videoconferencing technology workshop
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
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Site Coordinator Training:VC by VCOctober 28, 2008
Nicholas Thompson, Ohio StateDavid Devereaux-Weber, WisconsinBob Dixon, OSCnet and Ohio StateGabe Moulton, Ohio State
Training Agenda
12:30
12:50
2:00
2:35
3:00
3:10
3:20
3:30
3:40
3:50
4:00
4:10
4:20
4:35
4:45
Introduction
Network
Gatekeepers
MCUs
Gateways
Break
Streaming & Archival
H.323 Endpoints
Environmental Considerations
Videoconferencing Etiquette
Site Coordinator Duties
How to become a certified coordinator
The Internet2 Commons
University of Iowa use of the Commons
Adjourn
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IntroductionBob Dixon
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Peanut Gallery
This session is only as good as you make it, please chime in with your stories, experiences and questions
There are no bad questions!
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What is videoconferencing?
A real-time, two-way exchange of information between two or more geographically disperse locations using audio, video and sometimes data
It is not web conferencing, video chat, web casting, or streaming
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Different Technologies
Standards-based:– H.320: videoconferencing on ISDN lines– H.321: videoconferencing using ATM connections– H.323: videoconferencing over packet-based
networks i.e. IP– SIP: multimedia multicast transmissions over IP
Currently used more in Voice over IP transmissions, but slowly moving into the videoconferencing world
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Different Technologies
Not Standards-based:– Access Grid (AG)– Virtual Room Videoconferencing System (VRVS)– DVTS
- Hundreds of Collaboration Tools
Some of these technologies have created or are creating interoperability with H.323
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Conferencing vs. Broadcasting
Conferencing Live Like a telephone call Two-way Call up and answer
Broadcasting Live or on demand Like watching television One-way Tune-in or enter URL Streaming Webcasting
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Standards
The United Nations
International Telecommunications Union ratifies standards for communications technologies, such as H.323
Multiple parties and vendors get input on how the standards are ratified and what gets included
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H.320 ISDN vs. H.323 IP
H.320 ISDN Special Room High installation cost for
connectivity lines Expensive connectivity
costs Charges to maintain
lines Professional operator Centrally scheduled
and administered
H.323 IP Any room with high
speed Internet connectivity
No connectivity cost once you pay your ISP
Simple, user-friendly to operate
Decentralized control
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The H.323 Standard
H.323 is an umbrella standard that encompasses standards for– Audio
G.711, G.722, G.722.1, G.723.1, G.728, G.729
– Video H.264, H.263, H.261
– Data H.239, T.120
– Others: Call Control, Directories
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A Note on Video Algorithms
H.261 is the oldest of the standards– Most H.323 and H.320 endpoints can handle this
algorithm
H.263 is newer – Most newer H.323 and H.320 endpoints can use
this algorithm
H.264 is the newest– Only the newest H.323 endpoints use this
algorithm
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Why is this important?
With each new video codec/algorithm comes a better means of processing the video
Each new codec provides better quality video at lower speeds
This means that a 768 kbps call using H.261 video looks as good as a 384 kbps call using H.264 video
This can make a satellite-based videoconference look just as good as land-line
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A note about H.239
H.239 is the standards-approved means of doing “duo-video” or “people+content”
This allows for VGA content to be transmitted through the videoconference at native 1024x768 resolution
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Pieces of an H.323 System
Network– The backbone of any H.323 call
Gatekeepers– A control device for H.323 components
Multipoint Control Units (MCUs)– Special network devices that allow more than two
sites to connect at the same time
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Pieces of an H.323 System (cont.)
Gateways– Devices that convert other standards to H.323
Terminals/Endpoints– This is how any site joins an H.323
videoconference
Streaming/Archival– Bringing content to those that cannot attend either
due to time constraints or no H.323 equipment
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The NetworkDavid Devereaux-Weber
The backbone for successful conferencing
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Wiring and Station Cables
3rd floor
Ethernet switch horizontal wiring station cable devicedatajack
iMac
Common practice is unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) according to the specs:
• CAT 3 [old] supports 10 Mbps Ethernet (10base-T)• CAT 5 [modern] supports 10base-T, 100 Mbps (100base-
TX) and 5e supports 1000 Mbps (1000base-T) Ethernet • CAT 6 [new] supports CAT 5 applications +
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Wiring and Station Cables
Actual wire used and quality of installation may vary widely – know your wiring!
Important to consider the station cables • Don’t use sub-CAT 5 station cables for 100 Mbps connections.
• Silver Satin telephone line cords are not CAT 5.• UTP and florescent lighting.
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Ethernet LAN
Bandwidths are 10 / 100 / 1000 Mbps Full- and Half-Duplex
– Half-duplex: since sending and receiving are on the same pairs of wires or fibers, equipment can only send or receive at one time, and must listen for collisions with packets from other devices.
– Full-duplex: since sending and receiving are on different pairs of wires or different fibers, equipment can send and receive simultaneously and do not need to listen for collision.
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Ethernet LAN
– full-duplex is not consistently implemented on old 10 Mbps Ethernet equipment – test before your conference to be sure it works.
– 100 Mbps supports half- and full-duplex.– Modern devicescan auto-sense speed and duplex.
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LAN: Switches vs. Hubs
Hubs (repeaters) are old technology. A repeater sends (repeats) packets that are
coming in on one port toall other ports. Collisions can occur, so devices must listen for them, and so can only operate in half-duplex mode.
Bandwidth is shared among all devices and collisions force re-transmissions causing jitter.
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LAN: Switches vs. Hubs
An Ethernet switch learns the MAC addresses of the devices connected to it, and sends packets directly and only to the target end-point.
Since only 2 endpoints can talk (no collisions), they can both talk at same time (full duplex).
Provides much more consistent bandwidth and latency (low jitter).
A well-designed switched LAN is important for videoconferencing. Repeater-based LANs should be upgraded to switched for videoconferencing!
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LAN: Switches vs. Hubs
Watch out for user-installed hubs – users might not know the shortcomings of hubs for videoconferencing, and such hubs may have been installed by others.
