP might include the download of several image files. In this case, each separate file download could be considered a component transaction of the web page download.
argument memory A memory location used to allow two processes to

communicate when control of one process is being transferred. The op_pro_invoke() KP accepts a general memory address as an argument and makes this address (the argument memory) available to the invoked process.
attribute A data item that informs users about the characteristics of an object or

model. The user may then modify these characteristics for specific applications. See also advanced attribute, compound attribute, and primary attribute.
attribute probe A probe that records attribute values as scalar statistics,

allowing the user to view simulation inputs and outputs together and analyze the dependencies between them.
attribute property The restrictions or options of possible values for an attribute.

Attribute properties include the default value, units, data type, symbol maps, and descriptive comments for the attribute.
attribute template A custom set of object types, attributes, column headings,

and so on that is used to generate tables of attribute values for a network. These tables can be used to edit attribute values, create custom reports, or view attribute values in real time.
B base model See advanced model. begin simulation interrupt An interrupt that is typically used by process models

for initialization. When a begin simulation interrupt is triggered at simulation time zero, the simulation will start execution.
bit error rate The probability of a bit being received incorrectly. For example,

with a bit error rate of 0.01, an average 100-bit packet will experience 1 bit error.

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block A piece of code that OPNET analysis software will eventually bind together with other pieces of code to form an executable program. Blocks typically contain code for variable declarations, macros, constants, and function definitions. blocked process A process that has reached an unforced state as part of its

finite state machine.

boresight The primary pointing direction of an antenna pattern model. The boresight is usually defined as the direction of maximum gain (the main lobe) of the pattern. built-in attribute An attribute that is intrinsic to an objects core definition and is

considered fundamental for that type of object.

bulk data size The base size value assigned to a packet by the user (with the

op_pk_bulk_size_set() KP). This value is added to the sizes of all the packets fields to determine the overall packet size.
C capture agent A process or daemon for capturing traffic data on a local or a

remote host. Also known as a sniffer or protocol analyzer.

channel A compound attribute of receiver and transmitter modules. Channels

store and transmit packets for all types of links (point-to-point, bus, and radio).
click handler A function that executes when a user clicks on an attribute in the

Edit Attributes dialog box or an object in a network.

communication channel An individual information path between a transmitter in

one node and a receiver in another. One or more communication channels between the same nodes compose a link.
compound action A design action that executes one or more subactions. compound attribute A grouping of several attributes into one attribute. The

grouping allows you to describe a complex set of characteristics for an object with one value. See attribute.
compound attribute object The value of a compound attribute. conditional transition A transition between two states that can occur only when the specified expressions evaluate to true. In the Process Editor, a conditional transition appears as a dashed line or arc. confirm handler A function that executes after a user has clicked OK in an

attribute dialog box.

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contributed model A model that a user provides to the user community at no

charge. These models are not maintained by OPNET Technologies, Inc. but can be downloaded from or uploaded to the Support Center website.
cosimulation A simulation that involves OPNET analysis software and external

code or another simulator.

coupled statistic probe A probe that monitors a statistic of a coupled module.

Because coupled modules are always radio transmitters, the probes can only be used at the following times: When the statistic that the probe records belongs to a radio receiver channel When the user wishes to specify that the activity monitored by the statistic should be limited to the effects of a particular radio transmitter
custom model list A user-defined list of models to be displayed in the object

palette.
D demand Generic term for an object most often used to specify a demand for

network resources. Demands come in two general types: connections and flows.
dependent variable A variable whose value depends on that of another variable.

Dependent variables are generally plotted against the ordinate (y) axis of a graph. Compare independent variable.
derived action A design action created by modifying the attributes of existing

design action.
derived model A model created by modifying the attributes of an existing node or link model (which can be either an advanced or another derived model). design action A high-level operation that automates the process of changing a

network model, usually to achieve a design goal.

destination state The new state in a process after a transition has taken place. device configuration file validation Auditing the commands found or not found

in imported device configuration files of a network model.

