diff --git a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js
index 3ce0c85f3..301b36576 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-chart.js
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import { DETAILS_PANEL_WIDTH } from '../constants/styles';
 import Logo from '../components/logo';
 import { doLayout } from './nodes-layout';
 import NodesChartElements from './nodes-chart-elements';
-import { getActiveTopologyOptions, getAdjacentNodes } from '../utils/topology-utils';
+import { getActiveTopologyOptions, getAdjacentNodes,
+  isSameTopology } from '../utils/topology-utils';
 
 const log = debug('scope:nodes-chart');
 
@@ -40,8 +41,8 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
       scale: 1,
       selectedNodeScale: d3.scale.linear(),
       hasZoomed: false,
-      height: props.height || 0,
-      width: props.width || 0,
+      height: 0,
+      width: 0,
       zoomCache: {}
     };
   }
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
       // re-apply cached canvas zoom/pan to d3 behavior (or set defaul values)
       const defaultZoom = { scale: 1, panTranslateX: 0, panTranslateY: 0, hasZoomed: false };
       const nextZoom = this.state.zoomCache[nextProps.topologyId] || defaultZoom;
-      if (this.zoom && nextZoom) {
+      if (nextZoom) {
         this.zoom.scale(nextZoom.scale);
         this.zoom.translate([nextZoom.panTranslateX, nextZoom.panTranslateY]);
       }
@@ -78,13 +79,11 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
     }
 
     // reset layout dimensions only when forced
-    // state.height = nextProps.height;
-    // state.width = nextProps.width;
     state.height = nextProps.forceRelayout ? nextProps.height : (state.height || nextProps.height);
     state.width = nextProps.forceRelayout ? nextProps.width : (state.width || nextProps.width);
 
     // _.assign(state, this.updateGraphState(nextProps, state));
-    if (nextProps.forceRelayout || nextProps.nodes !== this.props.nodes) {
+    if (nextProps.forceRelayout || !isSameTopology(nextProps.nodes, this.props.nodes)) {
       _.assign(state, this.updateGraphState(nextProps, state));
     }
 
@@ -100,10 +99,6 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
 
   componentDidMount() {
     // distinguish pan/zoom from click
-    if (this.props.noZoom) {
-      return;
-    }
-
     this.isZooming = false;
 
     this.zoom = d3.behavior.zoom()
@@ -115,10 +110,6 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
   }
 
   componentWillUnmount() {
-    if (this.props.noZoom) {
-      return;
-    }
-
     // undoing .call(zoom)
     d3.select('.nodes-chart svg')
       .on('mousedown.zoom', null)
@@ -294,10 +285,8 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
 
   restoreLayout(state) {
     // undo any pan/zooming that might have happened
-    if (this.zoom) {
-      this.zoom.scale(state.scale);
-      this.zoom.translate([state.panTranslateX, state.panTranslateY]);
-    }
+    this.zoom.scale(state.scale);
+    this.zoom.translate([state.panTranslateX, state.panTranslateY]);
 
     const nodes = state.nodes.map(node => node.merge({
       x: node.get('px'),
@@ -326,10 +315,6 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
     const stateEdges = this.initEdges(props.nodes, stateNodes);
     const nodeScale = this.getNodeScale(props.nodes, state.width, state.height);
     const nextState = { nodeScale };
-    const nodeOrder = props.nodeOrder || makeMap(stateNodes
-      .toList()
-      .sortBy(n => n.get('label'))
-      .map((n, i) => [n.get('id'), i]));
 
     const options = {
       width: state.width,
@@ -338,8 +323,7 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
       margins: props.margins,
       forceRelayout: props.forceRelayout,
       topologyId: this.props.topologyId,
-      topologyOptions: this.props.topologyOptions,
-      nodeOrder
+      topologyOptions: this.props.topologyOptions
     };
 
     const timedLayouter = timely(doLayout);
@@ -366,12 +350,10 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
     const zoomFactor = Math.min(xFactor, yFactor);
     let zoomScale = this.state.scale;
 
