Integration of COTS software products ARENA & CPLEX for an inventory/logistics problem

This paper describes the integration of two commercially available, highly specialized, off-the-shelf software packages—CPLEX and ARENA. We present the need for such integration and the ways in which it differs from the more traditional methods of problem solving. The two products are described in detail followed by an example that requires this integration. A detailed account of the integration is also presented together with drawbacks of this approach.