Graph Visualization Tools

NAM, Javis, Otter, H3Viewer

Burton Filstrup

Motivation
Visual

depictions of graphs and networks are external representations that exploit human visual processing to reduce the cognitive load of a task.
Tamara Munzer

picture is worth a thousand words.

Some Wise Guy

Presentation Overview
Introduction Tools

to graph visualization

NAM/Javis Otter H3Viewer

Tool

Comparison

Visualization Tasks
Graph

Layout Interaction Animation

Graph Layout
Most

useful layout algorithms are NP complete Geographic Layout (Otter) Hierarchical (Otter, H3Viewer) Distortion-Based Layout (H3Viewer) Topological Force-Directed Layout (NAM)
Gradient Descent, Simulated Annealing

Interaction
Pan,

zoom (All) Rotate, translate, scale (Otter, H3Viewer) Distort (H3Viewer) Filter/color (Otter, H3Viewer) Link to associated information (Otter, H3Viewer)

Animation
Packet

Flows (NAM, Javis) Evolution

NAM & Javis

Network

animator Integrated with NS Developed at Berkeley Source is available in C++ (NAM) or Java (Javis) Input file is an NS trace Demo

NAM Input
Can

define events for nodes, links, queues, packets, agents Define a node event
n -t * -s 69 -v circle -c grey -z 0.177110

Define

a link event

l -t * -s 66 -d 67 -r 512000.000000 -D 0.010000 -c grey -o 236.6deg -l 0.012432

Otter
2-D

graph visualization tool Developed at CAIDA Viewer source is available in Java Input file is typically generated by a Perl script

Otter Input
Can

define nodes, links, paths Nodes and links can be assigned to groups for filtering and coloring Define node (w/position):
N 3 32.715278 -117.156389 medusa.sdsc.edu(198.17.46.10)

Define link and L 1 2 0 V 1 2 1'1

associate a value with it:

H3Viewer
Scalable

3-D visualization tool Developed by Tamara Munzer at Stanford Library available in C++/OpenGL

H3Viewer Input
Can

define nodes, links Nodes can be assigned to groups for filtering and coloring A node definitions location in the input file determines its position in the tree Many H3Viewer features are currently available only through the API MST policy, filtering, coloring

Graph Layout Comparison

NAM

Force-directed approach is not scalable Poor manual layout support

Otter

Hierarchical layout is not scalable Allows manual/geographic layout Layout doesnt work for general graphs
H3Viewer

Quasi-hierarchical layout is highly scalable Layout doesnt work for general graphs

Interaction Comparison
NAM

Animates packet flows

Otter

Provides extensive navigation controls Allows coloring/filtering of nodes & links

H3Viewer

Provides intuitive, effortless navigation Allows coloring/filtering of nodes & links

Ease of Use
NAM

Input files can be generated automatically by NS

Otter

Simple input file format Easily customizable node values

H3Viewer

Complicated input files Viewers are primarily implemented on IRIX Well-defined library API

References
NAM http://imj.ucsb.edu/~ksarac/nstutorial/ns.html Javis ftp://cs.ucl.ac.uk/nets/src/jns/javis Otter http://www.caida.org/ H3Viewer http://graphics.stanford.edu/papers/h3/