Dialog Box Editor An ODK utility program (op_etsed) used to create and modify

dialog box resource files.

discrete traffic See explicit traffic.

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display handler A function that executes when an attribute dialog box is drawn

or redrawn.
distributed simulation A discrete event simulation involving multiple runs that

are executed concurrently on different processors of the same or multiple hosts.

dynamic process A process created by another process (as opposed to the root

processes created by the Kernel). See also root process.

E editor configuration file A text file that contains the primary definition of an

OPNET application. It specifies the available editors, dialog box resource files, icon databases, and so on. ODK supplies two Editor Configuration files that can be used as a basis for developing OPNET applications: odktools.ets and netbiz.ets.
editor environment The area within a program window. The primary

components of an editor environment are the editor windows and the button panels.
editor window A window in which editor-specific operations are performed. end-of-trace entry A place-holder entry added at the end of a trace when the

final ordinate value does not correspond to the final (end-of-simulation) abscissa value.
end simulation interrupt An interrupt that is delivered to a module signaling the fact that the simulation is about to terminate. end-to-end delay The total delay time of a packet, as defined by the model

developer. Usually end-to-end delay is the period between when a packet is sent from the source node and received by the destination node.
enter executive A collection of Proto-C statements inserted into the top section (the enter executive section) of a state in a finite state machine. These statements model actions that take place upon entering that particular state. Compare exit executive. environment attribute. See preference. environment database See preferences file. ESD See external system description. esys interface The link between OPNET analysis software and an external system, used to exchange data during a cosimulation. An esys interface can contain a single value (non-vector interface) or multiple values (vector interface).
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esys module An object in the Node Editor that represents an external system. An external system description and a process model determine the modules behavior throughout the cosimulation. ETE End to end, as in end-to-end delay. ETS script A type of text file used to define various aspects of the user interface,

such as menus, menu items and operations, and custom buttons.

event A discrete point in a simulation at which the state of the model can

change.
event handle A data structure that retains access to the event that has been

scheduled. The Ev package of KPs allows the user to operate on event handles.
event list A data structure that maintains a list of events. The purpose of an

event list is to ensure that all events are executed in the proper time order.
event response table A table that describes a process possible courses of

action for each feasible stateevent pair.

event scheduling The requesting of new events and their insertion into the

event list to specify the simulation time at which they must execute. Events may be scheduled either for the current time or for future times.
example model exit executive A collection of Proto-C statements inserted into

the bottom section (the exit executive section) of a state in a finite state machine. These statements model actions that take place upon exit from that particular state. Compare enter executive.
explicit traffic Packet-by-packet traffic, in which a discrete event simulation models each packet-related event (packet created, packet queued, packet transmitted, etc.) that occurs during the simulation. Also called discrete traffic. extended attribute An attribute that can be appended to an already existing

model attribute list.

external object file A file containing functions that play a supporting role for the

process models and pipeline stages in a simulation.

external simulator A simulator that participates in a cosimulation with

OPNET analysis software.

external system A representation of a model whose behavior is determined by

code or another simulator external to OPNET analysis software.

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external system description A model that specifies the interface between

between OPNET analysis software and an external system. An ESD is created in the External System Editor, saved as a file ending in .esd, and assigned to the esd model attribute of an esys module.
External System Editor A tool used to create and modify external system

descriptions (ESDs).
F failure interrupt An interrupt that occurs when a node has failed. The failure

interrupt is the last interrupt delivered to modules within that node until the node recovers.
feasible event In the context of modeling a system, a logical event that can be

received and that a process may want to use while occupying a particular state. Feasible events form the basis for the definition of transitions in the state transition diagram (STD).
Filter Editor The editor that supports creation of mathematical filters to process

vector or trace data.