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LAN: Ethernet Duplex Mismatch
One of the most common causes of performance issues on 10/100Mb Ethernet links is when one port on the link is operating at half-duplex while the other port is operating at full-duplex.
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LAN: Ethernet Duplex Mismatch
There is a silent performance-killer out there, one so inconspicuous that it is hardly ever looked for or even suspected. You could suffer from it and never know it, as it robs a site of performance but not connectivity. This performance-killer has a name: Ethernet duplex mismatch.
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LAN: Ethernet Duplex Mismatch
If one end of a connection is set for auto-negotiation and fails to see auto-negotiation at the other end, the standard requires that the auto-negotiate end set itself to the half-duplex default. If the other device is set for full duplex, a mismatch is guaranteed.
Auto-negotiation can sometimes fail, even when both sides are set to auto (although this isn’t as prevalent as in the past).
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LAN: Duplex Mismatch Detection
Microsoft Windows doesn’t display the auto-negotiated duplex setting.
Cisco switches can detect duplex mismatch, but do not correct it (see notes).
Previous versions of Polycom firmware had an irregularity that let administrators choose AUTO speed and duplex, but then silently used 10/half, causing significant performance problems. Make sure you have current firmware.
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LAN: Ethernet Duplex Mismatch
switch device switch device
auto auto auto autohalf half half halffull full full full
auto full BAD! half fullfull auto BAD! full half
auto half half halfhalf auto half half
SETTINGS RESULTS
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LAN: Duplex Mismatch- Prevention
Our recommendations:
–Don’t use hubs for videoconferencing.–If building wiring is CAT 3, try to set switch port and device to 10/full, but test before conference.
–If building wiring is CAT 5 or better, then set switch ports and devices to 100/full if supported on switch and device.
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Router
WAN
Campus Backbone
intranet Internet2intranetInternet2
CommercialInternet
Provides interface to the WAN.• Intranet, commercial
Internet, and Internet2 connections.
• Typically, every networked device at an Internet2-connected institution has connectivity to Internet2.
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WAN Segments
Service Speed Sample Uses
T1 1.5 Mbps remote building; extension center
DS3 45 Mbps inter-campus; Internet (I1) connection
OC3 155 Mbpsinter-campus; I1 & Internet2 connection
OC12 622 Mbps I1 backbones; Internet2 connection
OC 48 2.4 Gbps I1 and Internet2 backbones
1&10 Gigabit Ethernet 1 or 10 Gbps
advanced inter-campus connections utilizing dark fiber
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Internet2 Globalnoc Real Time Atlas
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Traffic on the Network
Typical university today:– IP
TCPUDP
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Traffic on the LAN
Unicast : one-to-one Multicast: one-to-many Broadcast: one-to-every
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Unicast
Most common traffic Common applications: mail, Web
browsing, file transfer, etc.
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IP Multicast
A one-to-many mode of transmission Network numbers 224.0.0.0 through
239.255.255.255 are reserved for multicast. Examples of multicast applications:
– Streaming on PolycomViewstations– Vic/rat videoconferencing– Centralized PC software administration tools such as Symantec Ghost
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IP Multicast – Leak Problems
Beware: high rates of unpruned multicast can adversely affect videoconference performance.
Use a network traffic and protocol analyzer to identify this problem.
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Broadcast
A one-to-every mode of transmission Used by network protocols including ARP, NetBIOS
system discovery, and name resolution. All devices on the network must process every
broadcast packet; high broadcast rates can divert processing capacity.
If the broadcast domain is too large or unusually active, the activity required at the end-point to deal with the broadcasts could diminish performance.
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Broadcast
A healthy network should have less than 100 broadcast packets per second.
Check using a network traffic and protocol analyzer tool.
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Unicast Video Broadcasting
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Multicast Video Broadcasting
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Firewalls
A firewall is a network node that acts to enforce an access control policy between two networks, e.g., between a university intranet and the commercial Internet.
Used to secure IT resources against external attacks and break-ins.
Network-layer firewalls typically make their decisions based upon port numbers and source/destination addresses.
Application-layer firewalls act as proxies.
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Firewalls
H.323 uses the IP ports:– Statically-assigned TCP ports 1718 – 1720 and 1731 for call setup and control.
– Dynamically-assigned UDP ports in the range of 1024 – 65535 for video and audio data streams.
Firewalls don’t allow unrestricted ports. Typical modern firewalls and H.323 don’t get along so well.
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Firewalls – Solutions for H.323
[bad; non-scaleable] Allow unrestricted ports for specific, known, external IP-addresses.
[better, but still not so good] Use feature of some videoconferencing clients to confine dynamic ports to a specific, narrow range.
[OK, but extra admin work] Use an H.323 application proxy.
[best] Use a firewall that snoops on the H.323 call set-up channels (static ports) and opens ports for the audio/video (dynamic ports) as needed.
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NAT (Network Address Translation)
Allows multiple computers behind the NAT to share one external network address.
Uses:• Alleviate shortage of IP addresses• Security – obscures view of the network from outside• Flexible network administration
Not commonly used at universities on the campus level. Used somewhat in corporations. Common in small offices and at home – behind DSL, cable modem, or ISDN network service.
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NAT
Difficult to use H.323 behind NAT. Some videoconferencing terminals provide features
to work with NAT. Refer to videoconferencing terminal documentation.
Think of your private IP address like an internal telephone number. An endpoint outside of your organization will not know what to do with it.
– 10.x.x.x– 192.168.x.x– 172.16.x.x-172.31.x.x
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Solution Caveats
Though many manufacturers have Firewall/NAT traversal solutions built in to their devices, these are proprietary vendor-specific solutions
Polycom’s “Use Defined Ports” only works on point-to-point Polycom to Polycom calls
H.460.17, 18, 19 are standards-based solutions ratified into H.323 to standardize Firewall and NAT traversal solutions
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H.460.17/18/19 Firewall Traversal
Works by creating pin-holes Products that follow it
– Polycom V2IU©*– Tandberg Expressway©– Radvision PathFinder™– Micromethod Horizon™
* Only follows the .18 portion of the whole standard
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H.460.17/18/19 Firewall Traversal
Solutions that do not follow the standard– Direct Packet Research S.T.N.S©– Visual Nexus
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Latency
Latency is the time required for a packet to traverse a network from source to destination.
