title: A cloud-based simulation architecture for pandemic influenza simulation.
abstract: High-fidelity simulations of pandemic outbreaks are resource consuming. Cluster-based solutions have been suggested for executing such complex computations. We present a cloud-based simulation architecture that utilizes computing resources both locally available and dynamically rented online. The approach uses the Condor framework for job distribution and management of the Amazon Elastic Computing Cloud (EC2) as well as local resources. The architecture has a web-based user interface that allows users to monitor and control simulation execution. In a benchmark test, the best cost-adjusted performance was recorded for the EC2 H-CPU Medium instance, while a field trial showed that the job configuration had significant influence on the execution time and that the network capacity of the master node could become a bottleneck. We conclude that it is possible to develop a scalable simulation environment that uses cloud-based solutions, while providing an easy-to-use graphical user interface.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Comp. and Inform. Sci., Linköping University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raciti
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basile
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cunsolo
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fröberg
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Leifler
authors.forename: Joakim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ekberg
authors.forename: Toomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Timpka
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020407:Internet; D058873:Pandemics