filter handler During the NetDoctor run, the filter handler creates a list of all

objects in the network that match the object type of the NetDoctor rule. The filter function passes each object. The filter evaluates whether the object should be considered by the rule test handler.
fixed node The basic node object used to build network models. A fixed node

can be assigned any location, but during simulation its position cannot change. Compare mobile node and satellite node.
fixed subnetwork A subnetwork that cannot change its geographical position during a simulation. Compare mobile subnetwork and satellite subnetwork. flow Demand object most often used to represent a flow of traffic. See also

traffic flow and demand.

forced event An event that interrupts the receiving module immediately. Forced

events provide an alternative to the deferral of execution that is inherent in event-scheduling.

forced state A state in which the exit executive is executed immediately after

completion of the enter executive; thus, a state that never enters a wait mode. In the Process Editor, forced states are represented by green circles (dark gray on monochrome displays and hardcopy).
formatted objects Formatted objects are used for NetDoctor reporting.

Examples of formatted objects are the report entries created by the verification rules and the results displayed by the summary rules.
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formatted packet A packet that requires its fields to be accessed by named

reference.
function block A coding block in the Process Editor that can be used to define

more sophisticated C functions for use in the process model.

G GDF See general data file. geographic positioning mode A view option which specifies that the Project

Editor shows all network objects according to their geographic position. Compare non-geographic positioning mode.
general data file An ASCII text file typically used to store user-input simulation

information such as routing tables, address translation tables, process model configuration assignments, and time-ordered scenarios. GDFs are stored in the model directories with a .gdf file name suffix and can be parsed line-by-line using op_prg_gdf_read().
global ETE Delay The end-to-end delay of data packets received at all nodes of

a particular type in the network. Global ETE Delay is measured from the time a packet is sent from the source node to the time it is received by the destination node.
global statistic A statistic that can be shared by multiple QPs across the system

model. Compare local statistic.

global statistic probe A probe that enables the values of a global statistic to be stored in a simulations output files. H header block The area in the process model in which the user may define macros using the C preprocessor #define statement. Header blocks may also contain #include statements, struct and typedef definitions, extern and global variables, and function declarations. header file A data file used in C/C++ that contains data structure definitions,

either those included in the standard library or those created by the programmer.
I inconsistent link A point-to-point link or a bus tap whose physical transmitting

and receiving characteristics do not match those of the nodes or modules they are connecting. The Verify Links operation in the Project Editor can be used to determine if there are any inconsistent links in a network.
independent variable A variable that is either treated as a system input parameter or is considered to be varied intentionally. Independent variables are generally plotted against the abscissa (x) axis of a graph. Compare dependent variable.
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initial state The state in which a process begins execution. input statistic The value received on an incoming statistic wire. input stream A stream of packets received by the input port of a destination

module.
<install_dir> A symbol representing the path name of the installation directory,

which contains the complete software and model files for all installed OPNET releases. See also <reldir>.
interarrival time The time between successive packet arrivals. interrupt port registration A type of interrupt steering mechanism in which

steering is based not only on the type, but also on the arrival port of the interrupt. This mechanism affects only stream and statistic interrupts.
interrupt prioritization A mechanism that orders interrupts that occur at the same time as well as at the same process. interrupt steering The process of deciding which process will be invoked to

handle an interrupt. These decisions are made by the Simulation Kernel, based on the information provided by the QPs process.
interrupt type registration An interrupt steering mechanism that considers only

the type of interrupt in order to select a process. A process may register itself or another process as the recipient for interrupts of a particular type.
invoking process The process that called a particular KP or process. K Kernel Procedure An OPNET-provided function which, along with state

transition diagrams (STDs) and Proto-C, supports the development of protocols and algorithms. All OPNET KP names begin with op_.
keyword A word used to describe a model. Keywords allow you to control which

models are included in the object palette and in certain lists of models.
KP See Kernel Procedure. L link An object representing one or more communication channels between a

source node and a destination node. Three general types of links are supported: point-to-point, bus, and radio.
link consistency The compatibility of a link with the nodes it connects. Both

point-to-point links and bus taps can be checked for consistency.