Components of latency include:– Propagation delay: the time it takes to traverse the distance of the transmission line; controlled by the speed of light in the media; rule-of-thumb: 20ms San Francisco to New York.
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Latency
Transmission delay: the time it takes for the source to put a packet on the network. Rule-of-thumb for general network devices: < 1ms.– For H.323 this includes time to encode/decode
the video Store-and-forward delay: the cumulative
length of time it takes the internetworking devices along the path to receive, process, and resend the packets. Rule-of-thumb: variable, and depends upon network load.
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Latency
Rule of thumb:– A one-way delay of:
- 0 – 150 ms provides excellent interactivity- 150 – 300 ms is OK- 300 – 400 ms is bad- 400+ ms is unacceptable
- Satellite delay in the “unacceptable” range, but you will find that you get used to the delay
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Jitter
Jitter is variation in latency over time. If the endpoints are on switched LANs, then
the primary source of jitter is variation in the store-and-forward time, resulting from network load.
Network media areadversely affected by high levels of jitter. If a packet arrives too late, it is discarded without being used.
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Jitter
Videoconference devices can put packets in a buffer and read them out with precise timing, but a buffer adds latency to the conference.
As an example, Polycom VSX devices can correct up to about 75 ms of jitter. Above that, the packets will arrive to late too be used.
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Packet Loss
Packet loss is typically due to congested links and routers.
– 1% is noticeable
– 5% becomes intolerable
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QoS (Quality of Service)
A method of giving some packets higher priority than others.
Not currently feasible on commercial Internet and Internet2 networks for production, regular use. Internet2 is working on QoS plans, but the current over-provisioned Internet2 network doesn’t dictate need (for QoS).
Is useful on over-utilized intranet - WAN links.
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QoS
How:–Some videoconferencing terminals can set the IP precedence bits. Use that for marking and priority queuing on the WAN.
Or:–Use a H.323 Proxy for consolidation of traffic to a single address, router access list for marking, and priority queuing on the WAN.
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QoS
Caution!–The wrong implementation could result in unwanted tradeoffs, e.g., packet loss improves but jitter gets worse.
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The End-to-End Performance Problem
Scenario– Users on two different campuses of a university are experiencing poor video and audio in a conference.
– Each user is supported by a different group of videoconferencing engineers.
– Each campus is supported by a different group of network engineers.
– The wide-area network is supported by a third group of network engineers.
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The End-to-End Performance Problem
Problem– How do the users get timely, useful assistance?– How is network problem resolution coordinated?
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The End-to-End Performance Problem
Obstacles– Different groups, schedules, and priorities.– No one engineer has a complete understanding of the entire network path.
– No one engineer can gain access to all the network nodes (routers, switches) along the path to inspect for trouble.
– Communications are inconsistent from engineer to engineer.
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The End-to-End Performance Problem
Solutions– Articulate the E-2-E problem to network management and engineers on all campuses.
– Establish reliable communication tools, and insist that engineers utilize the tools.
– Hold regular meetings; bring all engineers together in one place and time to share information.
– Have good network documentation for all networks.
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E2E Recommendations
Develop a close relationship with the network engineers and NOC. Make sure they understand what’s being done with videoconferencing and the network sensitivity of IP-based video.
Articulate the End-to-End Performance Problem to network engineering and operations management. Champion ways to reduce the problem.
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E2E Recommendations
Have engineers in the videoconferencing support group trained to understand networking issues and tools.
Be sure to open trouble tickets with your NOC so that a problem history is maintained.
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H.323 is Network Sensitive!
The big problems are:– Half/Full-duplex mismatches– Packet loss– Jitter– Substandard horizontal wiring or station cables– Multicast leaks– High broadcast rates
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Videoconferencing Over a Satellite Network
Satellite networks are inherently highly latent– You cannot beat the speed of light– Your connection is traveling over 50,000 miles
Be prepared to speak and wait and to ask others in your conference to do the same
While initially difficult to communicate, you and the other site (or sites) will become accustomed to the delay after a few minutes of conversation
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Networking Recommendations
Use switched Ethernet. Watch out for duplex mismatches. Keep an eye on utilization of WAN links, packet
loss, and jitter. Make sure you don’t have broadcast or multicast
leaking problems. Make sure wiring is up to the task. Test. Before the conference. To have enough time
to troubleshoot and correct.
Putting it all together
Gatekeepers, Multipoint Control Units (MCUs), and Gateways
Nicholas Thompson
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GateKeeperMCU
H.323 Clients
INTERNET
H.323 Videoconferencing
Web Browser
Real Video
H.323
H.320
Gateway
ISDN
POT’s line
Telephone
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GatekeepersNicholas Thompson
Bringing control to your fingertips
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What is a gatekeeper?
Physically it is a server that can be located anywhere on the network
Functionally very similar to a DNS server that does Address lookup
Adds some control functionality Creates an “H.323 zone”
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H.323 Zone
Definition– A single gatekeeper and all of the end points (clients, MCUs, and gateways) that register with the gatekeeper.
