[Paraview] Parallel Mode Execution Algorithm

[Brad King]

Jeremy Stout wrote:
> Hello, I'm looking for any information related to the algorithms
> employed by Paraview when it is used in parallel mode. I know how to
> setup Paraview to run in parallel mode.  I am interested in learning
> how Paraview distributes the VTK pipeline (I'm assuming it does) and
> how it handles the distribution of data files.  I would like to use
> this information to be able to see if I could do anything to optimize
> my current Paraview installation.

Basically the VTK pipeline is duplicated on all the nodes.  Since VTK 
supports "streaming" data in pieces, each node executes 1 of N pieces 
for N nodes.  Then one of several approaches for rendering the results 
on a single screen is taken.  For small data the geometry is collected 
onto the client process and rendered locally.  For large data the 
geometry on each node is rendered on the node itself and sent to the 
client in the form of an image and a z-buffer.  The client composits it 
for rendering.

For more information you can get the "ParaView Guide" book:

http://www.kitware.com/products/paraviewguide.html

-Brad