A visualization tool for parallel and distributed computing using the Lilith framework

The authors present a visualization tool for the monitoring and debugging of codes run in a parallel and distributed computing environment, called Lilith Lights. This tool can be used both for debugging parallel codes as well as for resource management of clusters. It was developed under Lilith, a framework for creating scalable software tools for distributed computing. The use of Lilith provides scalable, non-invasive debugging, as opposed to other commonly used software debugging and visualization tools. Furthermore, by implementing the visualization tool in software rather than in hardware (as available on some MPPs), Lilith Lights is easily transferable to other machines, and well adapted for use on distributed clusters of machines. The information provided in a clustered environment can further be used for resource management of the cluster. In this paper, they introduce Lilith Lights, discussing its use on the Computational Plant cluster at Sandia National Laboratories, show its design and development under the Lilith framework, and present metrics for resource use and performance