diff --git a/.gitsubprojects b/.gitsubprojects
index 55239a65e4..92bbe07c0f 100644
--- a/.gitsubprojects
+++ b/.gitsubprojects
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ git_subproject(Pression https://github.com/Eyescale/Pression.git 6d3b6ed)
 git_subproject(hwsd https://github.com/Eyescale/hwsd.git 6211d53)
 git_subproject(Collage https://github.com/Eyescale/Collage.git 3f2ed88)
 git_subproject(GLStats https://github.com/Eyescale/GLStats.git 2ba6dbc)
-git_subproject(Deflect https://github.com/BlueBrain/Deflect.git 04a99f3)
+git_subproject(Deflect https://github.com/BlueBrain/Deflect.git 1cb94bc)
diff --git a/doc/Changelog.md b/doc/Changelog.md
index 30022c744d..6cd8bde719 100644
--- a/doc/Changelog.md
+++ b/doc/Changelog.md
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ Changelog {#Changelog}
 
 # git master
 
+* [561](https://github.com/Eyescale/Equalizer/pull/561):
+  Change Deflect streaming activation
+
+  * Use environment variable from
+    [Deflect#98](https://github.com/BlueBrain/Deflect/pull/98)
+  * Obsolete DisplayCluster view attributes, use deflect_host attribute now
 * [560](https://github.com/Eyescale/Equalizer/pull/560):
   Add seq::Renderer::bindDrawFrameBuffer()
 * [554](https://github.com/Eyescale/Equalizer/pull/554):
diff --git a/eq/CMakeLists.txt b/eq/CMakeLists.txt
index 2d6eef028b..240da556cf 100644
--- a/eq/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/eq/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ set(EQUALIZER_LINK_LIBRARIES
           ${Boost_PROGRAM_OPTIONS_LIBRARY} ${Boost_FILESYSTEM_LIBRARY}
           ${Boost_SYSTEM_LIBRARY} ${Boost_THREAD_LIBRARY})
 
-if(DEFLECT_FOUND)
+if(TARGET Deflect)
   list(APPEND EQUALIZER_SOURCES
     deflect/connection.h
     deflect/eventHandler.cpp
diff --git a/eq/channel.cpp b/eq/channel.cpp
index 439be4ef01..1549095f41 100644
--- a/eq/channel.cpp
+++ b/eq/channel.cpp
@@ -244,11 +244,16 @@ bool Channel::configExit()
 bool Channel::configInit( const uint128_t& )
 {
 #ifdef EQUALIZER_USE_DEFLECT
-    if( getView() &&
-        !getView()->getSAttribute( View::SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER ).empty( ))
+    if( getView( ))
     {
         LBASSERT( !_impl->_deflectProxy );
-        _impl->_deflectProxy = new deflect::Proxy( this );
+        try
+        {
+            // Try to create Deflect proxy from env vars or
+            // config values, silently ignore failure
+            _impl->_deflectProxy = new deflect::Proxy( *this );
+        }
+        catch( ... ) {}
     }
 #endif
     return true;
diff --git a/eq/deflect/eventHandler.cpp b/eq/deflect/eventHandler.cpp
index 27f0e484e3..e1740163ee 100644
--- a/eq/deflect/eventHandler.cpp
+++ b/eq/deflect/eventHandler.cpp
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ EventHandler::EventHandler( Proxy* proxy )
         _eventHandlers = new EventHandlers;
     _eventHandlers->push_back( this );
 
-    Pipe* pipe = proxy->getChannel()->getPipe();
+    Pipe* pipe = proxy->getChannel().getPipe();
     MessagePump* messagePump = pipe->isThreaded() ? pipe->getMessagePump() :
                                             pipe->getConfig()->getMessagePump();
     if( messagePump )
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ EventHandler::EventHandler( Proxy* proxy )
 
 EventHandler::~EventHandler()
 {
-    Pipe* pipe = _proxy->getChannel()->getPipe();
+    Pipe* pipe = _proxy->getChannel().getPipe();
     MessagePump* messagePump =
         dynamic_cast<MessagePump*>( pipe->isThreaded() ?
                                     pipe->getMessagePump() :
@@ -146,9 +146,9 @@ void EventHandler::_processEvents( const Proxy* proxy )
     if( !_proxy || (proxy && _proxy != proxy ))
         return;
 
