DAAC Supported Visualization Tools

BC Project: FY08-01
Date of Policy: 24 Jul 2008
Last Updated: 21 Oct 2021 (see Revision Log)

The Data Analysis and Assessment Center (DAAC) supports several tools for visual analysis: ParaView, VisIt and EnSight. ParaView and VisIt are open source tools, and EnSight is a commercial tool. From user-accessible HPC systems, these software packages support GUI-based fully interactive client-server sessions for data analysis. Alternatively, they support scripted batch processing.

Each center shall create a user-accessible directory on each allocated HPC system for DAAC's use in support of its visualization tools. An environment variable named $DAAC_HOME will point to the top-level directory of the installation. The DAAC will be responsible for creating user-loadable modules for setting environment variables and access to the installed visualization programs.

Each center shall maintain an installation account named "daacapps". The DAAC installation team uses this account to ensure uniformity during installations of new versions of EnSight, ParaView and VisIt.

The visualization programs that comprise the DAAC tools shall be supported in accordance with BC policy FY05-01 (Multiple-Version Software and Modules Usage). The DAAC will maintain the current production version, the previous production version, and a beta version when one becomes available. The DAAC team shall inform the HPC Help Desk of changes in the default version or in the release of a new beta version of the supported tools. HPC Help Desk will then inform the centers and users of the changes in a timely manner.

Additional information about DAAC supported tools may be found at the DAAC website.

Revision Log
Date Revision
21 Oct 2021BC Team Audit. Added daacapps user account requirement
09 Aug 2018BC Team Audit
09 Jun 2016BC Team Audit
18 Jun 2015ezViz is removed from the policy
31 Mar 2014BC Team Audit
12 Dec 2013Revised to include all DAAC supported tools. Also, policy has a new title
02 Apr 2012BC Team Audit