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link statistic probe A probe that gathers statistical information about links. Link

statistic probes can only record built-in statistics (calculated by OPNET analysis software).
local statistic A statistic that reports any activity that is private to a particular QP

at a given location in the model. Compare global statistic.

logic script A script inserted into an ACE Analyst Whiteboard file. logical association A connection used to indicate that a relationship exists

between two modules in a node model, for example, between a receiver and transmitter used as a pair. Logical associations do not carry any data.
M mainstream interrupt Any interrupt other than a begin simulation interrupt. manual merge The process of merging two or more capture files when

ACE Analyst cannot merge them automatically. To manually merge two capture files, you must specify the time offset between the two capture start times.
merged attribute An attribute made up of multiple promoted attributes that have

been combined into a single attribute and renamed.

message display An area in the lower right corner of the editor environment

used to display messages about system errors, operation status, and other program-level information.
mobile node A node that can be assigned predefined trajectories that specify

their positions as a function of time throughout a simulation run. Mobile nodes are available only with the Wireless functionality.
mobile subnetwork A subnetwork that can be assigned predefined trajectories

that specify their positions as a function of time throughout a simulation run. Mobile subnetworks are available only with the Wireless functionality.
model Specifies the behavior, structure, and interface of an object. Some model

formats are implicit and cannot be changed, while others allow extensive customizing via model attributes.
model attribute See attribute. model derivation See derived model. model directory A directory that contains model files. OPNET programs consider any directory listed in the mod_dirs preference to be a model directory and will use the models in that directory.

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model handler A type of function used to override the default behavior of the

user interface when a model instance is clicked, created, or destroyed. See also click handler, object creation handler, and object destruction handler.
multicast interrupt An interrupt that provides a means of inter-process

communication in a broadcast manner using the function op_intrpt_schedule_mcast_global().

multiple transition error A runtime error that occurs when a finite state machine

(FSM) state has more than one outgoing transition that evaluates to true.
N Netbiz An application supplied with ODK that contains a basic user interface

and can be used as a basis for developing OPNET applications.

network A system described in terms of subnetworks, nodes, links, and

geographical context.
network difference report A report that compares the network protocols and

device configurations between two network model scenarios.

network packet chart A data exchange chart that shows a task from a

network-layer perspective.
node An object representing a physical site or device that can transmit or

receive information. Nodes correspond to real-world computing and communication equipment such as routers, bridges, workstations, terminals, and satellites.
Node Editor The editor used to create models of nodes. node model A model that specifies the function and behavior of a node. node statistic probe A probe that gathers information about a node object at the

network level, or to a module within a node. Node statistic probes can collect either built-in or user-defined statistics.
non-geographic positioning mode A view option that allows network objects to

appear anywhere in the Project Editor menu, regardless of their physical location. Compare geographic positioning mode.
O object A representation of an entity that is part of the system of interest. In

OPNET analysis software, objects are generally components of models and have properties and attributes that can be specified by the user.
object/attribute difference report A report that compares two network scenarios

and reports on the objects and attribute settings that differ between the scenarios.
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object creation handler A function that executes when an object is created. object destruction handler A function that executes when an object is

destroyed.
object palette A graphical dialog box that displays a group of node and link

models. You can select and drag an icon from the palette to create a new object that is an instance of the corresponding model.
object prioritization An ordering mechanism that provides a deterministic

ordering for events that occur at the same time, but in different objects.
ODB The OPNET simulation debugger. operation list file An ETS script file that defines standard or custom operations

for an OPNET application.

op_admin directory. See administration directory. op_etsed See Dialog Box Editor. op_runsim The OPNET program that controls a simulation. output scalar A scalar (that is, individual value) statistic usually representing an

average, probability, or peak value derived from a collection of measurements (typically a vector statistic). Compare output vector.
output statistic The source port for a statistic wire. output stream A stream of packets originating from the output port of a source

module.
output vector A series of data points stored in an output vector file. The data

points represent values of a specific statistic captured during one simulation run. Compare output scalar.
output vector dictionary A file that defines symbolic values and their means of

presentation for enumerated vectors. The file suffix is .ovd.