-    if (!this.props.noZoom && !state.hasZoomed && zoomFactor > 0 && zoomFactor < 1) {
+    if (!state.hasZoomed && zoomFactor > 0 && zoomFactor < 1) {
       zoomScale = zoomFactor;
       // saving in d3's behavior cache
-      if (this.zoom) {
-        this.zoom.scale(zoomFactor);
-      }
+      this.zoom.scale(zoomFactor);
     }
 
     nextState.scale = zoomScale;
@@ -390,7 +372,7 @@ class NodesChart extends React.Component {
     const nodeSize = expanse / 3; // single node should fill a third of the screen
     const maxNodeSize = expanse / 10;
     const normalizedNodeSize = Math.min(nodeSize / Math.sqrt(nodes.size), maxNodeSize);
-    return this.state.nodeScale.copy().range([0, this.props.nodeSize || normalizedNodeSize]);
+    return this.state.nodeScale.copy().range([0, normalizedNodeSize]);
   }
 
   zoomed() {
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-grid.js b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-grid.js
index e78a2a9bd..8e791a3c6 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-grid.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-grid.js
@@ -54,20 +54,19 @@ function getColumns(nodes) {
 
 
 function renderIdCell(props) {
-  const style = {
+  const iconStyle = {
     width: 16,
     flex: 'none',
     color: getNodeColor(props.rank, props.label_major)
   };
+  const showSubLabel = Boolean(props.pseudo);
 
   return (
     <div className="nodes-grid-id-column">
-      <div className="content">
-        <div style={style}><i className="fa fa-square" /></div>
-        <div className="truncate">
-          {props.label} {props.pseudo &&
-            <span className="nodes-grid-label-minor">{props.label_minor}</span>}
-        </div>
+      <div style={iconStyle}><i className="fa fa-square" /></div>
+      <div className="truncate">
+        {props.label} {showSubLabel &&
+          <span className="nodes-grid-label-minor">{props.label_minor}</span>}
       </div>
     </div>
   );
@@ -79,33 +78,18 @@ class NodesGrid extends React.Component {
   constructor(props, context) {
     super(props, context);
 
-    this.renderIdCell = this.renderIdCell.bind(this);
-    this.clickRow = this.clickRow.bind(this);
-
+    this.onClickRow = this.onClickRow.bind(this);
     this.onSortChange = this.onSortChange.bind(this);
-    this.onMouseEnterRow = this.onMouseEnterRow.bind(this);
-    this.onMouseLeaveRow = this.onMouseLeaveRow.bind(this);
   }
 
-  clickRow(ev, node, el) {
+  onClickRow(ev, node, el) {
+    // TODO: do this better
     if (ev.target.className === 'node-details-table-node-link') {
       return;
     }
     this.props.clickNode(node.id, node.label, el.getBoundingClientRect());
   }
 
-  renderIdCell(props) {
-    return renderIdCell(props);
-  }
-
-  onMouseEnterRow() {
-    this.props.clickPauseUpdate();
-  }
-
-  onMouseLeaveRow() {
-    this.props.clickResumeUpdate();
-  }
-
   onSortChange(sortBy, sortedDesc) {
     this.props.sortOrderChanged(sortBy, sortedDesc);
   }
@@ -140,16 +124,17 @@ class NodesGrid extends React.Component {
         <NodeDetailsTable
           style={cmpStyle}
           className={className}
-          renderIdCell={this.renderIdCell}
+          renderIdCell={renderIdCell}
           tbodyStyle={tbodyStyle}
           topologyId={this.props.topologyId}
           onSortChange={this.onSortChange}
-          onClickRow={this.clickRow}
-          {...detailsData}
+          onClickRow={this.onClickRow}
           sortBy={gridSortBy}
           sortedDesc={gridSortedDesc}
           selectedNodeId={this.props.selectedNodeId}
-          limit={1000} />
+          limit={1000}
+          {...detailsData}
+          />
       </div>
     );
   }
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js
index 0c0392466..116e35f4d 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/charts/nodes-layout.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import dagre from 'dagre';
 import debug from 'debug';
-import d3 from 'd3';
 import { fromJS, Map as makeMap, Set as ImmSet } from 'immutable';
 