-    const PixelViewport& pvp = _proxy->getChannel()->getPixelViewport();
-    Channel* channel = _proxy->getChannel();
-    Window* window = channel->getWindow();
+    Channel& channel = _proxy->getChannel();
+    const PixelViewport& pvp = channel.getPixelViewport();
+    Window* window = channel.getWindow();
 
     while( _proxy->hasNewEvent( ))
     {
@@ -164,8 +164,8 @@ void EventHandler::_processEvents( const Proxy* proxy )
         }
 
         Event event;
-        event.originator = channel->getID();
-        event.serial = channel->getSerial();
+        event.originator = channel.getID();
+        event.serial = channel.getSerial();
         event.type = Event::UNKNOWN;
 
         const float x = deflectEvent.mouseX * pvp.w;
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ void EventHandler::_processEvents( const Proxy* proxy )
             if( !window->getRenderContext( x, y, event.context ))
                 LBVERB << "No rendering context for pointer event at " << x
                        << ", " << y << std::endl;
-            channel->processEvent( event );
+            channel.processEvent( event );
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/eq/deflect/proxy.cpp b/eq/deflect/proxy.cpp
index f0786849b1..375a28f6a2 100644
--- a/eq/deflect/proxy.cpp
+++ b/eq/deflect/proxy.cpp
@@ -49,15 +49,13 @@ ::deflect::Stream::Future make_ready_future( const bool value )
 class Proxy::Impl : public boost::noncopyable
 {
 public:
-    explicit Impl( Channel* channel )
-        : _stream( 0 )
-        , _eventHandler( 0 )
-        , _channel( channel )
+    explicit Impl( Channel& channel )
+        : _channel( channel )
         , _sendFuture( make_ready_future( false ))
         , _running( false )
         , _navigationMode( Proxy::MODE_ROTATE )
     {
-        const DrawableConfig& dc = _channel->getDrawableConfig();
+        const DrawableConfig& dc = _channel.getDrawableConfig();
         if( dc.colorBits != 8 )
         {
             LBWARN << "Can only stream 8-bit RGB(A) framebuffers to "
@@ -67,10 +65,10 @@ class Proxy::Impl : public boost::noncopyable
         }
 
         const std::string& deflectHost =
-               _channel->getView()->getSAttribute( View::SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER );
+               _channel.getView()->getSAttribute( View::SATTR_DEFLECT_HOST );
         const std::string& name =
-             _channel->getView()->getSAttribute( View::SATTR_PIXELSTREAM_NAME );
-        _stream = new ::deflect::Stream( name, deflectHost );
+             _channel.getView()->getSAttribute( View::SATTR_DEFLECT_ID );
+        _stream.reset( new ::deflect::Stream( name, deflectHost ));
         if( !_stream->isConnected( ))
         {
             LBWARN << "Could not connect to Deflect host: " << deflectHost
@@ -86,14 +84,11 @@ class Proxy::Impl : public boost::noncopyable
     {
         // wait for completion of previous send
         _sendFuture.wait();
-
-        delete _eventHandler;
-        delete _stream;
     }
 
-    void notifyNewImage( Channel& channel LB_UNUSED, const Image& image )
+    void notifyNewImage( Channel& channel, const Image& image )
     {
-        LBASSERT( &channel == _channel );
+        LBASSERT( &channel == &_channel );
 
         // wait for completion of previous send
         _running = _sendFuture.get();
@@ -106,7 +101,7 @@ class Proxy::Impl : public boost::noncopyable
                                      image.getPixelSize( Frame::BUFFER_COLOR ));
 
         // determine image offset wrt global view
-        const Viewport& vp = _channel->getViewport();
+        const Viewport& vp = channel.getViewport();
         const int32_t width = pvp.w / vp.w;
         const int32_t height = pvp.h / vp.h;
         const int32_t offsX = vp.x * width;
@@ -120,25 +115,25 @@ class Proxy::Impl : public boost::noncopyable
         _sendFuture = _stream->asyncSend( imageWrapper );
     }
 
-    ::deflect::Stream* _stream;
-    EventHandler* _eventHandler;
-    Channel* _channel;
+    std::unique_ptr< ::deflect::Stream > _stream;
+    std::unique_ptr< EventHandler > _eventHandler;
+    Channel& _channel;
     lunchbox::Bufferb _buffer;
     ::deflect::Stream::Future _sendFuture;
     bool _running;
     Proxy::NavigationMode _navigationMode;
 };
 
