diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.h b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.h
index d9ead354ea..3a1a204d01 100644
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.h
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackend.h
@@ -65,15 +65,22 @@ public:
 
     class GLBuffer : public GPUObject {
     public:
-        Stamp _stamp;
-        GLuint _buffer;
-        GLuint _size;
+        const GLuint _buffer;
+        const GLuint _size;
+        const Stamp _stamp;
 
-        GLBuffer();
+        GLBuffer(const Buffer& buffer);
         ~GLBuffer();
 
-        void setSize(GLuint size);
+        void transfer(bool forceAll = false);
+
+    private:
+        bool getNextTransferBlock(GLintptr& outOffset, GLsizeiptr& outSize, size_t& currentPage) const;
+            
+        // The owning texture
+        const Buffer& _gpuBuffer;
     };
+
     static GLBuffer* syncGPUObject(const Buffer& buffer);
     static GLuint getBufferID(const Buffer& buffer);
 
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendBuffer.cpp b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendBuffer.cpp
index 080d743104..486f4cee8e 100755
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendBuffer.cpp
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/GLBackendBuffer.cpp
@@ -12,14 +12,43 @@
 
 using namespace gpu;
 
-GLBackend::GLBuffer::GLBuffer() :
-    _stamp(0),
-    _buffer(0),
-    _size(0)
-{
-    Backend::incrementBufferGPUCount();
+static std::once_flag check_dsa;
+static bool DSA_SUPPORTED { false };
+
+GLuint allocateSingleBuffer() {
+    std::call_once(check_dsa, [&] {
+        DSA_SUPPORTED = (GLEW_VERSION_4_5 || GLEW_ARB_direct_state_access);
+    });
+    GLuint result;
+    if (DSA_SUPPORTED) {
+        glCreateBuffers(1, &result);
+    } else {
+        glGenBuffers(1, &result);
+    }
+    return result;
 }
 
+GLBackend::GLBuffer::GLBuffer(const Buffer& buffer) : 
+    _buffer(allocateSingleBuffer()), 
+    _size(buffer._sysmem.getSize()), 
+    _stamp(buffer._sysmem.getStamp()), 
+    _gpuBuffer(buffer) {
+    (void)CHECK_GL_ERROR();
+    Backend::setGPUObject(buffer, this);
+    if (DSA_SUPPORTED) {
+        glNamedBufferStorage(_buffer, _size, nullptr, GL_DYNAMIC_STORAGE_BIT);
+    } else {
+        glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, _buffer);
+        if (GLEW_VERSION_4_4 || GLEW_ARB_buffer_storage) {
+            glBufferStorage(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, _size, nullptr, GL_DYNAMIC_STORAGE_BIT);
+        } else {
+            glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, buffer.getSysmem().getSize(), buffer.getSysmem().readData(), GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW);
+        }
+        glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, 0);
+    }
+    Backend::incrementBufferGPUCount();
+}
+    
 GLBackend::GLBuffer::~GLBuffer() {
     if (_buffer != 0) {
         glDeleteBuffers(1, &_buffer);
@@ -28,37 +57,99 @@ GLBackend::GLBuffer::~GLBuffer() {
     Backend::decrementBufferGPUCount();
 }
 
