diff --git a/clmctest/monitoring/LineProtocolGenerator.py b/clmctest/monitoring/LineProtocolGenerator.py
index 93771d79f0fc7a2b4c192abfdc8f1c2d83174fcb..16fb13dc19c1fb84779e0722080b74f015e76549 100644
--- a/clmctest/monitoring/LineProtocolGenerator.py
+++ b/clmctest/monitoring/LineProtocolGenerator.py
@@ -123,6 +123,51 @@ def _getNSTime(time):
 
     return timestamp
 
+def generate_mc_service_config( mcMeasurement, stateTimeStats, time ):
+
+    stateTimeStats = validate_state_time_stats( stateTimeStats )
+
+    result = [{ "measurement" : mcMeasurement,
+                "fields" :
+                { "stopped"      : stateTimeStats['stopped'],
+                  "avg_stopped"  : stateTimeStats['avg_stopped'],
+                  "starting"     : stateTimeStats['starting'],
+                  "avg_starting" : stateTimeStats['avg_starting'],
+                  "running"      : stateTimeStats['running'],
+                  "avg_running"  : stateTimeStats['avg_running'],
+                  "stopping"     : stateTimeStats['stopping'],
+                  "avg_stopping" : stateTimeStats['avg_stopping']
+                },
+                "time" : _getNSTime(time) }]
+
+    return result
+
+def validate_state_time_stats( stateTimeStats ):
+
+    if ( not 'stopped' in stateTimeStats ):
+        stateTimeStats['stopped'] = 0
+
+    if ( not 'avg_stopped' in stateTimeStats ):
+        stateTimeStats['avg_stopped'] = 0
+    
+    if ( not 'starting' in stateTimeStats ):
+        stateTimeStats['starting'] = 0
+
+    if ( not 'avg_starting' in stateTimeStats ):
+        stateTimeStats['avg_starting'] = 0
+
+    if ( not 'running' in stateTimeStats ):
+        stateTimeStats['running'] = 0
+
+    if ( not 'stopping' in stateTimeStats ):
+        stateTimeStats['stopping'] = 0
+
+    if ( not 'avg_stopping' in stateTimeStats ):
+        stateTimeStats['avg_stopping'] = 0
+
+    return stateTimeStats
+
+
 
 # DEPRECATED
 # ____________________________________________________________________________
diff --git a/clmctest/monitoring/StreamingSim.py b/clmctest/monitoring/StreamingSim.py
index 223caf72cefe8a1b24ba573f35067ca0f3fc2300..5a995ccf40b4f6619de88750456c31651866d0d7 100644
--- a/clmctest/monitoring/StreamingSim.py
+++ b/clmctest/monitoring/StreamingSim.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import time
 import urllib.parse
 import pytest
 import random
-import sys
+import sys, getopt
 from influxdb import InfluxDBClient
 
 # Simulation parameters
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ AGENT2_URL = 'http://172.23.1.22:8186'
 
 class Sim(object):
     """
+
+    
     Simulator for services
     """
 
@@ -75,6 +77,10 @@ class Sim(object):
         # endpoint state->mu, sigma, secs normal distribution
         config_delay_dist = {"placing": [10, 0.68], "booting": [10, 0.68], "connecting": [10, 0.68]}
 
+        # Simulation configuration of the media component (MC) state changes
+        # "MC state", [average (sec), stddev]
+        mc_config_delay_dist = { "starting": [5, 0.68], "stopping": [2, 0.68]}
+
         print("\nSimulation started. Generating data...")
 
         # Place endpoints
@@ -99,6 +105,19 @@ class Sim(object):
             max_delay = max(delay_time, max_delay)
         sim_time += max_delay
 
+        # move mpegdash_service endpoints state through from 'starting' to 'running'
+        max_delay = 0
+        for ip_endpoint in ip_endpoints:
+            agent_url       = urllib.parse.urlparse(ip_endpoint["agent_url"])
+            agent_db_client = InfluxDBClient(host=agent_url.hostname, port=agent_url.port, database=self.influx_db_name, timeout=10)
+            delay_avg       = mc_config_delay_dist['starting'][0]
+            delay_std       = delay_avg * mc_config_delay_dist['starting'][1]
+            
+            delay_time = self._changeMCState(agent_db_client, sim_time, "mpegdash_service_config", delay_avg, delay_std, 0.7, 'starting', 'running')
+            max_delay  = max(delay_time, max_delay)
+
+        sim_time += max_delay
+
         # Connect endpoints
         max_delay = 0
         for ip_endpoint in ip_endpoints:
@@ -174,6 +193,8 @@ class Sim(object):
                 # remove requests processed off the queue
                 ip_endpoint['request_queue'] -= int(requests_processed)
 
