HP Scalable Visualization Array Software - Manual (Page 56)

6.2.2 ParaView Overview
ParaView is an open source, multiplatform, extensible application designed for visualizing large
datasets. This scalable application runs on single-processor workstations as well as on large
parallel supercomputers. ParaView features include:
• Runs parallel on distributed and shared memory systems using MPI. These include
workstation clusters, visualization systems, large servers, supercomputers, and so on.
• The user interface can run either on the root MPI node or on a separate workstation using
client/server mode.
• ParaView uses the data parallel model, in which the data is broken into pieces to be processed
by different processes. Most of the visualization algorithms function without any change
when running in parallel.
• Supports both distributed rendering (where the results are rendered on each node and
composited later using the depth buffer), local rendering (where the resulting polygons are
collected on one node and rendered locally) and a combination of both (for example,
level-of-detail models can be rendered locally whereas the full model is rendered in a
distributed manner). This provides scalable rendering for large datasets without sacrificing
performance when working with smaller datasets.
• ParaView supports tiled displays through a built-in display manager.
• Handles structured (uniform rectilinear, non-uniform rectilinear, and curvilinear grids),
unstructured, polygonal, and image data.
• All processing operations (filters) produce datasets. This enables you to either further process
or save as a data file the result of every operation.
• Contours and isosurfaces can be extracted from all data types using scalars or vector
components. The results can be colored by any other variable, or processed further.
• Vector fields can be inspected by applying glyphs (arrows, cones, lines, spheres, and various
2D glyphs) to the points in a dataset.
• Streamlines can be generated using constant step or adaptive integrators.
• Supports a variety of file formats including VTK, EnSight 6 and EnSight Gold, Plot3D,
polygonal file formats including STL and BYU, and many other file formats.
As noted in the previous list, ParaView supports a variety of configurations and work models.
However, the example scenario described in this section uses the MPI version of ParaView with
a Render Client and a group of Render Servers.
A link to the ParaView documentation is available from the SVA Documentation Library on the
HP XC Documentation CD.
6.2.3 Location for Application Execution and Control
This example requires that you configure the SVA so that it can run your application while you
control it from your local desktop. Additionally, display output is routed to your desktop.
When run in parallel on a cluster, ParaView has two distinct functional areas:
• ParaView Render Servers.
The Render Servers handle the rendering, compositing, and display functions. On the SVA,
these Render Servers run on the render and display nodes. The pieces of data being rendered
by the Render Servers change dynamically, which is handled by ParaView. The SVA render
and display nodes carry out the same functions for ParaView, except that the display nodes
are capable of sending the display output to a display device or a local desktop.
• ParaView Client.
The ParaView Client handles the command and control functions for your display. It has a
window interface with menus and toolbars and a simplified version of the model that appears
on the display device. In the case of SVA, the ParaView Client typically runs on the Execution
56 Application Examples