-void GLBackend::GLBuffer::setSize(GLuint size) {
-    Backend::updateBufferGPUMemoryUsage(_size, size);
-    _size = size;
+void GLBackend::GLBuffer::transfer(bool forceAll) {
+    const auto& pageFlags = _gpuBuffer._pages;
+    if (!forceAll) {
+        size_t transitions = 0;
+        if (pageFlags.size()) {
+            bool lastDirty = (0 != (pageFlags[0] & Buffer::DIRTY));
+            for (size_t i = 1; i < pageFlags.size(); ++i) {
+                bool newDirty = (0 != (pageFlags[0] & Buffer::DIRTY));
+                if (newDirty != lastDirty) {
+                    ++transitions;
+                    lastDirty = newDirty;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // If there are no transitions (implying the whole buffer is dirty) 
+        // or more than 20 transitions, then just transfer the whole buffer
+        if (transitions == 0 || transitions > 20) {
+            forceAll = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Are we transferring the whole buffer?
+    if (forceAll) {
+        if (DSA_SUPPORTED) {
+            glNamedBufferSubData(_buffer, 0, _size, _gpuBuffer.getSysmem().readData());
+        } else {
+            // Now let's update the content of the bo with the sysmem version
+            // TODO: in the future, be smarter about when to actually upload the glBO version based on the data that did change
+            //if () {
+            glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, _buffer);
+            glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, _gpuBuffer.getSysmem().getSize(), _gpuBuffer.getSysmem().readData(), GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW);
+            glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, 0);
+        }
+    } else {
+        if (!DSA_SUPPORTED) {
+            glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, _buffer);
+        }
+        GLintptr offset;
+        GLsizeiptr size;
+        size_t currentPage { 0 };
+        auto data = _gpuBuffer.getSysmem().readData();
+        while (getNextTransferBlock(offset, size, currentPage)) {
+            if (DSA_SUPPORTED) {
+                glNamedBufferSubData(_buffer, offset, size, data + offset);
+            } else {
+                glBufferSubData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, offset, size, data + offset);
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (!DSA_SUPPORTED) {
+            glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, 0);
+        }
+    }
+    _gpuBuffer._flags &= ~Buffer::DIRTY;
+    (void)CHECK_GL_ERROR();
+}
+
+bool GLBackend::GLBuffer::getNextTransferBlock(GLintptr& outOffset, GLsizeiptr& outSize, size_t& currentPage) const {
+    size_t pageCount = _gpuBuffer._pages.size();
+    // Advance to the first dirty page
+    while (currentPage < pageCount && (0 == (Buffer::DIRTY & _gpuBuffer._pages[currentPage]))) {
+        ++currentPage;
+    }
+
+    // If we got to the end, we're done
+    if (currentPage >= pageCount) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // Advance to the next clean page
+    outOffset = static_cast<GLintptr>(currentPage * _gpuBuffer._pageSize);
+    while (currentPage < pageCount && (0 != (Buffer::DIRTY & _gpuBuffer._pages[currentPage]))) {
+        ++currentPage;
+    }
+    outSize = static_cast<GLsizeiptr>((currentPage * _gpuBuffer._pageSize) - outOffset);
+    return true;
 }
 
 GLBackend::GLBuffer* GLBackend::syncGPUObject(const Buffer& buffer) {
     GLBuffer* object = Backend::getGPUObject<GLBackend::GLBuffer>(buffer);
 
-    if (object && (object->_stamp == buffer.getSysmem().getStamp())) {
-        return object;
+    bool forceTransferAll = false;
+    // Has the storage size changed?
+    if (!object || object->_stamp != buffer.getSysmem().getStamp()) {
+        object = new GLBuffer(buffer);
+        forceTransferAll = true;
     }
 
-    // need to have a gpu object?
-    if (!object) {
-        object = new GLBuffer();
-        glGenBuffers(1, &object->_buffer);
-        (void) CHECK_GL_ERROR();
-        Backend::setGPUObject(buffer, object);
+    if (forceTransferAll || (0 != (buffer._flags & Buffer::DIRTY))) {
+        object->transfer(forceTransferAll);
     }
 
-    // Now let's update the content of the bo with the sysmem version
-    // TODO: in the future, be smarter about when to actually upload the glBO version based on the data that did change
-    //if () {
-    glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, object->_buffer);
-    glBufferData(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, buffer.getSysmem().getSize(), buffer.getSysmem().readData(), GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW);
-    glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, 0);
-    object->_stamp = buffer.getSysmem().getStamp();
-    object->setSize((GLuint)buffer.getSysmem().getSize());
-    //}
-    (void) CHECK_GL_ERROR();
-
     return object;
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Resource.cpp b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Resource.cpp
index deb17300c3..add9b1df3c 100644
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Resource.cpp
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Resource.cpp
@@ -109,40 +109,18 @@ void Resource::Sysmem::deallocateMemory(Byte* dataAllocated, Size size) {
     }
 }
 
