Patent ID: 8380482

Claim:
A method of discrete element simulation comprising the steps of: (a) separating an operation of network elements to be simulated into a plurality of logically separate processes, wherein a first process of the plurality of logically separate processes is a simulation of an event performed by a first network element and wherein a second process of the plurality of logically separate processes is a simulation of an event performed by a second network element, wherein the first network element includes a first local clock that generates a first local time and the second network element includes a second local clock that generates a second local time; (b) selecting at least one clock characteristic for the first local clock that relates a local time generated by the first local clock to a logical time associated with a logical time reference; (c) selecting at least one clock characteristic for the second local clock that relates a local time generated by the second local clock to a logical time associated with the logical time reference; (d) scheduling the first process for execution at a first local time; (e) scheduling the second process for execution at a second local time; (f) converting the first local time to a first logical time associated with the logical time reference; (g) converting the second local time to a second logical time associated with the logical time reference; and (h) simulating the operation of the network elements by executing the first process at the first logical time and the second process at the second logical time.