What Is an Entity?
Discrete-event simulations typically involve discrete items
of interest. By definition, these items are called entities in SimEvents software.
Entities can pass through a network of queues, servers, gates, and
switches during a simulation. Entities can carry data, known in SimEvents software
as attributes.
Note
Entities are not the same as events. Events are instantaneous
discrete incidents that change a state variable, an output, and/or
the occurrence of other events. See What Is an Event? for details. |
Examples of entities in some sample applications are in the
table.
| Context of Sample Application | Entities |
|---|
| Airport with a queue for runway access | Airplanes waiting for access to runway |
| Communication network | Packets, frames, or messages to transmit |
| Bank of elevators | People traveling in elevators |
| Conveyor belt for assembling parts | Parts to assemble |
| Computer operating system | Computational tasks or jobs |
A graphical block can represent a component that processes entities,
but entities themselves do not have a graphical representation. When
you design and analyze your discrete-event simulation, you can choose
to focus on:
The entities themselves. For example, what is the
average waiting time for a series of entities entering a queue?
The processes that entities undergo. For example,
which step in a multiple-step process (that entities undergo) is most
susceptible to failure?
 | Installing SimEvents Software | | What Is an Event? |  |
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