-Resource::Sysmem::Sysmem() :
-    _stamp(0),
-    _size(0),
-    _data(NULL)
-{
-}
+Resource::Sysmem::Sysmem() {}
 
-Resource::Sysmem::Sysmem(Size size, const Byte* bytes) :
-    _stamp(0),
-    _size(0),
-    _data(NULL)
-{
-    if (size > 0) {
-        _size = allocateMemory(&_data, size);
-        if (_size >= size) {
-            if (bytes) {
-                memcpy(_data, bytes, size);
-            }
-        }
+Resource::Sysmem::Sysmem(Size size, const Byte* bytes) {
+    if (size > 0 && bytes) {
+        setData(_size, bytes);
     }
 }
 
-Resource::Sysmem::Sysmem(const Sysmem& sysmem) :
-    _stamp(0),
-    _size(0),
-    _data(NULL)
-{
+Resource::Sysmem::Sysmem(const Sysmem& sysmem) {
     if (sysmem.getSize() > 0) {
-        _size = allocateMemory(&_data, sysmem.getSize());
-        if (_size >= sysmem.getSize()) {
-            if (sysmem.readData()) {
-                memcpy(_data, sysmem.readData(), sysmem.getSize());
-            }
-        }
+        allocate(sysmem._size);
+        setData(_size, sysmem._data);
     }
 }
 
@@ -208,7 +186,6 @@ Resource::Size Resource::Sysmem::setData( Size size, const Byte* bytes ) {
     if (allocate(size) == size) {
         if (size && bytes) {
             memcpy( _data, bytes, _size );
-            _stamp++;
         }
     }
     return _size;
@@ -217,7 +194,6 @@ Resource::Size Resource::Sysmem::setData( Size size, const Byte* bytes ) {
 Resource::Size Resource::Sysmem::setSubData( Size offset, Size size, const Byte* bytes) {
     if (size && ((offset + size) <= getSize()) && bytes) {
         memcpy( _data + offset, bytes, size );
-        _stamp++;
         return size;
     }
     return 0;
@@ -264,65 +240,105 @@ Buffer::Size Buffer::getBufferGPUMemoryUsage() {
     return Context::getBufferGPUMemoryUsage();
 }
 
-Buffer::Buffer() :
-    Resource(),
-    _sysmem(new Sysmem()) {
+Buffer::Buffer(Size pageSize) :
+    _pageSize(pageSize) {
     _bufferCPUCount++;
-
 }
 
-Buffer::Buffer(Size size, const Byte* bytes) :
-    Resource(),
-    _sysmem(new Sysmem(size, bytes)) {
-    _bufferCPUCount++;
-    Buffer::updateBufferCPUMemoryUsage(0, _sysmem->getSize());
+Buffer::Buffer(Size size, const Byte* bytes, Size pageSize) : Buffer(pageSize) {
+    setData(size, bytes);
 }
 
-Buffer::Buffer(const Buffer& buf) :
-    Resource(),
-    _sysmem(new Sysmem(buf.getSysmem())) {
-    _bufferCPUCount++;
-    Buffer::updateBufferCPUMemoryUsage(0, _sysmem->getSize());
+Buffer::Buffer(const Buffer& buf) : Buffer(buf._pageSize) {
+    setData(buf.getSize(), buf.getData());
 }
 
 Buffer& Buffer::operator=(const Buffer& buf) {
-    (*_sysmem) = buf.getSysmem();
+    const_cast<Size&>(_pageSize) = buf._pageSize;
+    setData(buf.getSize(), buf.getData());
     return (*this);
 }
 