-Proxy::Proxy( Channel* channel )
+Proxy::Proxy( Channel& channel )
     : ResultImageListener()
     , _impl( new Impl( channel ))
 {
-    channel->addResultImageListener( this );
+    channel.addResultImageListener( this );
 }
 
 Proxy::~Proxy()
 {
-    _impl->_channel->removeResultImageListener( this );
+    _impl->_channel.removeResultImageListener( this );
 }
 
 void Proxy::notifyNewImage( Channel& channel, const Image& image )
@@ -147,12 +142,12 @@ void Proxy::notifyNewImage( Channel& channel, const Image& image )
 
     if( !_impl->_eventHandler && _impl->_stream->registerForEvents( true ))
     {
-        _impl->_eventHandler = new EventHandler( this );
+        _impl->_eventHandler.reset( new EventHandler( this ));
         LBDEBUG << "Installed event handler for Deflect proxy" << std::endl;
     }
 }
 
-Channel* Proxy::getChannel()
+Channel& Proxy::getChannel()
 {
     return _impl->_channel;
 }
diff --git a/eq/deflect/proxy.h b/eq/deflect/proxy.h
index ff0f3a9e40..1adbe159de 100644
--- a/eq/deflect/proxy.h
+++ b/eq/deflect/proxy.h
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ class Proxy : public ResultImageListener
 {
 public:
     /** Construct a Deflect proxy associated to a destination channel. */
-    explicit Proxy( Channel* channel );
+    explicit Proxy( Channel& channel );
 
     /** Destruct the Deflect proxy. */
     ~Proxy();
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class Proxy : public ResultImageListener
     void notifyNewImage( Channel& channel, const Image& image ) final;
 
     /** @return the associated destination channel. */
-    Channel* getChannel();
+    Channel& getChannel();
 
     /** @return the underlying socket descriptor. */
     int getSocketDescriptor() const;
diff --git a/eq/fabric/view.h b/eq/fabric/view.h
index df9c12b2d8..925d59566d 100644
--- a/eq/fabric/view.h
+++ b/eq/fabric/view.h
@@ -238,8 +238,8 @@ class View : public Object, public Frustum
     /** String attributes. */
     enum SAttribute
     {
-        SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER,
-        SATTR_PIXELSTREAM_NAME,
+        SATTR_DEFLECT_HOST,
+        SATTR_DEFLECT_ID,
         SATTR_LAST,
         SATTR_ALL = SATTR_LAST + 5
     };
diff --git a/eq/fabric/view.ipp b/eq/fabric/view.ipp
index 95cf9bd676..7f0d1e1682 100644
--- a/eq/fabric/view.ipp
+++ b/eq/fabric/view.ipp
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ namespace
 {
 #define _MAKE_ATTR_STRING( attr ) ( std::string("EQ_VIEW_") + #attr )
 static std::string _sAttributeStrings[] = {
-    _MAKE_ATTR_STRING( SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER ),
-    _MAKE_ATTR_STRING( SATTR_PIXELSTREAM_NAME )
+    _MAKE_ATTR_STRING( SATTR_DEFLECT_HOST ),
+    _MAKE_ATTR_STRING( SATTR_DEFLECT_ID )
 };
 }
 
diff --git a/eq/server/config.cpp b/eq/server/config.cpp
index dda8f02eb5..5af039de5b 100644
--- a/eq/server/config.cpp
+++ b/eq/server/config.cpp
@@ -785,16 +785,22 @@ bool Config::_init( const uint128_t& initID )
     _finishedFrame = 0;
     _initID = initID;
 
-    for( CompoundsCIter i = _compounds.begin(); i != _compounds.end(); ++i )
-        (*i)->init();
+    for( auto compound : _compounds )
+        compound->init();
 
-    const Observers& observers = getObservers();
-    for( ObserversCIter i = observers.begin(); i != observers.end(); ++i )
-        (*i)->init();
+    for( auto observer : getObservers( ))
+        observer->init();
 
