-.. _platform:
-
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- <object id="TOC" data="graphical-toc.svg" width="100%" type="image/svg+xml"></object>
+ <object id="TOC" data="graphical-toc.svg" type="image/svg+xml"></object>
<script>
window.onload=function() { // Wait for the SVG to be loaded before changing it
var elem=document.querySelector("#TOC").contentDocument.getElementById("PlatformBox")
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+.. _platform:
+
Describing your Simulated Platform
##################################
the :ref:`lua bindings <platform_lua>` (it is not yet possible to do so in
python or directly in C++).
-Since we know that writing platform description files is not trivial,
-we included :ref:`many examples <platform_examples>` in the archive. This
-documentation also contains some :ref:`hints and howtos <howto>`, as well
-as the full :ref:`XML reference guide <platform_reference>`.
-
-
-Any simulated platform must contain **basic elements**, such as hosts,
-links, storages, etc. SimGrid gives you a great liberty when defining
-**routing of your platform**, ie the path taken between each pair of
-hosts. Finally, you may also describe an **experimental scenario**,
-with qualitative changes (e.g., bandwidth changes representing an
-external load) and qualitative changes (representing how some elements
-fail and restart over time).
-
-
-
-Defining Basic Elements
-***********************
-
-These are the components of your platform.
-
-
-There is not much to say about the definition of basic elements. Just
-use the appropriate tags: :ref:`pf_tag_host`, :ref:`pf_tag_link` and
-:ref:`pf_tag_storage`.
-
-Defining a Routing
-******************
-
-Performance Profiles and Churn
-******************************
+Any simulated platform must contain **basic elements**, such as
+:ref:`pf_tag_host`, :ref:`pf_tag_link`, :ref:`pf_tag_disk`, and similar.
+SimGrid makes no assumption about the **routing of your platform**, so you must declare
+explicitly the network path taken between each pair of hosts.
+This can be done through a flat list of :ref:`pf_tag_route` for each pair of hosts (routes
+are symmetrical by default), or you may use the advanced concept of :ref:`networking zone <platform_routing>`
+to efficiently express the routing of your platform.
+Finally, you may also describe an **experimental scenario**, with qualitative (e.g., bandwidth variations representing
+an external load) and qualitative (e.g., representing how some elements fail and restart over time) changes.
+
+The most efficient way to learn about platform description is to look at the
+:ref:`many examples <platform_examples>` included in the archive and described
+in the next section. This documentation also contains some :ref:`hints and
+howtos <howto>`, as well as the full :ref:`XML reference guide
+<platform_reference>`.
.. LocalWords: SimGrid