+                # update media component state
+
             sim_time += TICK_TIME
         end_time = sim_time
         print("Simulation Finished. Start time {0}. End time {1}. Total time {2}".format(start_time, end_time,
@@ -223,39 +244,35 @@ class Sim(object):
 
         return delay_time
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _changeMCState(agent_db_client, sim_time, mc_measurement, mu, sigma, trans_ratio, transition_state, next_state):
+        """
+        Send INFLUX data indicating the time taken to transition to a new state
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope='module')
-def run_simulation_fixture(streaming_sim_config):
-    """
-    A fixture, which checks if the the DB has been created, if not it runs the simulator with a 10 seconds timeout after that
-    """
+        Returns the total time delay for the state change
+        """
 
-    influx_db_url = "http://" + streaming_sim_config['hosts'][0]['ip_address'] + ":8086"
-    agent1_url = "http://" + streaming_sim_config['hosts'][1]['ip_address'] + ":8186"
-    agent2_url = "http://" + streaming_sim_config['hosts'][2]['ip_address'] + ":8186"  
+        # Calculate a randomized total time for the transition (and calculate relative ratios of time in transition and next state)
+        total_delay_time = random.normalvariate(mu, sigma)
+        transition_time = total_delay_time * trans_ratio
+        next_state_time = total_delay_time - transition_time
 
-    global INFLUX_DB_URL
-    global INFLUX_DB_NAME
-    global SIMULATION_TIME_SEC
-    global AGENT1_URL
-    global AGENT2_URL    
+        mc_states = {}
+        
+        # Report time in transition (and add the same as average)
+        mc_states[transition_state] = transition_time
+        mc_states["avg_" +transition_state] = transition_time
 
-    simulator = Sim(influx_db_url, INFLUX_DB_NAME, agent1_url, agent2_url)
-    dbs = simulator.db_client.get_list_database()
-    dbs = [db.get("name") for db in dbs]
+        # Report time remaining in the next state (adding the same as the average)
+        mc_states[next_state] = next_state_time
+        mc_states["avg_" +next_state] = next_state_time
 
-    # This check needed to be disabled as the CLMCMetrics database is always created when
-    # the test starts, irrespective of whether this is the 1st time or not
-#    if INFLUX_DB_NAME not in dbs:
-    simulator.reset()
-    simulator.run(SIMULATION_TIME_SEC)
+        agent_db_client.write_points(lp.generate_mc_service_config(mc_measurement, mc_states, sim_time ))
 
-    print("10 seconds timeout is given so that the data could properly be inserted into the database.")
-    import time
-    time.sleep(10)
+        return total_delay_time
 
 
-def run_simulation(generate=True):
+def run_simulation(generate=True, sTime=3600):
     """
     A method which runs the data generation simulator
     :param generate: True for generating data, False for deleting the DB (optional argument, if not given, default value True is used)
@@ -267,6 +284,8 @@ def run_simulation(generate=True):
     global AGENT1_URL
     global AGENT2_URL
 
+    SIMULATION_TIME_SEC = sTime
+
     simulator = Sim(INFLUX_DB_URL, INFLUX_DB_NAME, AGENT1_URL, AGENT2_URL)
 
     if generate:
@@ -275,18 +294,36 @@ def run_simulation(generate=True):
     else:
         simulator.db_client.drop_database(simulator.influx_db_name)
 
-
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     """
     The main entry for this module. Code here is executed only if the StreamingSim.py file is executed, 
     but not when it's imported in another module
     """
 
-    # check if there are any command line arguments given when executing the module
-    if len(sys.argv) > 1:
-        # if CLI argument '-c' is set when executing the script, the influx db will be deleted instead of generating data
-        option = str(sys.argv[1]) != "-c"
-        run_simulation(generate=option)
+    # Default options for simulation (generate data and simulation time of 3600 seconds)
+    genOpt = True
+    simTime = 60 * 60
+
+    # Try get some options
+    try:
+        opts, args = getopt.getopt( sys.argv[1:], "c:t:", ['clear','time='])
+
+    except getopt.GetoptError:
+        print( 'StreamingSim.py -c -t <seconds>' )
+        sys.exit(2)
+    
+    # Apply options, if any
+    for opt, arg in opts:
+        if opt in ( '-c','--clear' ):
+            genOpt = False
+        
+        elif opt in ('-t','--time'):
+            simTime = arg
+
+    if ( genOpt == True ):
+        print( "Running simulation to generate data" )
+        print( "Time period for this simulation: " + str(simTime) + " seconds" )
     else:
-        # no argument is given to the function call, hence the default value True is used
-        run_simulation()
+        print( "Clearing simulation data" )
+
+    run_simulation( genOpt, simTime )
diff --git a/clmctest/monitoring/conftest.py b/clmctest/monitoring/conftest.py
index 828b68c5be2051469b5d5c4c5d52f2b08236cf05..ad4d96b17c85d8bd8149f3adf84247156abcba9e 100644
--- a/clmctest/monitoring/conftest.py
+++ b/clmctest/monitoring/conftest.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import pytest
 import yaml
 import pkg_resources
 from influxdb import InfluxDBClient
+from clmctest.monitoring.StreamingSim import Sim
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
@@ -21,6 +22,22 @@ def streaming_sim_config():
         data_loaded = yaml.load(stream)
     return data_loaded
 
