A 3D visualization system for structured overlays

Many structured overlays forward messages based not only on node identifiers but also on the other factors such as network proximity. It is an essential requirement for a visualization system to exhibit how the factors are considered in a overlay. Such a visualization system allows us to grasp intuitively characteristics of an overlay algorithm. If this is achieved, differences between algorithms become more distinguishable, and those who are unfamiliar with an algorithm are also able to know improvement between algorithms. Thus, such a visualization increases their interests in research activity in peer-to-peer computing. In this demonstration we propose a novel 3D visualization system for structured overlays. The system is practically able to visualize how routing algorithms consider node groups in an effective manner. We demonstrate the system with Chord and GFRT-Chord algorithms, but the system is able to visualize algorithms not limited to them.