Typically is a community– E.g. University or organization
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Gatekeepers Provide:
Admission ControlCall AuthorizationAddress TranslationsBandwidth ManagementZone ManagementCall Signal RoutingManagement Functions
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Typical Gatekeeper Components
Gatekeeper Core FunctionalityWeb Server ManagementSNMP Services
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Basic Operation
Endpoints register with gatekeeper– This is a one time administrative task
Endpoint asks gatekeeper for permission to place call to another endpoint
Endpoint signals call with other endpointEndpoints exchange media directlyEndpoints disconnect, notify gatekeeper
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Technical Description
Uses TCP port 1720, UDP Port 1719, 1718– 1720 for Q.931 call control– 1719 H.225 Registration, Admission, and Status
messages (RAS)– 1718 GK discovery
Deals with H.225, H.245, Q.931– H.225: RAS as above but also call control and call
setup messages– H.245: Media control and Transport signaling
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Gatekeeper Functionality
Services: – Setup for point-to-point calls– Provides access to multipoint conferences
and gateways Neighbor Gatekeepers:
– Provides inter-zone communication Network Topology:
– Allow administrator to employ traffic shaping
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Gatekeeper Functionality
Endpoints: – Live list of registered users
Call Control: – Live list of active calls– Handy when you consider doing upgrades
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Client Authorization
Open Gatekeepers– anyone can register
Predefined EndpointsLDAP Authenticated Endpoints
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Configuration Considerations
Neighbors– Can neighbor with everyone individually– Join a dialing plan
Choose a registration mode– Open, predefined, authenticated
Choose a routing mode– Direct, Call Setup, Call Setup and Call Control
(negotiation)
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Gatekeeper to Gatekeeper Communication
Like with telephones, it is possible to “call out” of your local system if your system is connected to the “outside world”
Initialy we used neighbor tables and individual exit codes for each gatekeeper that we had defined in our gatekeepers
As more and more organizations installed gatekeepers, neighbor tables became larger and more difficult to manage
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Gatekeeper to Gatekeeper Communication
Then the Trans European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA) came up with a plan to use a hierarchy of gatekeepers
Zone prefixes and extension numbers are defined by the national managing agent - usually the National Research Network (NRN) in that country
ViDe also joined in the adoption of this plan
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Global Dialing Scheme (GDS)
A structure for peering between gatekeepers, such that any endpoint associated with a ViDeNet zone may dial an endpoint in any other ViDeNet zone
ViDeNet Version 3 Dial Plan A numbering plan for global video and voice
over IP
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Four parts of a GDS Number
1. International Access Code (IAC) always 002. A Country Code (CC)
– Follows the ITU international access code system
3. An Organizational Prefix (OP)– In North America, ViDeNet lets you chose between E164
space and Super Space (more later)– Some countries use area code/exchange prefix
4. An Endpoint Number (EN)– A unique number assigned to each endpoint following
organization practices GDS numbers are dialed: IAC CC OP EN (without the
spaces)
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North American Numbering Scheme
The North American node of the Global Dialing Scheme utilizes an enhanced version of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) to distribute addresses
The address space is divided into two parts: North American E.164 Space and North American Super Space
– E.164 Space correlates to existing telephone number assignments
– Super Space utilizes unused NANP address space starting with 0 or 1 to create an address space that is separate from existing telephone numbering addresses
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E164 Space
Based upon the ITU-T e.164 telephone number assigned to the current subscriber of a range of telephone numbers
For example, if a university held +1.919.226.6100 through +1.919.226.6199, then that university would be eligible for the GDS prefix 00191922661. That university could assign the remaining two digits to endpoints 00-99
Aside from maintaining direct inward dial (DID) capability for endpoints, there is no reason to limit endpoint numbering to two digits
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Super Space
Prefixes in North American Super Space (NASS) addresses are of the form: PX9– P is a 0 or 1
No North American area code starts with a 0 or a 1
– X is a variable length string of digits consisting of any digit between 0 and 8
– 9 is used as a delimiter Internet2 Commons: 189 Ohio State “Free Love”: 1109 Northwestern University: 1169
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Internet2 Commons Specific Settings
Adopted Global Dialing Scheme (GDS) – Only need two neighbors
North American Root main: 192.148.244.130 North American Root alternate: 207.75.164.39
GDS serves as Dial Plan Open registration mode “Direct” routing mode
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GDS at The Internet2 Commons
The IAC is 00, CC is 1 For the OP, Internet2 requested Super Space, and was
assigned 189 For the EN, we use your ten-digit telephone number
– If you have more than one videoconferencing station and only one telephone number, follow the ten digits by another integer
Gabe and my telephone number is 614-292-8443 and the GDS dial number of our office endpoint is: – 00 1 189 614 292 8443 (spaces for readability only)
Endpoints register with all 16 digits with the gatekeeper
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Internet2 Commons specific settings
Services are 001189 + XXX + YYYY– XXX digits to identify MCU and conference– YYYY digits for a specific users conference
Have not adopted LDAP or H.350 Currently is a Radvision ECS
– 500 concurrent calls, 3000 concurrent registrations
Soon move to GnuGK
Northwestern University Short Cut Dialing
Endpoints (clients) register as a 1 followed by the last five digits of their telephone number (plus possibly another digit if you have multiple clients and one telephone number)
Someone registered with the NU gatekeeper calls 176885
Someone outside of NU dials me as 00111689176885
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Benefits of GDS
Provides a static address in a dynamic world If you have a DHCP IP address, your GDS
number can stay the same If you travel, your GDS number can travel
with you All Internet2 Commons Conferences have
GDS Dial Strings
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Making a GDS Call
00World GK
001North American
GK
0044United Kingdom
GK
0031Netherlands
GK
0011189Internet2 Commons
GK
0011896142478066Nicholas Thompson
00313023SURFnet GK
003130230567Egon Verharen
001189Internet2 Commons
GK
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Gatekeepers Available on the Market
Standalone Gatekeeper– (e.g., RADVISION ECS)
System Blade– (e.g., RADVISION ECS on a blade of a ViaIP)
Embedded in an Endpoint– (e.g., A gatekeeper embedded in a RADVISION OnLAN MCU or gateway or Codian MCU)
Backup Gatekeeper– (e.g., RADVISION Alternate Gatekeeper)
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Gatekeepers Available on the Market
