OptIPuter and SAGE Visualcasting

SAGE, the Scalable Adaptive Graphics Environment, is a window manager that enables real-time streaming of extremely high-resolution content to scalable tiled display walls connected by high-speed networks. The content can range from ultra-high-resolution 2D and 3D computer graphics from remote rendering and compute clusters and storage devices, to high-definition video camera output. SAGE is funded by the National Science Foundation OptIPuter project.
At SC06, EVL demonstrated a new SAGE network service called visualcasting that supports global collaboration by enabling two or more users to share application content, sending multi-gigabit streams as required. Connected participating endpoint sites form a virtual laboratory, as visualcasting enables everyone to see the same content at the same time.
Endpoints can be of any size and configuration, varying from a single high-resolution monitor to room-sized tiled display walls. Each site maintains control of the layout (position, size, overlapping) of its displays. Visualcasting lets users select what information they want to send, and to whom. Unlike multicast, which requires network engineering, visualcasting is application-centric. Visualcasting was successfully demonstrated between the Calit2 and SARA booths at the SC06 conference.

URL:

www.evl.uic.edu/cavern/sage

Collaborators:

USA:
University of Illinois at Chicago, Electronic Visualization Laboratory (UIC/EVL)
University of Michigan
StarLight


Netherlands:
SARA Computing and Networking Services
NetherLight
SURFnet