P packet A structured message that carries information between network components. OPNET analysis software lets you define the size, format, and fields of the packets in a system. packet delivery A mechanism that allows any processor or queue module to directly transfer packets to any other processor or queue module, regardless of physical location.
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packet field A user-defined value in a packet. packet format A template that defines the fields used for formatted packets. The packet format specifies a list of field names, data types, sizes (that is, field lengths specified in bits), and default values. When formatted packets are created, they instantly acquire the fields defined in their format and, when applicable, default values are installed in those fields. Packet Format Editor The editor used to define new packet formats for models

and to specify the formats names, data types, sizes, and default values.
packet tree A group of packets that are copies of a single, original packet. palette A dialog box used to select an object from an assortment of icons. See

also object palette.

parallel execution window A period of simulation time within which events are

considered to be instantaneous and thus eligible for concurrent processing by the parallel simulation kernel. The size of this window is set by the parallel_sim.event_execution_time_window preference.
parameter The third variable used when plotting parametric scalars (the other

two are the abscissa and the ordinate). Parametric plots are useful to show changes in the relationship between the abscissa and ordinate values.
parametric scalar graph An analysis panel graph containing a set of traces

using data from scalar statistics. Each trace represents changes to entries for a given value of a third variable, the parameter.
parent An object that contains other objects or is the source of others. For

example, a subnetwork is the parent of the nodes within it and a base model is the parent of the derived models in its hierarchy.
parent-to-child shared memory A private shared memory area set up at the time

the child process is created, allowing communication between child and parent processes. Other processes do not have access to the memory block, although they may reserve their own parent-to-child memory.
passive queue A queue that only forwards packets in response to an access

interrupt delivered by another module. Compare active queue.

path An OPNET object used to represent a path between two nodes or subnets.

You can use path objects to represent routes taken by traffic through the network. A path object specifies, at the very least, two end sites (nodes or subnets); a path object may also define a partial or complete path (that is, an ordered set of connecting sites and links) between these sites.

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point-to-point link An object representing one or more independent

communication channels connecting one node or subnetwork to another node or subnetwork. A point-to-point link connects two, and only two, specific network objects.
port scan analysis A port scan analysis evaluates the network model and

simulates security demands to find all TCP/UDP services permitted and denied between selected zones (open and closed ports between zones). A zone is a distinct set of one or more IP addresses or address ranges.
positioning mode The view option that determines whether network objects

appear according to their geographical positions. See also geographic positioning mode and non-geographic positioning mode.
preference A user-specified setting that controls behavior. Preferences can be specified from the GUI (Edit > Preferences) or, when starting OPNET analysis software, from the command line. preferences file A text file that contains the preferences for OPNET programs.

Preferences can be saved in the preferences file to be applied automatically when a program is started.
primary attribute The attributes used most often to define an object. For

example, primary attributes specify the objects name and its underlying (node or link) model. See attribute and advanced attribute.
private attribute An attribute that can only be used by the module with which it

is associated.
private attribute property An attribute property that apples only to the attribute

for which it is specified. Compare public attribute property.

probe An object that represents a users request to collect a particular piece of

data about a simulation, such as local or system-wide statistics, attribute values, and animation data.
Probe Editor The advanced editor used to specify statistics for collection during

a discrete event simulation.

procedure interrupt An interrupt that gives processes an opportunity to

schedule general activities at some time in the future, by using the op_intrpt_schedule_call() KP.
process A task that a queue or processor executes. Processes are defined by process models created in the Process Editor.