Other Gatekeepers:– Polycom PathNavigator– Cisco (RADVISION code running on Cisco IOS)– Tandberg Gatekeeper– Codian MCU-based Gatekeeper– GNU Gatekeeper (Based on Open323)
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Multipoint Control Units (MCUs)Nicholas Thompson
Bringing many together at once
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Multipoint Control Units: Hardware vs Software
Hardware• Dedicated, real-time
operating system• Generally work well• RADVISION• Polycom (Accord)• Tandberg• Codian• LifeSize
Software• Most based on Windows or
Unix OS on a server• Processor speed catching
up to make them more reliable
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MCU Control Functions
Defining a conference– Ongoing conference or scheduled– Connection Speed– Number of connections allowed– Voice Switched (VS) or– Continuous Presence (CP)
Many different layouts
Operating a conference– Dial In versus Dial Out
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MCU Control Functions
Monitoring a conference– Check to be sure it is fully attended– Mute unruly participants
Monitoring an MCU– MCU Status reports
Cascading MCUs– MCUs calling MCUs for really big conferences
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MCUs available in the market
RADVISION ViaIP (Legacy?)– Up to 100 ports at 384k VS– Powerful, reliable; ECS Gatekeeper– Gatekeeper required for dial in, but not dial out
Radvision Scopia– Chassis-based system or stand alone box– HD capabilities– Scopia Desktop
Tandberg
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MCUs Available in the Market
Polycom MGC (used to be Accord) Codian
– MCU 4200 (SD)– MCU 4500 (HD)
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RADVISION SCOPIA MCU
Newest MCU offerings from RADVISION Blade-style technology in multiple chassis
form factors The combination of blades in the system will
determine the capacity in standard and high definition
Built in web server for configuration
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Polycom MGC
3 Flavors, 25, 50 and 100Capacity varies by configurationSupport for H.264Can support ISDN, IP and ATMSeparate Software controlPriced by configurationBuilt-in reservation capability
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Tandberg MCU
16 users, 3 simultaneous conferencesSupport for H.264Embedded EncryptionSupports ISDN and IPEmbedded web server for control and configurationSmall 1U form factor, 19” Rack-mountable
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Codian MCU 4200
6, 12, 20, 30 and 40 port Standard Definition 12, 20, 30, and 40 port High Definition Embedded web server for control and configuration Built-in streaming available for conferences Direct IP-based dialing and Gatekeeper-based
dialing– For IP-based dialing you need to take Far end camera
control or use DTMF tones
Small 1U form factor, 19” Rack-mountable
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HD MCUs
Radvision, Codian, Tandberg and Polycom all have HD support on their MCUs
Some will require new hardware or software to run HD
Definition of “HD” videoconferencing depends on the manufacturer, usually 720p with 30 fps (720p = 1280 x 720 pixels)
The Commons Polycom MCU is HD-capable
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Commons MCU Testbed
Three MCUs are available for testing and discussion http://commons.internet2.edu/testing
– RADVISION viaIP– Polycom MGC 100– Codian 4240
The Commons will support remote or onsite (you come to Ohio) testing
Useful for assisting in evaluations for your own purchases
109
GatewaysNicholas Thompson
Getting two different technologies to talk to each other
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Gateways
Take one technology and make it work with another– ISDN to IP (H.320 to H.323)– ATM to IP (H.321 to H.323)– SIP to IP (SIP to H.323)– Any combination of the above technologies
111
Gateways available
Standalone box Special card for blade-style
MCUs/Gatekeeper Build it yourself Dual function endpoint
112
Stand Alone Gateways
Typically a rack mount box with inputs for different types of lines (ISDN, ATM or IP)
Web interface for administration ISDN Gateways can take either BRI or PRI
lines– BRI=Basic Rate Interface or 64 kbps per line
usually coming in pairs– PRI=Primary Rate Interface or 23*64 kbps per
line typically transmitted over T1 line
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Blade Style Card
Will take up space that could also be used for other technology
ISDN Blades– Most take a PRI line
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ISDN Gateways
Expensive– The equipment either needs to be dedicated or set
up each time they are needed– ISDN lines carry expensive line charges and
connection fees ISDN lines provide the capability to allow
people (on travel) to dial into a multipoint videoconference from a telephone and interact via audio
Gateways
Radvision Scopia 100 Gateway Codian ISDN GW 3200 (1 to4 PRIs) Tandberg Gateway (see also
CodianGateway)
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Delivering content to those without H.323 or for later review
Streaming and ArchivalGabe Moulton
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Streaming
The one-way delivery of digital content from a streaming server to a streaming client in a continuous, paced, and controlled flow
Alleviates the need to download an entire media clip as a file– Live events don’t exist as a file yet– Allows playing to start before download is
completed
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Streaming a Videoconference
Streaming a videoconference makes it possible for any number of people to view a conference – either live or recorded for on-demand access
Viewers use desktop computers with standard media players such as Real, Windows Media, or QuickTime
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What Can I Do With Streaming?
Key individuals participate by videoconference– A larger audience views the live stream
Save the proceedings of a meeting Make a class or lecture available on-demand
for later student review
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How to Stream a Videoconference
All-in-one solutions Videoconferencing endpoints with built-in
H.26x/G.7xx multicast streaming Combination of videoconferencing terminal
and standard streaming encoder
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All-In-One Box
Can exist anywhere on the networkRepackage the H.323 content into a stream that can be interpreted by QT, Real, or WMP
DO NOT optimize for streamingExamples:
– STARBAK VCG– Virtual Rooms Videoconference Service (VRVS)– Codian MCU or IPVCR—has H.239 support
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Terminals with Built-In Streaming
Some high-end terminals such as– Polycom FX– Tandberg 880
Can multicast the H.26x/G.7xx audio and video in QT, Real and/or WMP
No ability to record for VOD Can be a burden on the local network of the
device
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Combo Endpoint and Encoder
Two standard devices…– H.323 videoconference endpoint– Streaming encoder
Are interconnected– A/V out of H.323 endpoint into A/V input of encoder
Encoder can be just about anything– Real, Windows Media, QuickTime; or MPEG-1,-2,-4; unicast or multicast
Video can be recorded and stored for VOD on server
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Combo Endpoint and Encoder
Combo Endpoint and Encoder can be complex to manage
Have to schedule and manage the encoder– Videoconference scheduling systems don’t
support viewing the pair of devices as a single logical device
MediaSite has a device that can be combined with an endpoint that can capture both the VC and H.239 if that is part of the conference.
