i2 spring 04 video and voice developments on janet roger bolam content delivery manager advanced...
TRANSCRIPT
I2 Spring 04
Video and Voice Developments on JANET
Roger BolamContent Delivery Manager
Advanced Technologies GroupUKERNA
I2 Spring 04
UKERNA
• Operate and manage JANET on behalf of the JISC
• Provide network connectivity and application services to UK HE, FE, Schools, and research organisations
I2 Spring 04
Introduction
• Videoconferencing Services and Developments
• Content Delivery• VoIP
I2 Spring 04
Current VC Services
• JANET Videoconferencing Services (JVCS) around for 6+ years
• 2 Mbit/s videoconferencing for upto 76 sites, ISDN 6 for 96 sites
• 400+ registered CODEC’s - 2500+ videoconferencing hours per month
• H.323 IP dial out and H.320 ISDN dial in• MCU’s and GDS gatekeepers located in
the core of JANET – 10 Gbit
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VC Services cont…..
• Predominately studio based, and fully QA checked
• Service free at point of use (exc ISDN call charges)
• 2 full time operators facilitate service
• Now supporting Access GRID sessions
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VC Services cont…..
• JVCS Services reserved using new JVCS booking system (non-automated)
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Conferencing on Demand(CoD)
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Conferencing on Demand
• On-line dedicated MCU scheduling resource
• Based on Polycom Webcommander technology – with in house developed interface
• Available to all primary connected JANET sites
• Open to all H.323 compliant CODECs
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Why CoD?
• Growth of non-studio based videoconferencing
• Requirement for “less formal” video collaboration
• Simple, instant, flexible videoconferencing
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CoD Service Overview
• Support for 48 fully transcoded IP videoconferences (768kbit/s max)
• Scheduling instantly or up to 48 hours in advance
• MCU initiates conference (dial out)• First come first served basis• Support for all H.323 CODECs
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CoD Features and Functionality
• Registration via on line form• “User Group” created per
registered E.164 CODEC• Global directory with favourites list• User can only alter configuration
on CODECs they own.
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CoD Timescales
• Currently testing software and hardware
• Pilot initiated Q2 /early Q3 2004• Service launch early Q4 2004
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Automated Quality Assurance Testing
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Introduction
• On-line AV analysis tool for IP CODEC’s• Automated• Bookable through the Conferencing on
Demand Service• No restriction on usage• Does not replace the current operator
led QA testing
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Aims
• Evaluation of audio and video quality
• Basic network parameter check• Improve videoconferencing quality• Reduce time and effort on
Operator led QA testing
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Technology
Video Distribution Amplifier
AMX Controller
Audio Out Video Out
Video In
Video In Audio In Video In Serial Port
Tandberg 6000
Network Monitor
Audio Amplifier
Hamlet PLM-1 Overlay Unit
Audio In Video In Video Out
Audio Amplifier
Audio Out
DVD Player
Video Out
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Higher Quality Videoconferencing
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HQVC Overview
• Quality provided by H.323 and H.320 is improving
• Requirement for higher quality audio and video within JANET community
• UKERNA undertaking a feasibility of using HQVC on JANET
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Technology
• Star Valley SVS 2011 CODEC• MPEG 1 and MPEG 2• Up to 15Mbit/s bandwidth
requirements• Point to Point only
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Usage Scenarios
• Medical applications• Music• Arts• Sciences• Essentially anything requiring high
resolution video and high clarity audio
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UKERNA HQVC Trial
• CODECs located at four JANET connected sites
• Assessing impact on networks• Investigating issues associated with
high bandwidth requirements• Assessing feasibility of integration
into existing videoconferencing installations
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UKERNA HQVC Trial cont…
• Investigating marketplace for MCU developments
• Considering possible service models
• Monitoring marketplace for H.320 / H.323 gateway developments
I2 Spring 04
JANET Content Delivery Infrastructure (CDI) Trial
Roger BolamContent Delivery Manager
Advanced Technologies GroupUKERNA
I2 Spring 04
CDI Activities so far…
• JANET CDI Trial Phase 1 (Jan – June 04)
• JANET CDI Trial Phase 2 (August 03 – Jan 04)
• CDI Architecture Group – imminent
I2 Spring 04
JANET CDI Trial
• Six HE and FE project members• CDI Technology based on Kasennna
Mediabase and Real Networks Helix delivery software
• Investigating how to deliver content (moving pictures and sound) efficiently and effectively on JANET
• Testing direct delivery and cache architecture
• Trials completed January 2004
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Streaming Server in C-
PoP
Streaming Caches at
Institutions
Streaming Clients
JANET CDI TrialCache Model
CoreServer
Local Cache
Local Cache
Local Cache
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Streaming Server in C-
PoP
Streaming Caches at
Institutions
Streaming Clients
JANET CDI TrialDirect Delivery Model
Local Cache
Local Cache
CoreServer
I2 Spring 04
JANET CDI Trial – Content
• CDI Trial used EMOL content• MPEG4 content, ranging from 200
MByte – 2 GByte files• Delivered at 700 kbit/s and 1.5
Mbit/s
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JANET CDI Trial – Monitoring
• Relatively simple to gather subjective feedback (statistics)
• Decisions based on “performance” so require objective statistics
• Deployed a monitoring infrastructure based on Cisco’s Service Assurance Agent (SAA)
• Now looking at server performance
I2 Spring 04
Findings so far…
• Caching or local serving is recommended for sites with sub 34 Mbit/s connections
• Caching or local serving is vital for sites with less than 2 Mbit/s connections
• Different delivery platforms, players and implementations of standards behave in completely different ways
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Challenges and next steps
• Uni-vendor solution is not appropriate
• Singular Content Portal for content access, and AAA
• Suitability and usability of CDI components
• Marketplace not yet mature for content streaming
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Challenges and next steps cont…
• Interoperation between content format, delivery software and hardware and player is a serious issue
• Metadata standardisation• Retro-fitting of digitised content is
time-consuming• Software costs are an issue
I2 Spring 04
VoIP
• Undertaking internal trials of Cisco CM, and other products
• Currently ascertaining position of UKERNA and VoIP
• Lots of regulations and barriers in the UK for telcos - OFFCOM
• Potentially a VoIP overlay service.
I2 Spring 04
VoIP
• UK call charges are very small• Any capital outlay for sites may
not offer ROI• Numerous VoIP protocols, and
proprietary “standards”.
