Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing on JANET Internet

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing on JANET Internet 2 International Task Force Internet 2 Member meeting 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 1

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Report: David Salmon UKERNA Slides: Roger Bolam Video Development Engineer UKERNA 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 2

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Outline • Background to JANET Videoconferencing • IP Videoconferencing Pilot • Service Components and Capabilities 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 3

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing History of Videoconferencing Services on JANET • Mid to late 90’s – High quality studio based service over ATM network – Limited number of sites • Centralised videoconferencing service to community for five years – Mix of ISDN and ATM technologies 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 4

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Drivers for IP Videoconferencing Service • Plenty of Super. JANET 4 capacity – Initially 2. 5 Gb/s, now 10 Gb/s backbone • ATM Closure of Scottish MANs Videoconferencing Network (SMVCN) • Welsh Video Network developments – 90 studios now equipped and operational • A requirement from our community 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 5

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Recent IP Videoconferencing Work • H. 323 Architecture Group – Report and recommendations • Budget approval – EU Procurement for centralised service components • Pilot Activities – Welsh Video Network 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 6

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Service target • Service aimed at all organisations with direct connections to JANET – 800+ HE, FE & Research Council • Open to all endpoints subject to passing a QA test – “Endpoints” are mostly VC studios – “Desktops” can apply to register 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 7

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Service Architecture • Centralised Service • MCUs, Gateways and Gatekeepers • Equipment located in Core Points of Presence (CPo. Ps) and on JANET • Conference Booking System • Management and advisory service • Security and resilience 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 8

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 9

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Results of Procurement • • Two Accord MGC 100 MCUs International Gatekeepers (Cisco MCM) National Gatekeepers (Cisco MCM) MCU Gatekeepers (Cisco MCM) 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 10

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Accord MGC 100 MCU/Gateway • Can support: – 48 IP sites @ 2 Mbit/s IP – 64 sites @ 384 k ISDN • Full Gateway capabilities between IP and ISDN • Full inter-operation between different audio and video protocols - real time trans-coding 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 11

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Service Gatekeeper Hierarchy • Three levels of Gatekeeper: – – International (resilient) National (resilient) Site supports Global Dialling Scheme • Collaborative effort – European NRNs and Vi. De. Net adopting same Gatekeeper Hierarchy and Global Dialling Scheme 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 12

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing JANET recommendations to sites • CODECs capable of initiating calls at speeds between 384 kbit/s & 2 Mbit/s IP • Implement a local gatekeeper – can register with centralised JANET site gatekeeper(s) – Interim measure • Proxy server or H. 323 aware firewall for security • Suitably provisioned JANET Access ( i. e. enough bandwidth – Force a full-duplex ethernet LAN infrastructure: autonegotiation does not work 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 13

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Institution Firewall H. 323 Gatekeeper/Proxy Cisco Multimedia Conference Manager (MCM) 366 x 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 14

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Site Service Usage Requirements • • Sites must be fully QA tested Separate QA Testing for IP and ISDN Sites must be registered with a gatekeeper Conferences must be booked using the JANET Booking System 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 15

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Service Management • Central management service • Booking system operation and development • Conference scheduling and equipment configuration • QA testing service • Advice and consultancy service for the community 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 16

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing QA Testing • QA Tests to check all registered sites. – Mix of objective & subjective AV quality checks • Initiated with the ISDN video service – Made a big difference as quality improved during the service roll-out • Audio and Video can be compared to standard benchmarks • Tests include: echo cancellation quality, ambient noise levels, line noise, audio levels, video jitter, video pixellation 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 17

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing QA testing - 2 • Repeated every 6 months or so – Systems which pass remain registered – Systems which fail • Advice offered by testers • Deeper problems/issues passed to VTAS consultancy service for investigation • Users can provide anonymous feedback – Identify poor sites and trigger QA tests 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 18

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing JANET Videoconferencing Booking System • Developed in-house for ISDN/ATM service • System has been further developed to add IP bookings. – Some 300 sites registered – Approximately 90% are “studios” • Automated booking – manual resource scheduling checks and configuration • Aim for more automated resource scheduling in future – Accommodate Ad-hoc bookings – Currently needs ~24 hours notice 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 19

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Timescales • Contract was placed for major service components 14 th June 2002 • Pilot started September 2002 • Full Service 2003 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 20

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Quality of Service • • • Real time applications benefit from Qo. S UKERNA Qo. S project Prototyping Qo. S mechanisms on JANET IP Premium using Diff Serv EF Qo. S must to be End to End 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 21

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Further Information • VIP Project http: //www. ja. net/development/video/vip/reports/ • H. 323 Architecture Group Report http: //www. ja. net/development/video/arch/ • Pilot Information http: //www. ja. net/development/video/pilot/announc ement/html 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 22

Overview of JANET IP Videoconferencing Contact Details for Further Information Roger Bolam Video Development Engineer UKERNA Email r. bolam@ukerna. ac. uk 27 th October 2002 IP VC on JANET 23