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Process Editor The editor used to define models for the processes that run in

processor or queue modules.

process group Multiple processes that execute within the same processor or

queue.
process handle A data type returned by op_pro_create() that is used to uniquely

identify a process across the entire modeled system (that is, across all QPs).
process ID A unique integer identification number that is automatically assigned

to a process when it is created. A process ID cannot be changed, nor can it recur within the same simulation.
process interrupt An interrupt which interrupts another process. process model A set of Proto-C statements that describe the logic of real-world

processes such as communications protocols and algorithms, shared resource managers, and queuing disciplines.
processor A module that represents the most general building block of node

models. The behavior of a processor can be completely specified by the user and its links can be arbitrarily connected to other modules. Processors are represented by an empty square box in the Node Editor.
project A collection of scenarios saved as a group. Project Editor The primary editor, used to construct, edit, view, simulate, and

analyze network models.

prologue handler Common tasks that are shared between specified NetDoctor rules can be placed in a prologue. promoted attribute An attribute whose assignment has been deferred to a higher hierarchical level of the overall network model. propagation delay The time required for a bit to travel from a transmitter to a

receiver.
protocol decode A text translation of the protocol and application data within

one or more network or application packets.

Protocol Decodes Viewer A window that shows the protocol decodes a set of

packets.

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ptsimp public attribute An attribute shared by many nodes, potentially in

different objects and different models. Changing the public attribute properties affects all of the dependent attributes.
public attribute property An attribute property that can be assigned to other

attributes, eliminating the need to specify the same property each time it is needed. Compare private attribute property.
Q queue A data structure that provides special support for organized packet

storage by allowing users to define internal subqueues to insert and store packets.
queue module A module that provides a superset of the functionality of

processor modules. Queue modules can execute an arbitrary process model that describes the behavior of a particular process or protocol, and can be connected via packet streams to other modules.
quick action A design action that can be run directly from the Design >

Quick Actions submenu.

R real time Time as measured in the real world. Compare simulation time. receiver An entity within a node that receives information across a link. receiver module A module that serves as an inbound interface between communication links outside a node and packet streams inside the node. recovery interrupt An interrupt that is sent when a node changes from an

inoperative state to an operative state.

regular interrupt An interrupt scheduled to occur every n seconds. <reldir> A symbol representing the path name of the release directory, which

contains the complete software and model files for a specific release. See also <install_dir>.
remote interrupt An interrupt used to provide a means of inter-process

communication when two modules are not directly connected. Remote interrupts are scheduled using either op_intrpt_schedule_remote() or op_intrpt_force_remote(). They are typically used to schedule centralized failures and recoveries, out-of-band communication for routing or network management data, and first-cut peer-to-peer network modeling.
repository A saved collection of user-defined components (such as process

models and pipeline stages). Repositories are created mainly for dynamic simulations so that the simulations will take less time to begin execution.

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request A packet sent from a client application to the server. A request receives

a single response packet, which is sent from the server to the client.
response A packet is sent from the server application to the client after the server receives a request. role A function block in the flowchart of a compound action; the function block

determines which subactions are run by the compound action.

root model The top model in a model hierarchy. The root model is a base model

that serves as a parent to the other models in its hierarchy.

root process The initial process running in a QP when a simulation begins. The

root process is automatically created by the Simulation Kernel and is an instance of the process model designated by the process model attribute of the QP.
rotation handle The secondary pointing direction of an antenna pattern model.

The rotation handle is used to specify the rotation of an antenna pattern around its boresight.
rule Determines whether the network elements are configured correctly and are

following specific network policies. In NetDoctor, there are two types of rules. Verification rules identify misconfigurations and inconsistencies in the network and then report those anomalies as error, warning, or note messages. Summary rules present data for review by the user.
rule parameters Each rule can have one or more values or sets of values that

you specify using the rule parameters. Sets of parameters can be configured in a template.
rules suite A set of related rules included with NetDoctor. Arranged according

to network protocols, most NetDoctor rules identify possible problems in the configuration of the subject network, while others display summarized data.
S satellite node A node (created with the Wireless functionality) that can be

assigned an orbit to describe its motion.

satellite subnetwork A subnetwork (created with the Wireless functionality) that

can be assigned an orbit to describe its motion.

scalar A single value that represents a statistic, such as an average value or a

maximum value, during a simulation.

scenario A single instance of a network model, containing all related information (such as simulation settings and results).