 import { EDGE_ID_SEPARATOR } from '../constants/naming';
@@ -50,9 +49,7 @@ function runLayoutEngine(graph, imNodes, imEdges, opts) {
   // configure node margins
   graph.setGraph({
     nodesep,
-    ranksep,
-    // rankdir: 'LR',
-    // align: 'UL'
+    ranksep
   });
 
   // add nodes to the graph if not already there
@@ -179,17 +176,18 @@ function layoutSingleNodes(layout, opts) {
     offsetY = offsetY || margins.top + nodeHeight / 2;
 
     const columns = Math.ceil(Math.sqrt(singleNodes.size));
-    const rows = Math.ceil(singleNodes.size / columns);
     let row = 0;
     let col = 0;
+    let singleX;
+    let singleY;
     nodes = nodes.sortBy(node => node.get('rank')).map(node => {
       if (singleNodes.has(node.get('id'))) {
         if (col === columns) {
           col = 0;
           row++;
         }
-        const singleX = col * (nodesep + nodeWidth) + offsetX;
-        const singleY = row * (ranksep + nodeHeight) + offsetY;
+        singleX = col * (nodesep + nodeWidth) + offsetX;
+        singleY = row * (ranksep + nodeHeight) + offsetY;
         col++;
         return node.merge({
           x: singleX,
@@ -200,8 +198,8 @@ function layoutSingleNodes(layout, opts) {
     });
 
     // adjust layout dimensions if graph is now bigger
-    result.width = Math.max(layout.width, columns * nodeWidth + (columns - 1) * nodesep);
-    result.height = Math.max(layout.height, rows * nodeHeight + (rows - 1) * ranksep);
+    result.width = Math.max(layout.width, singleX + nodeWidth / 2 + nodesep);
+    result.height = Math.max(layout.height, singleY + nodeHeight / 2 + ranksep);
     result.nodes = nodes;
   }
 
@@ -246,7 +244,6 @@ function shiftLayoutToCenter(layout, opts) {
   return result;
 }
 
-
 /**
  * Adds `points` array to edge based on location of source and target
  * @param {Map} edge           new edge
@@ -262,39 +259,6 @@ function setSimpleEdgePoints(edge, nodeCache) {
   ]));
 }
 
-
-export function uniqueRowConstraint(layout, options) {
-  const result = Object.assign({}, layout);
-  const scale = options.scale || DEFAULT_SCALE;
-  const nodeHeight = scale(NODE_SIZE_FACTOR);
-  const nodeWidth = scale(NODE_SIZE_FACTOR);
-  const margins = options.margins || DEFAULT_MARGINS;
-
-  const rowHeight = options.height / layout.nodes.size;
-  const nodeOrder = options.nodeOrder || makeMap(layout.nodes
-                            .toList()
-                            .sortBy(n => n.get('y'))
-                            .map((n, i) => [n.get('id'), i]));
-
-  const nodeXs = layout.nodes.map(n => n.get('x')).toList().toJS();
-  const xScale = d3.scale.linear()
-    .domain(d3.extent(nodeXs))
-    .range([nodeWidth, options.width - nodeWidth])
-    .clamp(false);
-
-  result.nodes = layout.nodes.map(node => node.merge({
-    x: xScale(node.get('x')),
-    y: nodeOrder.get(node.get('id')) * rowHeight + nodeHeight * 0.5 + margins.top + 2
-  }));
-
-  result.edges = layout.edges.map(edge => (
-    setSimpleEdgePoints(edge, result.nodes)
-  ));
-
-  return result;
-}
-
-
 /**
  * Determine if nodes were added between node sets
  * @param  {Map} nodes     new Map of nodes
@@ -391,7 +355,6 @@ export function doLayout(immNodes, immEdges, opts) {
   let layout;
 
