IMS Visualization

The fundamental measures (IMS) project is producing vast amounts of data. This project will visualize the three classes of computer models of networks - micro, meso, and macro models specified in the Complex Systems Competency. Sites on the network consist of provider sites, user sites, and directory sites. There are compute clusters at sites with multiple jobs and users. The micro model is very detailed with thousands of sites. It also has a spatial component with x,y,z values. The meso model is less detailed with multiple sites and no spatial component. The macro model consists of a single site with a single cluster with multiple jobs and users. The goal is the develop an understanding of the spatial and temporal behaviour of the systems. The goal of the visualization will be to assist in understanding the behaviour of these systems. The visualization will combine in an informative way:
- direct visualization of the components of the network models
- the outputs of the models such as statistics and time series.
- the ability to interact with the models and their outputs will be included.
This interaction will include:
- the ability to develop other visualizations on the fly
- the ability to conduct varying analyses on the data and display it along with the models.
The visualization of the network model will be created, where possible, from a user specified set of descriptions of the model, outputs, and analyses. The visualizations will be created automatically from this file or set of files. This will provide a way to create visualizations from an arbitrary run of the models. If it is possible to run the model on the visualization machine, additional visualization capability will be possible. For example, a set of runs that constitute a DEX could be specified and run, and the results summarized in the visualizations.

To provide visualization tools for use by the IMS project and other network researchers to support development of fundamental metrics.

NIST has a high level of visualization expertise and the vast amount of data being produced by the Fundamental Measures (IMS) project requires these types of tools.

New insight to network simulations as well as new general purpose
visualization tools.