eViz: Towards an integrated framework for high performance visualization

Existing Grid visualization systems typically focus on the distribution onto remote machines of some or all of the processes encompassing the visualization pipeline, with the aim of increasing the maximum data size, achievable frame rates or display resolution. Such systems may rely on a particular piece of visualization software, and require that the end users have some degree of knowledge in its use, and in the concepts of the Grid itself. This paper describes an architecture for Grid visualization that abstracts away from the underlying hardware and software, and presents the user with a generic interface to a range of visualization technologies, switching between hardware and software to best meet the requirements of that user. We assess the difficulties involved in creating such a system, such as selecting appropriate visualization pipelines, deciding how to distribute the processing between machines, scheduling jobs using Grid middleware, and creating a flexible abstract description language for visualization. Finally, we describle a prototype implementation of such a system, and consider to what degree it might meet the requirements of real world visualization users

Adaptive infrastructure for visual computing

Recent hardware and software advances have demonstrated that it is now practicable to run large visual computing tasks over heterogeneous hardware with output on multiple types of display devices. As the complexity of the enabling infrastructure increases, then so too do the demands upon the programmer for task integration as well as the demands upon the users of the system. This places importance on system developers to create systems that reduce these demands. Such a goal is an important factor of autonomic computing, aspects of which we have used to influence our work. In this paper we develop a model of adaptive infrastructure for visual systems. We design and implement a simulation engine for visual tasks in order to allow a system to inspect and adapt itself to optimise usage of the underlying infrastructure. We present a formal abstract representation of the visualization pipeline, from which a user interface can be generated automatically, along with concrete pipelines for the visualization. By using this abstract representation it is possible for the system to adapt at run time. We demonstrate the need for, and the technical feasibility of, the system using several example applications