 Buffer::~Buffer() {
     _bufferCPUCount--;
-
-    if (_sysmem) {
-        Buffer::updateBufferCPUMemoryUsage(_sysmem->getSize(), 0);
-        delete _sysmem;
-        _sysmem = NULL;
-    }
+    Buffer::updateBufferCPUMemoryUsage(_sysmem.getSize(), 0);
 }
 
 Buffer::Size Buffer::resize(Size size) {
+    _end = size;
     auto prevSize = editSysmem().getSize();
-    auto newSize = editSysmem().resize(size);
-    Buffer::updateBufferCPUMemoryUsage(prevSize, newSize);
-    return newSize;
+    if (prevSize < size) {
+        auto newPages = getRequiredPageCount();
+        auto newSize = newPages * _pageSize;
+        editSysmem().resize(size);
+        // All new pages start off as clean, because they haven't been populated by data
+        _pages.resize(newPages, 0);
+        Buffer::updateBufferCPUMemoryUsage(prevSize, newSize);
+    }
+    return _end;
 }
 
+void Buffer::dirtyPages(Size offset, Size bytes) {
+    if (!bytes) {
+        return;
+    }
+    _flags |= DIRTY;
+    // Find the starting page
+    Size startPage = (offset / _pageSize);
+    // Non-zero byte count, so at least one page is dirty
+    Size pageCount = 1;
+    // How much of the page is after the offset?
+    Size remainder = _pageSize - (offset % _pageSize);
+    //  If there are more bytes than page space remaining, we need to increase the page count
+    if (bytes > remainder) {
+        // Get rid of the amount that will fit in the current page
+        bytes -= remainder;
+
+        pageCount += (bytes / _pageSize);
+        if (bytes % _pageSize) {
+            ++pageCount;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Mark the pages dirty
+    for (Size i = 0; i < pageCount; ++i) {
+        _pages[i + startPage] |= DIRTY;
+    }
+}
+
+
 Buffer::Size Buffer::setData(Size size, const Byte* data) {
-    auto prevSize = editSysmem().getSize();
-    auto newSize = editSysmem().setData(size, data);
-    Buffer::updateBufferCPUMemoryUsage(prevSize, newSize);
-    return newSize;
+    resize(size);
+    setSubData(0, size, data);
+    return _end;
 }
 
 Buffer::Size Buffer::setSubData(Size offset, Size size, const Byte* data) {
-    return editSysmem().setSubData( offset, size, data);
+    auto changedBytes = editSysmem().setSubData(offset, size, data);
+    if (changedBytes) {
+        dirtyPages(offset, changedBytes);
+    }
+    return changedBytes;
 }
 
 Buffer::Size Buffer::append(Size size, const Byte* data) {
-    auto prevSize = editSysmem().getSize();
-    auto newSize = editSysmem().append( size, data);
-    Buffer::updateBufferCPUMemoryUsage(prevSize, newSize);
-    return newSize;
+    auto offset = _end;
+    resize(_end + size);
+    setSubData(offset, size, data);
+    return _end;
+}
+
+Buffer::Size Buffer::getSize() const { 
+    Q_ASSERT(getSysmem().getSize() >= _end);
+    return _end;
+}
+
+Buffer::Size Buffer::getRequiredPageCount() const {
+    Size result = _end / _pageSize;
+    if (_end % _pageSize) {
+        ++result;
+    }
+    return result;
 }
 
 const Element BufferView::DEFAULT_ELEMENT = Element( gpu::SCALAR, gpu::UINT8, gpu::RAW );
diff --git a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Resource.h b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Resource.h
index 570aff00fc..3f9a87b52c 100644
--- a/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Resource.h
+++ b/libraries/gpu/src/gpu/Resource.h
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ protected:
         // Access the byte array.
         // The edit version allow to map data.
         const Byte* readData() const { return _data; } 
-        Byte* editData() { _stamp++; return _data; }
+        Byte* editData() { return _data; }
 
         template< typename T > const T* read() const { return reinterpret_cast< T* > ( _data ); } 
-        template< typename T > T* edit() { _stamp++; return reinterpret_cast< T* > ( _data ); } 
+        template< typename T > T* edit() { return reinterpret_cast< T* > ( _data ); } 
 