   ++layoutRuns;
-  // if (false && !options.forceRelayout && cachedLayout && nodeCache && edgeCache
   if (!options.forceRelayout && cachedLayout && nodeCache && edgeCache
     && !hasUnseenNodes(immNodes, nodeCache)) {
     log('skip layout, trivial adjustment', ++layoutRunsTrivial, layoutRuns);
@@ -407,7 +370,6 @@ export function doLayout(immNodes, immEdges, opts) {
     }
     layout = layoutSingleNodes(layout, opts);
     layout = shiftLayoutToCenter(layout, opts);
-    // layout = uniqueRowConstraint(layout, opts);
   }
 
   // cache results
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/components/debug-toolbar.js b/client/app/scripts/components/debug-toolbar.js
index 8d2a4e703..ae61fff59 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/components/debug-toolbar.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/components/debug-toolbar.js
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ class DebugToolbar extends React.Component {
   addNodes(n, prefix = 'zing') {
     const ns = this.props.nodes;
     const nodeNames = ns.keySeq().toJS();
-    const newNodeNames = _.range(nodeNames.length, nodeNames.length + n).map(i => (
+    const newNodeNames = _.range(ns.size, ns.size + n).map(i => (
       // `${randomLetter()}${randomLetter()}-zing`
       `${prefix}${i}`
     ));
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/components/examples.js b/client/app/scripts/components/examples.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 43a82b439..000000000
--- a/client/app/scripts/components/examples.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,150 +0,0 @@
-/* eslint no-unused-vars: "off" */
-import React from 'react';
-import _ from 'lodash';
-import NodesChart from '../charts/nodes-chart';
-import NodesGrid from '../charts/nodes-grid';
-import { deltaAdd, makeNodes } from './debug-toolbar';
-import { fromJS, Map as makeMap, Set as makeSet } from 'immutable';
-
-
-function clog(v) {
-  console.log(v);
-  return v;
-}
-
-function randomGraph(n) {
-  return makeMap(makeNodes(n, 'ewq', 4, 'hexagon').map(d => [d.id, fromJS(d)]));
-}
-
-function deltaAddSimple(name, adjacency = []) {
-  return deltaAdd(name, adjacency, 'circle', false, 1, '');
-}
-
-
-function makeIds(n) {
-  return _.range(n).map(i => `n${i}`);
-}
-
-
-function disconnectedGraph(n) {
-  return makeMap(makeIds(n)
-                  .map((id) => deltaAddSimple(id))
-                  .map(d => [d.id, fromJS(d)]));
-}
-
-
-function completeGraph(n) {
-  const ids = makeIds(n);
-  const allEdges = _.flatMap(ids, i => ids.filter(ii => i !== ii).map(ii => [i, ii]));
-  const oneWayEdges = allEdges.filter(edge => _.isEqual(edge, _.sortBy(edge)));
-  const adjacencyMap = _(oneWayEdges)
-    .groupBy(e => e[0])
-    .mapValues(edges => edges.map(e => e[1]))
-    .value();
-  return makeMap(ids
-                  .map((id) => deltaAddSimple(id, adjacencyMap[id] || []))
-                  .map(d => [d.id, fromJS(d)]));
-}
-
-
-function completeGraphBi(n) {
-  const ids = makeIds(n);
-  const adjacency = (id) => ids.filter(_id => _id !== id);
-  return makeMap(ids