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Streaming Quality
Combo Endpoint and Encoder uses optimized-for-streaming encoding formats
Both All-In-One Box and Endpoints with Built-In streaming repackage video and audio which is not optimized for streaming
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An end-user’s view of videoconferencing
H.323 Endpoints Gabe Moulton
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Four basic types of endpoints
Room systems Desktop systems Software-based systems Telepresence Systems
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Room Systems
Most will need a display device– Monitor, projector, etc
Mostly set-top boxes Some can be rack-mounted Some take multiple inputs for video
– Multiple cameras– VGA/Scan converter– Document camera
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Room Systems
All come with an intuitive GUI Interface Almost all use remote controls or some other
external interface Most have one or more external microphone Most hide the “administrative” features from
the end user– Many will password protect the administrative
interface to avoid users changing settings
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Room System Examples
Polycom– VSX line– HDX line
Tandberg– Set-top Series– Edge Series
LifeSize– No support for H.261
video
VTEL IPanel
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Desktop Endpoints
Have built-in processors to handle some of the video encoding
Most will rely on your PC’s monitor or will have a built-in monitor– Some with the built in monitor can take the place
of your current monitor or be used for dual screen Best to use only if you have one to three
people at your site Very few have external inputs for VGA,
external cameras, etc.131
Desktop Endpoints
Many have “strong arm” focusing which can be difficult to get the focus exactly correct
Becoming less popular and expensive compared to software endpoints on today’s faster processors
Most desktop endpoints with built in monitor are aimed at the “Executive” level
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Desktop Endpoint Examples
Polycom– VSX 3000– V700– HDX 4000
Tandberg 1000
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Software Endpoints
Most work only with Windows OS Rely on your monitor for displaying video Use USB or Firewire webcam for capturing
video– A decent USB webcam will cost about $100
Most software packages run in the $150 per endpoint range and offer a free trial period download
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Example Software Endpoints
Polycom PVX– www.polycom.com
Xmeeting – http://xmeeting.sourcefor
ge.net/– Runs on Mac OSX
RADVISION eConf– www.radvision.com
Tandberg Movi– http://
www.tandberg.com/products/pc_videoconferencing.jsp
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Telepresence Setups (H.323)
Multiple systems working together– Polycom– Tandberg– Lifesize
Specific room setup Illusion of one single
room
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Getting you and your space ready for videoconferencing
Environmental Considerations Gabe Moulton
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Setting Up for a Videoconference
Clothing Lighting Back Drop Audio setup Large Conference Room considerations
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Clothing
Solid color shirts “Busy” outfits blur when
on camera Simpler patterns aid the
video compression
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Lighting
Soft white frontal light Standard overhead lights
can cast shadows—especially if the user wears glasses
Think of TV studio lighting Camera can not focus in
low light—keep this in mind if you use a projector
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Backdrop
No hard lines or complicated patterns Can use a dry erase board, but be aware of
glare Solid darker color is ideal
– Avoid red backgrounds they can be hard on the viewing site
Give audience one thing to focus on—YOU Good idea—use a sign to indicate your location
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Bad Backdrop
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Good Backdrop
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Audio Setup
Keep the microphone away from where the speakers are located– This can cause audio loop back
Test audio levels ahead of time– Make a test call – Use built-in features of the endpoint to test
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Audio Setup
Make sure microphones are away from extraneous noise generators– Air conditioners– Laptop/Projector fans
May need to add echo canceling hardware– This is less common as endpoints become MUCH
better at handling audio
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Large Room Considerations
Position the camera to see the primary speaker and audience– May want to add additional cameras
Good lighting Designate locations for Q&A with
microphones Avoid panning the camera too much
– Use endpoint “presets”
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Other Considerations
Plasma burn-in– Many endpoint use icons while in a call– These icons can lead to burn-in on the plasma
screen
Projectors– Newer, brighter projectors (3000+ lumens) are
plenty bright to have room lights on during videoconferences
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Make every conference an enjoyable one
Videoconferencing Etiquette Gabe Moulton
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Plan Your Videoconference
Send the agenda and handouts in advance Allow a few minutes for call setup and shut
down time Stick to the time limits Unplug room telephone or turn off the ringer
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Be Considerate
“Can you hear me, can you hear me?” Remember to mute your microphone when
you are not talking to the group Use a location banner and name tags in case
you are not on a first-name basis with the others in your conference
Take turns speaking and allow time for audio delay
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Be Considerate
Don’t Multi-task on cameraBe aware of possible audio distractions
if your microphone is not muted– Coughing– Paper rattling– AC units, Laptop and projector fans
Don’t bring food unless all sites will be eating
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Tips for Getting Started
Provide an overview workshop for new users to learn basics– Share rules of etiquette– Get experience using the remote control– The importance of muting
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Tips for Getting Started
Publish and distribute print materials or create a website describing basic equipment use and listing the site coordinator’s contact information
Emphasize simple practices like having a clear meeting agenda, muting the microphone, and how to use the remote control
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Test, test, test
Test with every location thoroughly– Testing will help address equipment and
networking issues in advanceTesting provides experience and
creates a positive end experienceMurphy’s Law: If something can go
wrong, it will
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Why We Test
A student had a thesis defenseMoved from the planned, tested
location just prior to a videoconference– Original testing went fine– Far site moved their unit just moments
before the conference was to begin– Nervous presenter waited while new
problems were corrected
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Site Coordinator DutiesBob Dixon
What is expected of you
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Be Your Organization’s Videoconferencing Liaison
Work with the people in your group to assist with scheduling and testing
Establish relationship with your users and best practices for your group
Work with other site coordinators at other organizations
Work with users in conferences you schedule to be sure they can connect
Make nice with your organization’s network administrators
– They can be your best friend in making H.323 really work for your organization
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Troubleshooting Point to Point Videoconferences
Make sure the network is up to the task– Eliminate Firewall or NAT as troublemaker
Make sure both endpoints are turned on and have valid IP addresses– Some endpoints have built-in hub and if the
Ethernet cable is plugged in here, it will not work– Most will give an indication that they have a valid
IP address, but they can be wrong– Make sure you have link lights
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Troubleshooting Multipoint Conferences
Number 1 support call: “I can’t get into the conference”
Make sure all sites have followed the directions Make sure you have the time and date correct Make sure all sites are registered to a GDS
Gatekeeper Double check your speed and what you dialed
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Follow Directions
Commons Dialing Directions come with a date and time (with time zone) reminder and directions similar to this example:
1. Register with a GDS Gatekeeper, if you need to borrow space go here: http://commons.internet2.edu/reggate
2. Make sure you are connecting at 384 kbps3. Dial 001189 700 1234 (no spaces)4. Call 614-292-xxxx for technical support
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Timing is everything
Time zone confusion can be problematic Don’t be surprised if your Tuesday
conference is empty on Wednesday, or simply won’t let you in!