         // Access the current version of the sysmem, used to compare if copies are in sync
         Stamp getStamp() const { return _stamp; }
@@ -102,9 +102,9 @@ protected:
         bool isAvailable() const { return (_data != 0); }
 
     private:
-        Stamp _stamp;
-        Size  _size;
-        Byte* _data;
+        Stamp _stamp { 0 };
+        Size  _size { 0 };
+        Byte* _data { nullptr };
     };
 
 };
@@ -115,19 +115,26 @@ class Buffer : public Resource {
     static void updateBufferCPUMemoryUsage(Size prevObjectSize, Size newObjectSize);
 
 public:
+    enum Flag {
+        DIRTY = 0x01,
+    };
+
+    // Currently only one flag... 'dirty'
+    using PageFlags = std::vector<uint8_t>;
+    static const Size DEFAULT_PAGE_SIZE = 4096;
     static uint32_t getBufferCPUCount();
     static Size getBufferCPUMemoryUsage();
     static uint32_t getBufferGPUCount();
     static Size getBufferGPUMemoryUsage();
 
-    Buffer();
-    Buffer(Size size, const Byte* bytes);
+    Buffer(Size pageSize = DEFAULT_PAGE_SIZE);
+    Buffer(Size size, const Byte* bytes, Size pageSize = DEFAULT_PAGE_SIZE);
     Buffer(const Buffer& buf); // deep copy of the sysmem buffer
     Buffer& operator=(const Buffer& buf); // deep copy of the sysmem buffer
     ~Buffer();
 
     // The size in bytes of data stored in the buffer
-    Size getSize() const { return getSysmem().getSize(); }
+    Size getSize() const;
     const Byte* getData() const { return getSysmem().readData(); }
     Byte* editData() { return editSysmem().editData(); }
 
@@ -143,6 +150,20 @@ public:
     // \return the number of bytes copied
     Size setSubData(Size offset, Size size, const Byte* data);
 
+    template <typename T>
+    Size setSubData(Size index, const T& t) {
+        Size offset = index * sizeof(T);
+        Size size = sizeof(T);
+        return setSubData(offset, size, reinterpret_cast<const Byte*>(&t));
+    }
+
+    template <typename T>
+    Size setSubData(Size index, const std::vector<T>& t) {
+        Size offset = index * sizeof(T);
+        Size size = t.size() * sizeof(T);
+        return setSubData(offset, size, reinterpret_cast<const Byte*>(&t[0]));
+    }
+
     // Append new data at the end of the current buffer
     // do a resize( size + getSize) and copy the new data
     // \return the number of bytes copied
@@ -158,15 +179,24 @@ public:
         return append(sizeof(T) * t.size(), reinterpret_cast<const Byte*>(&t[0]));
     }
 
-    // Access the sysmem object.
-    const Sysmem& getSysmem() const { assert(_sysmem); return (*_sysmem); }
-    Sysmem& editSysmem() { assert(_sysmem); return (*_sysmem); }
-
     const GPUObjectPointer gpuObject {};
     
 protected:
+    // Access the sysmem object, limited to ourselves and GPUObject derived classes
+    const Sysmem& getSysmem() const { return _sysmem; }
+    Sysmem& editSysmem() { return _sysmem; }
 
-    Sysmem* _sysmem = NULL;
+    Size getRequiredPageCount() const;
+    void dirtyPages(Size offset, Size bytes);
+
+    Size _end { 0 };
+    mutable uint8_t _flags;
+    mutable PageFlags _pages;
+    const Size _pageSize;
+    Sysmem _sysmem;
+
+    // FIXME find a more generic way to do this.
+    friend class GLBackend;
 };
 
 typedef std::shared_ptr<Buffer> BufferPointer;