-                  .map((id) => deltaAddSimple(id, adjacency(id)))
-                  .map(d => [d.id, fromJS(d)]));
-}
-
-
-function flatTree(n) {
-  const ids = makeIds(n + 1);
-  const p = ids.pop();
-  const adjacency = id => id === p ? ids : [];
-  return makeMap(ids.concat([p])
-                  .map((id) => deltaAddSimple(id, adjacency(id)))
-                  .map(d => [d.id, fromJS(d)]));
-}
-
-function proxyGraph(n) {
-  const ids = makeIds(n * 2 + 1);
-  const p = ids.pop();
-  const topIds = _.take(ids, n);
-  const bottomIds = _.drop(ids, n);
-  const adjacencyMap = Object.assign({
-    [p]: bottomIds
-  }, _.fromPairs(topIds.map(id => [id, [p]])));
-
-  return makeMap(ids.concat([p])
-                  .map((id) => deltaAddSimple(id, adjacencyMap[id] || []))
-                  .map(d => [d.id, fromJS(d)]));
-}
-
-
-function chart(nodes,
-               n,
-               style = { width: 250, height: 250 },
-               margins = { top: 0, left: 0, right: 0, bottom: 0 },
-               nodeSize = null) {
-  return (
-    <div key={n} className="example-chart" style={style}>
-      <NodesChart
-        nodes={nodes}
-        width={style.width}
-        height={style.height}
-        margins={margins}
-        highlightedNodeIds={makeSet()}
-        highlightedEdgeIds={makeSet()}
-        layoutPrecision="3"
-        topologyId={Math.random()}
-        noZoom="true"
-        nodeSize={nodeSize}
-      />
-    </div>
-  );
-}
-
-
-function variants() {
-  const nCharts = 5;
-  const width = 250;
-  const style = {width: nCharts * (width + 16)};
-  const generators = [
-    { id: 'disconnectedGraph', fn: disconnectedGraph },
-    { id: 'completeGraphBi', fn: completeGraphBi },
-    { id: 'completeGraph', fn: completeGraph },
-    { id: 'flatTree', fn: flatTree },
-    { id: 'proxyGraph', fn: proxyGraph }
-  ];
-  return (
-    <div>
-      {_.reverse(generators).map(({id, fn}) => (
-        <div key={id} className="nodes-chart-examples" style={style}>
-          {_.range(1, nCharts + 1).map(i => (
-            chart(fn(i), i)
-          ))}
-        </div>
-      ))}
-    </div>
-  );
-}
-
-
-function gridView() {
-  const nodes = randomGraph(50).map(node => node.remove('label').remove('label_minor'));
-  const nodeSize = 24;
-  return (
-    <NodesGrid width="500" height="500" nodeSize={nodeSize} nodes={nodes} />
-  );
-}
-
-
-export class Examples extends React.Component {
-  render() {
-    return (
-      <div className="examples">
-        {gridView()}
-        {false && variants()}
-      </div>
-    );
-  }
-}
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/components/node-details/node-details-table.js b/client/app/scripts/components/node-details/node-details-table.js
index cd9f17fbf..d8bfc32ff 100644
--- a/client/app/scripts/components/node-details/node-details-table.js
+++ b/client/app/scripts/components/node-details/node-details-table.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import _ from 'lodash';
 import React from 'react';
-import { Map as makeMap } from 'immutable';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
 