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Registering with a Gatekeeper
Many new users have never done this Typically an administrative chore and
requires administrative access to the endpoint’s settings
This does take a few minutes and can require some rebooting, so be prepared
If your campus is already GDS, make a note of that on the cheat sheet in VC room
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How to register with the Commons Gatekeeper
1. In your videoconferencing endpoint unit, navigate to the H.323 settings menu
2. Enter your email address as your endpoint’s H.323 Name
This gives administrators some idea of who is registering and from where
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How to register with the Commons Gatekeeper (cont.)
3. Assign yourself an E.164 number in this format
001189 + your 10 digit phone number If your phone number is (111) 555-0000,
your GDS number would be 0011891115550000
Your endpoint's system may need to be rebooted.
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How to register with the Commons Gatekeeper (cont.)
4. Navigate back to the H.323/Gatekeeper setting
5. Enter the following IP address: 192.148.244.115
Again, your endpoint may need to be rebooted
6. Congratulations! You should now be registered with the Internet2 Commons Gatekeeper
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Global Dialing Scheme
The Global Dialing Scheme (GDS) provides a structure for peering between gatekeepers, such that any endpoint associated with a ViDeNet zone may dial an endpoint in any other ViDeNet zone.
See www.vide.net
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Again, why should I use GDS?
Achieves a static address or number in dynamic world– If you move your system around from room to room
on DHCP network, you can always be called using the same number
Allows for “long distance” dialing without having to change Gatekeepers
Facilitates use of MCUs by people in different organizations or countries
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Check your speed!
Some MCUs will not let you in if you dial at an incorrect speed
Some will only give you partial connection – Only audio– Only video– Frozen image
Faster is not always the best way to go!
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Check your digits!
One added or missing number may put you in a completely different place
Some MCUs have predefined meeting “rooms” where a mistyped dial string will cause failure to connect
You do not enter the spaces in a GDS dial string, the spaces are for readability like the parenthesis and dashes in telephone numbers
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Is your Polycom lying to you?
Polycom ViewStations have a really great feature that will tell you your IP address is good
THEY LIE!!!– If you have a hard-coded IP address, it will
automatically tell you that it has an IP address even if no network cable is plugged in
– Sometimes they’ll lie if they’re set up for DHCP
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Solutions to the lying Polycom
Be sure a network cable is plugged into the correct jack and look for link lights
Make sure the jack you are using can give you the IP address you want
Try DHCP, registering to a Gatekeeper, or rebooting – Be sure to record the current settings for later use
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Do you have a Firewall or NAT?
Firewall + H.323 = Bad NAT + H.323 = Bad Firewall + NAT + H.323 = Bad
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Still can’t get in?
Some endpoints require you to specify for them to dial by IP or LAN
Is your endpoint ISDN or ATM?– You will need a gateway to convert your signal to IP
and back
Check to make sure the Ethernet cable is plugged into the right place– Some of the older Polycoms have an Ethernet jack
AND a hub port
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Okay, now I’m in but it looks terrible!
Do you have enough bandwidth?– A dedicated T1 for video might not be enough– Say you have 4 endpoints all videoconferencing at 384
kbps– 4 * 384 kbps = 1536 kbps which is your WHOLE T1 and
that doesn’t allow room for overhead– Network congestion can cause a poor
videoconferencing experience Did you check your duplex settings
– Duplex mismatch is the “silent killer” of videoconferencing
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Another word on etiquette
Remember to mute your microphone Try to stay in the frame of the video for the other
end’s pleasure– There’s nothing more distracting that looking at the
top of someone’s head or out their window
Cut down on visual and audio distractions in the room– Air conditioners, fans, and poor mic placement– Busy backgrounds and clothing
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And never forget…
Test Test TEST!!!
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How To Become a Certified Site Coordinator
Bob Dixon
What you’ve all been waiting for!
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Take the Final Exam
Go to http://commons.internet2.edu/participate Fill out the form there The Commons Tech Support Team will receive the
form, send you an email, and ask for some more information that is not on the form (on purpose)
You will then be certified and be on the Internet2 Commons site coordinator web list
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Who Can Be a Site Coordinator?
Anyone who has taken this course OR, anyone who currently works with
videoconferencing in their organization and wants to self-certify– For a list of required knowledge to self-certify see
http://commons.internet2.edu/sccertify.html
You DO NOT need to subscribe to The Internet2 Commons to become a Certified Site Coordinator
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Some excellent resources
www.vide.net Look for the ViDe Videoconferencing Cookbook
www.megaconference.org to sign up for the Megaconference Mailing List
http://commons.internet2.edu and Site Coordinator Mailing List – You will be signed up to that list when you take
the final exam
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The Internet2 CommonsBob Dixon
How to put it to use for your organization
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What is The Internet2 Commons?
A production H.323 video conferencing bridging service, and related services
A test bed for new videoconferencing and collaboration tools
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The Internet2 Commons Mission
Promote and facilitate remote collaboration throughout the Internet2 research and education community by means of innovative and integrated, standards-based Internet technologies
Build on useful technologies to create collaboration services that are: sustainable, scalable, and affordable
Push developers to interoperate and listen to our users
Internet2 Commons Philosophy
• We are here to HELP people, not to run a business.