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score A score is generated by the analysis engine based on a scale from 1-100,

where 100 is the best.The scores are used to evaluate the state of the network.
scheduled event An event that has been inserted into the event list for execution

at a designated simulation time.

self interrupt An interrupt used by a process to schedule its own activities at

some future time, using the function op_intrpt_schedule_self(). Self interrupts are most commonly used for scheduling time-out intervals, processing delays, and stochastic traffic generation.
service time The amount of time required for a server to process an incoming

request.
session A single conversation between a client and a server. All traffic between

application clients and servers is organized into sessions.

simulation An activity that provides a way to observe model behavior and obtain

performance statistics for analysis. Simulations are created and controlled in the Project Editor or (for advanced control) in the Simulation Sequence Editor.
simulation attribute An attribute that can be specified for each simulation set.

These attributes control the course of the simulation and determine how the simulation collects its output data.
Simulation Kernel The executable code, including all Kernel Procedures, that

interacts with model code to manage and execute a simulation.

simulation sequence A collection of all the simulation sets in a simulation. A

simulation sequence can contain simulations using different network or probe files.
Simulation Sequence Editor An advanced editor used to graphically edit and

execute simulation sequences.

simulation set A simulation object that is represented in the Simulation Sequence Editor workspace by a single icon. A simulation set may comprise one or more simulation runs, depending on the attribute values (or range of values) assigned in the attribute table. simulation time The simulated time scale used to schedule events during a simulation. The simulation time can also describe the current time value of a simulation. simulator A program used to perform a simulation, such as op_runsim. site A node or subnet included in a path definition. See also path.
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source state The state that a process is in before a transition takes place. specialized model A model that is included in the model library, but which

requires an additional license for use in a simulation or validation. See also standard model.
standard model A model that is included in the model library. See also

specialized model.
standard packet sending The most commonly used form of packet transfer,

implemented by op_pk_send(). Calling this KP schedules a stream event for the destination module to indicate the arrival of a new packet.
state executive Proto-C statements in the states of a finite state machine

diagram that perform a specific task. Compare transition executive.

stateless A process that defines no variables and includes only one unforced

state. This is to ensure that only the arguments of invocation affect the outcome of the process.
state transition diagram A graphically depicted combination of states and

transitions that define the logical behavior of a process.

state variable A variable that is private to a particular process and retains its

value between invocations of the process. It is needed to store persistent information for the process.
state variable block The part of a process model in which the user can declare

state variables.
statistic A numeric variable representing the behavior of a node or link model

or of an entire system (network model). The value of a statistic may change during a simulation run or it may change only from one simulation run to the next.
statistic animation probe A probe that allows the user to create a dynamically

updated graph that displays a statistic as it varies over simulation time.

statistic handle A data type returned by op_stat_reg() that is used to uniquely

identify a statistic.
statistic interrupt An interrupt caused by specific types of changes in the value

of module statistics. When a statistic interrupt is triggered, it calls op_intrpt_stat() to determine which input statistic is associated with the interrupt.

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statistic probe A probe that can obtain statistical information about a node, a

link, or an entire system.

statistic promotion The process of designating which statistics of a node model

are to be made available to the user.

statistic report A set of statistics that is collected during simulation and

prepared for viewing in a web browser, rather than in analysis panels.

statistic tag A name-value pair associated with a statistic to permit more

convenient access to simulation results. Tags allow related statistics to be grouped in the Results Browser.
statistic trigger The attributes of a statistic wire that define when a statistic

interrupt will occur.

statistic wire A connection between modules that conveys numeric values

between devices or processes in the same node. Statistic wires are primarily used to allow processes to monitor changes in state and performance of the devices that make up a node, and to create a simple signaling mechanism between processes.
statistic wire object The connection between a source modules output statistic

and a destination modules input statistic.

stream accessing mechanism A method of referencing input and output

streams. The mechanism is typically used by a QP to signal another QP to forward a packet on one of its output streams.
stream interrupt An interrupt caused by packets arriving on an input stream.

