Sort-First, Distributed Memory Parallel Visualization and Rendering

While commodity computing and graphics hardware has increased in capacity and dropped in cost, it is still quite difficult to make effective use of such systems for general-purpose parallel visualization and graphics. We describe the results of a recent project that provides a software infrastructure suitable for generalpurpose use by parallel visualization and graphics applications. Our work combines and extends two technologies: Chromium, a stream-oriented framework that implements the OpenGL programming interface; and OpenRM Scene Graph, a pipelinedparallel scene graph interface for graphics data management. Using this combination, we implement a sort-first, distributed memory, parallel volume rendering application. We describe the performance characteristics in terms of bandwidth requirements and highlight key algorithmic considerations needed to implement the sort-first system. We characterize system performance using a distributed memory parallel volume rendering application, an...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: PVG
• Authors: E. Wes Bethel, Greg Humphreys, Brian E. Paul, J. Dean Brederson
• Keywords: Distributed Memory, Parallel Visualization, PVG 2003, Visualization, Volume Rendering Application