Video of MATES simulating with a grid mobility model.
Requires Divx4 codec.
MATES is an application layer simulator created to investigate the behavior of distributed agent-based systems over mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). Given such a goal, MATES was implemented not to simulate any specific agent framework, but rather to provide a generic, easily expandable environment for agent-based system testing.
Various network simulators already exist, such as the now ubiquitous NS-2. However, the purpose of these simulators is to model real-world networks such that low-layer processes, like routing algorithms, can be compared. Modeling a system at such a resolution has proven to create a fair amount of overhead. Therefore, MATES was created to approximate the low-layer processes to divert more resources to agent interaction. This concession of accuracy mitigates the problem of efficiency.
The purpose of MATES is primarily to model the conditions of dynamic, peer-to-peer networks such that algorithms for distributed computing in the application layer can be compared. While this is technically possible using simulators such as NS, doing so imposes extra configuration, computational complexity, and experimental "noise" that can skew algorithm comparison.
MATES was originally intended for internal research within Drexel University. As such, its implementation was only carried out to the minimum extent required for the research. In other words, the simulator worked but there was little documentation. Now that the code has been made public on SourceForge, it is being polished.
MATES is technically version 3.0; this is because there were two previous internal versions created at Drexel that have since been deprecated.
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Video of MATES simulating with a grid mobility model. Requires Divx4 codec. |
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Files and screen shots are available at our SourceForge page.
The latest release of MATES is always available here.
MATES is under active development; many features are often available directly from CVS well before they make their way to an official release version. The latest CVS snapshot can be downloaded with the following commands:
cvs -d:pserver:anonymous@cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/mates login(Enter a blank password)cvs -z3 -d:pserver:anonymous@cvs.sourceforge.net:/cvsroot/mates co -P mates
Most all documentation is provided within the JavaDoc API specification. Examples are given in each source distribution file. The current API specification is always available here.
If you are currently using MATES for your research and your project/name is not listed above, please let us know! You should also subscribe to the MATES users' mailing list.
MATES was originally developed by Evan Sultanik. Max Peysakhov and William Regli are also active contributors to the project. Much thanks must also be given to Andy Mroczkowski and Joe Kopena for their testing and input.