 import ShowMore from '../show-more';
@@ -69,7 +68,6 @@ function getValueForSortBy(sortBy) {
 }
 
 
-/*
 function getMetaDataSorters(nodes) {
   // returns an array of sorters that will take a node
   return _.get(nodes, [0, 'metadata'], []).map((field, index) => node => {
@@ -83,15 +81,14 @@ function getMetaDataSorters(nodes) {
     return null;
   });
 }
-*/
 
 
 function getSortedNodes(nodes, columns, sortBy, sortedDesc) {
   const sortedNodes = _.sortBy(
     nodes,
     getValueForSortBy(sortBy || getDefaultSortBy(columns, nodes)),
-    'label'
-    // getMetaDataSorters(nodes)
+    'label',
+    getMetaDataSorters(nodes)
   );
   if (sortedDesc) {
     sortedNodes.reverse();
@@ -217,12 +214,6 @@ export default class NodeDetailsTable extends React.Component {
       nodes = nodes.slice(0, this.state.limit);
     }
 
-    const nodeOrderJS = (nodes || []).map((n, i) => [n.id, i]);
-    const nodeOrder = makeMap(nodeOrderJS);
-    const childrenWithProps = React.Children.map(this.props.children, (child) => (
-      React.cloneElement(child, { nodeOrder })
-    ));
-
     const className = classNames('node-details-table-wrapper-wrapper', this.props.className);
 
     return (
@@ -257,7 +248,6 @@ export default class NodeDetailsTable extends React.Component {
             expanded={expanded}
             notShown={notShown} />
         </div>
-        {childrenWithProps}
       </div>
     );
   }
diff --git a/client/app/scripts/examples-main.js b/client/app/scripts/examples-main.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 562e2f508..000000000
--- a/client/app/scripts/examples-main.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-require('../styles/main.less');
-require('../../node_modules/fixed-data-table/dist/fixed-data-table.css');
-require('../images/favicon.ico');
-
-import React from 'react';
-import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';
-
-import { Examples } from './components/examples.js';
-
-ReactDOM.render(<Examples />, document.getElementById('app'));
diff --git a/client/app/styles/main.less b/client/app/styles/main.less
index ee97b40fb..e58463a9e 100644
--- a/client/app/styles/main.less
+++ b/client/app/styles/main.less
@@ -1508,24 +1508,9 @@ h2 {
 }
 
 //
-// Examples
+// Nodes grid.
 //
 
-.examples {
-  background-color: @background-average-color;
-  .example-chart {
-    position: relative;
-  }
-}
-
-.nodes-chart-examples {
-  .example-chart {
-    margin: 8px;
-    display: inline-block;
-    border: 1px solid steelBlue;
-  }
-}
-
 .nodes-grid {
 
   tr {
@@ -1538,19 +1523,16 @@ h2 {
 
   &-id-column {
     margin: -3px -4px;
-    padding: 2px 2px;
-
-    .content {
-      display: flex;
-      div {
-        flex: 1;
-      }
+    padding: 2px 4px;
+    display: flex;
+    div {
+      flex: 1;
     }
   }
 
   .node-details-table-wrapper-wrapper {
-    flex: 1;
 
+    flex: 1;
     display: flex;
     flex-direction: row;
     width: 100%;
diff --git a/client/webpack.local.config.js b/client/webpack.local.config.js
index 40d1a96c9..4698cb5cb 100644
--- a/client/webpack.local.config.js
+++ b/client/webpack.local.config.js
@@ -15,13 +15,7 @@ var HtmlWebpackPlugin = require('html-webpack-plugin');
  */
 
  // Inject websocket url to dev backend
-
-var WEBPACK_SERVER_HOST = process.env.WEBPACK_SERVER_HOST || 'localhost';
-var COMMON_DEPS = [
-  'webpack-dev-server/client?http://' + WEBPACK_SERVER_HOST + ':4041',
-  'webpack/hot/only-dev-server',
-  './app/scripts/debug'
-];
+ var WEBPACK_SERVER_HOST = process.env.WEBPACK_SERVER_HOST || 'localhost';
 
 module.exports = {
 
@@ -69,11 +63,6 @@ module.exports = {
     new webpack.HotModuleReplacementPlugin(),
     new webpack.NoErrorsPlugin(),
     new webpack.IgnorePlugin(/^\.\/locale$/, [/moment$/]),
-    new HtmlWebpackPlugin({
-      chunks: ['vendors', 'examples-app'],
-      template: 'app/html/index.html',
-      filename: 'examples.html'
-    }),
     new HtmlWebpackPlugin({
       chunks: ['vendors', 'contrast-app'],
       template: 'app/html/index.html',
@@ -115,7 +104,7 @@ module.exports = {
         loader: 'json-loader'
       },
       {
-        test: /(\.css|\.less)$/,
+        test: /\.less$/,
         loader: 'style-loader!css-loader!postcss-loader!less-loader'
       },
       {