When a stream interrupt occurs, op_intrpt_strm() is called to determine on which stream the packet is arriving.
subaction A design action that is run as part of a compound action. subnetwork A subset of a larger networks devices that forms a network in its

own right.
subnetwork-relative coordinate system The coordinate system within a

subnetwork of a larger system.

subqueue An internal resource of a queue which facilitates buffering and managing a collection of data packets. suppressed event In the context of modeling a system, a logical event that could

occur but that would provide no useful information to the process.

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synchronous hierarchal execution A type of configuration that does not allow a

parent process to execute asynchronously to the child process.

T task A basic unit of user activity in an application. Reading an e-mail message,

making a calendar entry, or obtaining records from a database are all examples of tasks.
template A panel, graph, or trace without data, but that retains complete trace and format information. New data can be applied to a template and immediately displayed in a predefined way. temporary variable A variable that maintains its value only until control is

returned to the Simulation Kernel (a scratch variable). It is used to support transient calculations.
temporary variable block The part of a process model in which the user may

declare temporary variables.

termination block The part of a process model that contains statements that

execute just before the process is terminated. These statements can include instructions to deallocate dynamically allocated memory, record the final values of collected statistics, and notify other processes that may be affected by the termination.
test handler After the filter handler and the group handler perform their

functions, NetDoctor calls the test handler for (1) object and IP Subnetwork Peer rules and (2) object group rules.
tier (1) A single software process that is responsible for executing some or all of

the steps in a task.

tier (2) A computer that acts as a source or destination for network traffic. trace A series of data points displayed in an analysis panel graph. A trace can

be derived from an output vector, output scalar data, or another trace. A graph can contain one or more traces.
traffic flow A demand object used to represent an end-to-end flow of traffic.

Each traffic flow defines a set of end nodes and contains attributes that define the traffic flows characteristics. Traffic flows are usually depicted in the GUI as lines between the end nodes, with arrowheads to indicate the traffic direction. See also demand.
traffic profile An attribute that uses a set of x-y value pairs to specify a varying

rate of traffic over time.

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transceiver A transmitter and receiver used as a pair, either within the same

node or connected by a link between different nodes.

transition executive Proto-C code that is associated with a transition in order to

relate an action with a particular transfer of control from one state to another. Compare state executive.
transmitter module A module, specified in the Node Editor, that serves as the

outbound interface between packet streams inside a node and communication links outside the node. OPNET provides point-to-point, bus, and radio transmitter modules.
treeview A hierarchical way of listing related items, such as statistics, for

viewing or selection. Higher-level nodes of a treeview can be expanded to show lower-level nodes.
Trending The Sentinel analysis engines can track the state of the network with

stored information about reported issues over time.

U unconditional transition A transition between two states that appears as a solid

line or arc in the Process Editor. Unconditional transitions always evaluate to true, and thus the transition is always made.
unforced state A state that allows a pause between the enter executives and

exit executives. In the Process Editor, unforced states are red (light gray on a monochrome display or hardcopy).
unformatted packet A packet whose fields can be accessed only by using a

numeric index. Compare formatted packet.

user-defined report A a set of output tables that list objects and attribute values

of interest.
utility object An object in a network model that is usually used to configure

parameters on a global level. Utility objects do not correspond to actual physical infrastructure in the network.
V vector interface An array of esys interfaces grouped under a single name and

used to pass multiple related values between OPNET analysis software and an external system. All values are sent or read at once and all must be of the same data type.
vendor model A model that represents a device manufactured by a particular

company, such as Cisco Systems or 3Com.

W workspace The section of an editor window used for creating and editing

models.
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