+@pytest.fixture(scope="module")
+def streaming_sim_params(streaming_sim_config):
+    """
+    Uses attributes from the local streaming_sim_config and creates a dictionary of simulation parameters
+    """
+
+    sim_params = {}
+    sim_params["INFLUX_DB_URL"]  = "http://" + streaming_sim_config['hosts'][0]['ip_address'] + ":8086"
+    sim_params["INFLUX_DB_NAME"] = streaming_sim_config['hosts'][1]['database_name'] # Note: could this be specified in the clmc-service instead?
+    sim_params["AGENT1_URL"]     = "http://" + streaming_sim_config['hosts'][1]['ip_address'] + ":8186"
+    sim_params["AGENT2_URL"]     = "http://" + streaming_sim_config['hosts'][2]['ip_address'] + ":8186"
+
+    sim_params["SIMULATION_TIME_SEC"] = 60 * 60
+
+    return sim_params
+
 
 @pytest.fixture(params=[{'database': 'CLMCMetrics'}], scope='module')
 def get_db_client(streaming_sim_config, request):
@@ -34,3 +51,22 @@ def get_db_client(streaming_sim_config, request):
 
     return InfluxDBClient(host=streaming_sim_config['hosts'][0]['ip_address'], port=8086, database=request.param['database'], timeout=10)
 
+@pytest.fixture(scope='module')
+def run_simulation_fixture(streaming_sim_params):
+    """
+    A fixture, which checks if the the DB has been created, if not it runs the simulator with a 10 seconds timeout after that
+    """
+
+    simulator = Sim( streaming_sim_params['INFLUX_DB_URL'], streaming_sim_params['INFLUX_DB_NAME'], streaming_sim_params['AGENT1_URL'], streaming_sim_params['AGENT2_URL'])
+    dbs = simulator.db_client.get_list_database()
+    dbs = [db.get("name") for db in dbs]
+
+    # This check needed to be disabled as the CLMCMetrics database is always created when
+    # the test starts, irrespective of whether this is the 1st time or not
+    # if INFLUX_DB_NAME not in dbs:
+    simulator.reset()
+    simulator.run(streaming_sim_params['SIMULATION_TIME_SEC'])
+
+    print("10 seconds timeout is given so that the data could properly be inserted into the database.")
+    import time
+    time.sleep(10)
diff --git a/clmctest/monitoring/test_simresults.py b/clmctest/monitoring/test_simresults.py
index 7940fc3a3bc1c97d49d36aedb07cdbb2fcd44ff2..7468594ff007cc6e20c88f36b130c44f9709261e 100644
--- a/clmctest/monitoring/test_simresults.py
+++ b/clmctest/monitoring/test_simresults.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python3
 
 import pytest
-from clmctest.monitoring.StreamingSim import run_simulation_fixture
 
 
 class TestSimulation(object):
@@ -19,7 +18,12 @@ class TestSimulation(object):
         ('SELECT count(*) FROM "CLMCMetrics"."autogen"."net_port_io"',
          {"time": "1970-01-01T00:00:00Z", "count_RX_BYTES_PORT_M": 7200, "count_TX_BYTES_PORT_M": 7200}),
         ('SELECT count(*) FROM "CLMCMetrics"."autogen"."vm_res_alloc"',
-         {"time": "1970-01-01T00:00:00Z", "count_cpu": 12, "count_memory": 12, "count_storage": 12})
+         {"time": "1970-01-01T00:00:00Z", "count_cpu": 12, "count_memory": 12, "count_storage": 12}),
+         
+        ('SELECT count(*) FROM "CLMCMetrics"."autogen"."mpegdash_service_config" WHERE ipendpoint=\'adaptive_streaming_I1_apache1\'',
+         {"time" : "1970-01-01T00:00:00Z", "count_avg_running" : 1, "count_avg_starting" : 1, "count_avg_stopped" : 1, "count_avg_stopping" : 1, "count_running" : 1, "count_starting" : 1, "count_stopped" : 1, "count_stopping" : 1}),
+        ('SELECT count(*) FROM "CLMCMetrics"."autogen"."mpegdash_service_config" WHERE ipendpoint=\'adaptive_streaming_I1_apache2\'',
+         {"time" : "1970-01-01T00:00:00Z", "count_avg_running" : 1, "count_avg_starting" : 1, "count_avg_stopped" : 1, "count_avg_stopping" : 1, "count_running" : 1, "count_starting" : 1, "count_stopped" : 1, "count_stopping" : 1}),
     ])
     def test_simulation(self, query, expected_result, get_db_client, run_simulation_fixture):
         """