Simulation Modeling and Analysis Review

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If you're a working stiff now, but you were a student as I was, who sent stuff "down the memory hole," only to discover years later that you really needed to DO simulation--AARGHH!!!--then Law and Kelton's book is what you'll need close at hand.
The coverage is complete, including basic materialon input probability distributions; random number generatorsand testing (most useful for students); and output data analysis. Solid, more practice-oriented chapters cover variance reduction, experimental design (could borrowmore from Kleijnen's work), and software. A final chaptergives an in-depth approach to manufacturing simulation.
Unfortunately, some material is dated. For example,the software chapter addresses SIMAN/Cinema, whichSystems Modeling Corporation has (thankfully!) replaced with ARENA (though SIMAN is still the basic simulationlanguage). The book gives overviews of several simulation modeling languages; practitioners doingtrade studies choosing "the corporate simulation tool" will be grateful for this ecumenicism.
The chapter covering validation and verification could afford to borrow more from currentsoftware engineering practice. Also, simulation modelingapproaches for network computing and communicationswould comprise a good extra chapter (Law gives a shortcourse on the subject).
Law and Kelton isn't light reading, but it's not a dryhandbook, either. If you've had some light programmingexperience and vaguely recall your stats class, you'll findit approachable.
But this book is mostly the timeless stuff you'll need toget your work done. With the recent proliferation of inexpensive simulation software, companies are thrustingsimulation work on engineers and system/software analysts who have little or no training. They should keepand use Law and Kelton's book, which provides both good skills and a roadmap to laying out and finishing a simulation project.
But I give Law and Kelton's book one of my highest compliments: Expensive technical books

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For courses in simulation offered at the advanced undergraduate or graduate level in departments of industrial engineering or schools of business, this text provides a state-of-the-art treatment of all of the important aspects of a simulation study, including modelling, simulation software, validation, selecting input probability distributions, and output data analysis. The new edition includes the most up-to-date research developments and many more examples and problems.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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