-    const Canvases& canvases = getCanvases();
-    for( CanvasesCIter i = canvases.begin(); i != canvases.end(); ++i )
-        (*i)->init();
+    for( auto canvas : getCanvases( ))
+        canvas->init();
+
+    const auto& layouts = getLayouts();
+    for( auto layout : layouts )
+        for( auto view : layout->getViews( ))
+            view->init();
+
+    // any of the above entities might have been updated
+    commit();
 
     if( !_updateRunning( false ))
         return false;
diff --git a/eq/server/loader.l b/eq/server/loader.l
index 378c3faf87..bb795eade5 100644
--- a/eq/server/loader.l
+++ b/eq/server/loader.l
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ EQ_NODE_IATTR_HINT_STATISTICS    { return EQTOKEN_NODE_IATTR_HINT_STATISTICS; }
 EQ_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_THREAD        { return EQTOKEN_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_THREAD; }
 EQ_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_AFFINITY      { return EQTOKEN_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_AFFINITY; }
 EQ_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_CUDA_GL_INTEROP { return EQTOKEN_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_CUDA_GL_INTEROP; }
-EQ_VIEW_SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER      { return EQTOKEN_VIEW_SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER; }
+EQ_VIEW_SATTR_DEFLECT_HOST      { return EQTOKEN_VIEW_SATTR_DEFLECT_HOST; }
 EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_CORE_PROFILE { return EQTOKEN_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_CORE_PROFILE; }
 EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_OPENGL_MAJOR { return EQTOKEN_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_OPENGL_MAJOR; }
 EQ_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_OPENGL_MINOR { return EQTOKEN_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_OPENGL_MINOR; }
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ zoom                            { return EQTOKEN_ZOOM; }
 MONO                            { return EQTOKEN_MONO; }
 STEREO                          { return EQTOKEN_STEREO; }
 size                            { return EQTOKEN_SIZE; }
-DisplayCluster                  { return EQTOKEN_DISPLAYCLUSTER; }
+deflect_host                    { return EQTOKEN_DEFLECT_HOST; }
 dump_image                      { return EQTOKEN_DUMP_IMAGE; }
 
 [+-]?[0-9]+[\.][0-9]*           { return EQTOKEN_FLOAT; }
diff --git a/eq/server/loader.y b/eq/server/loader.y
index d3e5f83f6b..bdeb7e470d 100644
--- a/eq/server/loader.y
+++ b/eq/server/loader.y
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
 %token EQTOKEN_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_CUDA_GL_INTEROP
 %token EQTOKEN_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_THREAD
 %token EQTOKEN_PIPE_IATTR_HINT_AFFINITY
-%token EQTOKEN_VIEW_SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER
+%token EQTOKEN_VIEW_SATTR_DEFLECT_HOST
 %token EQTOKEN_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_CORE_PROFILE
 %token EQTOKEN_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_OPENGL_MAJOR
 %token EQTOKEN_WINDOW_IATTR_HINT_OPENGL_MINOR
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@
 %token EQTOKEN_SIZE
 %token EQTOKEN_CORE
 %token EQTOKEN_SOCKET
-%token EQTOKEN_DISPLAYCLUSTER
+%token EQTOKEN_DEFLECT_HOST
 %token EQTOKEN_DUMP_IMAGE
 
 %union{
@@ -550,10 +550,10 @@ global:
         eq::server::Global::instance()->setChannelSAttribute(
             eq::server::Channel::SATTR_DUMP_IMAGE, $2 );
      }
-     | EQTOKEN_VIEW_SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER STRING
+     | EQTOKEN_VIEW_SATTR_DEFLECT_HOST STRING
      {
         eq::server::Global::instance()->setViewSAttribute(
-            eq::server::View::SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER, $2 );
+            eq::server::View::SATTR_DEFLECT_HOST, $2 );
      }
 
 connectionType:
@@ -834,10 +834,6 @@ viewFields: /*null*/ | viewFields viewField
 viewField:
     EQTOKEN_ATTRIBUTES '{' viewAttributes '}'
     | EQTOKEN_NAME STRING { view->setName( $2 ); }
-    | EQTOKEN_DISPLAYCLUSTER STRING /* backward compat */
-      {
-        view->setSAttribute( eq::server::View::SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER, $2 );
-      }
     | EQTOKEN_MODE { view->changeMode( eq::server::View::MODE_MONO ); }
         viewMode
     | EQTOKEN_VIEWPORT viewport
@@ -875,9 +871,9 @@ viewMode:
 