• We believe in the power of video conferencing to promote world togetherness.
• We use a shared, decentralized support model, to decrease costs and increase collegiality.
• We encourage vendors to donate equipment and services, to decrease costs and provide exposure and recognition for them.
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Current Internet2 Commons Services
Scheduled video conferences Ad-hoc video conferences Technical help from the OSCnet NOC and
OSU professional staff Video streaming and archiving Access to collaboration tools: IOCOM, Microsoft Conference XP, Vidyo
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Current Internet2 Commons Services (cont.)
Unlimited free gatekeeper registration for anyone Operation of Gatekeepers: Western Hemisphere World Gatekeeper both of the redundant North American Gatekeepers both of the redundant Commons Gatekeepers the historic Free Love Gatekeeper Free support of many events, such as
Megaconferences (NOV 6!), Megaconference Juniors, Gigaconferences, Collaboranzas, Internet2-related conferences (such as this one), etc.
How to use it!
I2 Commons Ad Hoc Multi-point Video Conferencing Service
I2 Commons Ad Hoc Multi-point Video Conferencing Service
Definition
Example
Application
Ad Hoc Multi-point Video Conferencing- Definition -
Fixed meeting parameters– Total number of connections– Connection speed– Dialing sequence & procedure (dial in/out)– Video display
Voice Switched (VS) or Continuous Presence (CP) Layout, e.g.,
Result: H.323 virtual room– Managed by the Site Coordinator
etc.
Ad Hoc Multi-point Video Conferencing- Definition -
Fixed meeting parameters– Total number of connections– Connection speed– Dialing sequence & procedure (dial in/out)– Video display
Voice Switched (VS) or Continuous Presence (CP) Layout, e.g.,
Result: H.323 virtual room– Managed by the Site Coordinator
etc.
Ad Hoc Multi-point Video Conferencing- Example -
Maximum connections: 8 Connection speed: 384 Kbps Dial procedure: Participants dial in Dialing sequence: 001189130xxxx Video display: Continuous Presence Layout:
Ad Hoc Multi-point VideoconferencingApplication: University of Iowa
College of Nursing students participate in multiple Master and PhD classes using H.323 video conferencing.
Ad Hoc Multi-point VideoconferencingApplication: University of Iowa
College of Nursing students participate in multiple Master and PhD classes using H.323 video conferencing.
Calendar
Ad Hoc Multi-point Video Conferencing- Advantages -
Same dialing instructions for each video conference
Test calls are easier to schedule Responsiveness to late requests:
18 19 20 21 22
25 26 27 28 29First dayFirst dayof classesof classesFirst dayFirst day
of classesof classes
Instructors beginInstructors beginsubmitting requestssubmitting requests
for multi-pointfor multi-pointconferencingconferencing
Instructors beginInstructors beginsubmitting requestssubmitting requests
for multi-pointfor multi-pointconferencingconferencing
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New Trial Internet2 Commons Services
Site Coordinators run the Commons MCUs themselves.
Live monitoring of video conferences Guaranteed gatekeeper support and assistance Video streaming and archiving, NOT associated
with a video conference These are all optional additional services, with
additional costs.
Who can join the Commons?
Any non-profit or educational organization affiliated with Internet2
You need not be an Internet2 member You need not be connected to Internet2.
As a Commons member, who can I conference with?
ANYBODY anywhere in the world who has H.323 capability
They need not be Internet2 members They need not be Commons members They need not be connected to Internet2
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Why Should I Join The Commons?
You have need of bridging multiple H.323 sites for distance education, bringing in branch campuses, town meetings, etc
You have your own MCU or bridging service and you want overflow or back-up service
You need streaming video and archiving of your video conferences
You need technical assistance You would like to try out the collaboration tools
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How To Join the Commons
Take this class Go to http://commons.internet2.edu Fill out the membership application form Pay the basic membership fee ($2000 for
300 port hours/year). Videoconference away!
Current Commons Members
Boston CollegeCarnegie Mellon (Qatar)CILCCIC (Big 10)CLARA (Latin America Network)ClemsonConcurrent TechnologiesDukeGreen Building AllianceHarvardInternet2Jackson StateMAGPIMichigan (3)
NorthwesternOhio Supercomputer CenterOhio StateOSHEANRutgersSan Diego Supercomputer CenterAlabama - BirminghamConnecticutIowaMinnesotaUniv Puerto Rico (2)St ThomasWisconsinWashington Univ
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Internet 2 Commons Port Hours Used in 2007
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What does the Commons get you?
Mature technology, accepted standards, multiple vendors
Advanced features in multiple MCUs Help! when you need it…and before MCUs, streamers and gatekeepers have
unlimited bandwidth connectivity to the Internet.
All equipment is remote controlled, and located in a secure, environmental and power controlled facility
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Requesting Use of The Commons
Only subscribers can request Commons services
Right now requests are handled either by the submission of the form or over the telephone
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Request Using the Web Form
http://commons.internet2.edu/vcrequest– Password protected– Password sent upon completing subscription
Form is automatically emailed to the Internet2 Commons NOC at OSCnet– You will receive a confirming email with
connection information
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Email the Request
Send to [email protected] Include:
– Date, start time, end time, time zone– Your contact information– Connection speed– Number of sites– Select VS or CP and layout– Streaming request
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Most commonly used layouts
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Special FREE TRIAL period
The month immediately following the Site Coordinator Training, all services are FREE to everyone. A limit of oneconference at a time, and a limit of 50port hours will be set up.
Note, only certified site coordinators can request services, so be sure to complete the certification process.
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New Services Coming in 2009
The Commons Management Team meets twice a month to discuss operational issues for the Commons. We plan on rolling out some new features in 2009. One new feature will be a monitored conference. We also have plans to add an HD MCU.
We are also in process of re-engaging our Commons Corporate Members. Watch our website for further details.
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Thank you
We expect our inbox to be flooded with Site Coordinator forms!