An experimentally validated PRIME subnetwork simulation model for utility applications

This paper presents a PRIME subnetwork simulation model based on OMNeT++ that reproduces the behaviour of real networks. The developed simulation model uses the most common logical topology of a selected real network provided by a previous monitoring process. Thanks to the developed simulation model, different algorithms and utility applications can be tested in the simulation environment without having to perform lengthy field tests. The model has been validated with the firmware upgrade application comparing the total time involved in such operation both in the simulation and in the real environment. Results show that, according to the two-sample t-test, the mean time to perform the firmware upgrade of the network nodes is equal in both environments.