 viewAttributes: /*null*/ | viewAttributes viewAttribute
 viewAttribute:
-     EQTOKEN_DISPLAYCLUSTER STRING
+     EQTOKEN_DEFLECT_HOST STRING
      {
-        view->setSAttribute( eq::server::View::SATTR_DISPLAYCLUSTER, $2 );
+        view->setSAttribute( eq::server::View::SATTR_DEFLECT_HOST, $2 );
      }
 
 canvas: EQTOKEN_CANVAS '{' { canvas = new eq::server::Canvas( config ); }
diff --git a/eq/server/view.cpp b/eq/server/view.cpp
index 948ff37529..01f325fce3 100644
--- a/eq/server/view.cpp
+++ b/eq/server/view.cpp
@@ -57,14 +57,6 @@ View::View( Layout* parent )
         const SAttribute attr = static_cast< SAttribute >( i );
         setSAttribute( attr, global->getViewSAttribute( attr ));
     }
-
-    // All processes must share a common, unique pixelstream name
-    if( getSAttribute( View::SATTR_PIXELSTREAM_NAME ).empty( ))
-    {
-        const std::string name = "Equalizer_" +
-                                 lunchbox::make_UUID().getShortString();
-        setSAttribute( View::SATTR_PIXELSTREAM_NAME, name);
-    }
 }
 
 View::~View()
@@ -314,6 +306,15 @@ ViewPath View::getPath() const
     return path;
 }
 
+void View::init()
+{
+    // All contributors to the same view must share the same Deflect ID for
+    // streaming to the same target.
+    if( getSAttribute( View::SATTR_DEFLECT_ID ).empty( ))
+        setSAttribute( View::SATTR_DEFLECT_ID, getName().empty()
+                       ? "View " + getID().getShortString() : getName( ));
+}
+
 void View::trigger( const Canvas* canvas, const bool active )
 {
     const Mode mode = getMode();
diff --git a/eq/server/view.h b/eq/server/view.h
index 7ae31c1b89..7b22a5ebf7 100644
--- a/eq/server/view.h
+++ b/eq/server/view.h
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ class View : public fabric::View< Layout, View, Observer >
 
     /** @name Operations */
     //@{
+    /** Initialize the view parameters. */
+    void init();
+
     /**
      * Trigger a view (de)activation.
      *
@@ -86,9 +89,9 @@ class View : public fabric::View< Layout, View, Observer >
      *
      * @param mode the new rendering mode
      */
-    virtual void activateMode( const Mode mode );
+    void activateMode( const Mode mode ) override;
 
-    virtual void updateCapabilities();
+    void updateCapabilities() override;
 
     /** Update all segment frusta based on the current settings. */
     void updateFrusta();
@@ -96,13 +99,13 @@ class View : public fabric::View< Layout, View, Observer >
     void setSAttribute( const SAttribute attr, const std::string& value )
     { fabric::View< Layout, View, Observer >::setSAttribute( attr, value ); }
 
-    virtual void setDirty( const uint64_t bits ); //!< @internal
+    void setDirty( const uint64_t bits ) override; //!< @internal
     //@}
 
 protected:
     /** @internal */
-    virtual void deserialize( co::DataIStream&, const uint64_t );
-    virtual void notifyAttached() { _updateChannels(); }
+    void deserialize( co::DataIStream&, const uint64_t ) override;
+    void notifyAttached() override { _updateChannels(); }
 
 private:
     /** The list of channels. */
diff --git a/examples/configs/1-pipe.DC.eqc b/examples/configs/1-pipe.Tide.eqc
similarity index 83%
rename from examples/configs/1-pipe.DC.eqc
rename to examples/configs/1-pipe.Tide.eqc
index 48733fdc16..df1ff203ae 100644
--- a/examples/configs/1-pipe.DC.eqc
+++ b/examples/configs/1-pipe.Tide.eqc
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #Equalizer 1.1 ascii
 
-# one-pipe configuration that streams its output to DisplayCluster
+# one-pipe configuration that streams its output to a local Deflect host (Tide)
 
 server
 {
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ server
                 observer 0
                 attributes
                 {
-                    DisplayCluster "localhost"
+                    deflect_host "localhost"
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/seq/types.h b/seq/types.h
index 0a08c379e8..0b04998078 100644
--- a/seq/types.h
+++ b/seq/types.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ using eq::Matrix4f;
 using eq::PixelViewport;
 using eq::uint128_t;
 using eq::util::ObjectManager;
+using eq::Vector2i;
 using eq::Vector2f;
 using eq::Vector3f;
 using eq::Vector4f;