NIIF videoconference services

NIIF videoconference services

Tamás Máray NIIF/Hungarnet [email protected]

Green Workshop Copenhagen 04 Feb 2010

NIIF videoconference history Fejlesztési Intézet Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra • Goals of the project that started in 2003:     

Establish R&E national VC service Create local VC usage culture Increase competitiveness of Hungarian R&E Help international project participation Enhance cost-effectiveness

• Large scale equipment testing:    

Polycom (gatekeeper, MCU, endpoints) Radvision (gatekeeper, MCU) Tandberg (endpoints) GnuGK (gatekeeper) NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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NIIF videoconference history Fejlesztési Intézet Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra • Procurement results:

 Polycom MGC-100 MCU (being able to serve up to 96 parallel video calls)  40x Polycom ViewStation FX meeting room category endpoint (2 screens, CIF @ 30fps, people & content, etc.)

• Gatekeeper: open source solution (GNU GK) • Directory server, booking system – own development NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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NIIF videoconference history Fejlesztési Intézet Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra • Endpoints were installed at universities and research institutions across the country • Education for the local managers, preparation of leaflets, usage manuals, etc. • Continuous development of the infrastructure during the years:     

more endpoints (VSX), recording and streaming server, soft codec licenses (50x PVX), voice call integration introduction of High Definition terminals (Polycom, Lifesize)

• Currently ~60 NIIF endpoints (HW codecs) • Additional, institution-owned terminals: approx. 30-40

NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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Equipment coverage Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet


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Equipment coverage Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet


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Typical VC usage Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • Collaboration meetings: local/international • Administrative meetings (between remote campus sites): • • • •

 Management  University senate

International university partnerships Knowledge exchange/transfer Consultation University lectures/seminars:

 Allow viewers from remote campus sites  Save professors’ time from travelling to remote campus sites

• Conference presentation delivery from remote site • Interviews NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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NetworkNemzeti architecture Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet


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Gatekeepers Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • HU-GK: 0036 (Hungarian national GDS GK)  No endpoint registrations • NIIF-GK: 0036100  Restricted GK service for institutions  Hosts MCU • FZ-GK: 0036900  Free gatekeeper  Anyone can connect and get a temporal GDS number • Neighboring gatekeepers:  Institutions with own GK (having more EPs)  Any commercial company requesting


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MCU booking service Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet Nemzeti Információs • • •

•

Web based booking/reservation using MCU XML API Mostly reserved conferences, ad-hoc meeting rooms for projects User can supply:  Conference type (Voice Switched / CP)  Conference start date/time  Conference duration  Layout (CP)  Bandwidth  Estimated number of participants  Conference IVR password  Conference recording and streaming Basic ongoing conference control: Terminate, turn recording on/off, etc.


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MCU booking service Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet Nemzeti Információs


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ProblemNemzeti reporting andInfrastruktúra support Fejlesztési Intézet Információs • Test numbers are available on 7/24 basis to test equipment connectivity  MCU  Dedicated terminal

• Manned support in working hours  e-mail  Telephone

• Trouble Ticketing System


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Public endpoint information Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet


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Online endpoints Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet


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Public statistics Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • Overall network usage


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Public statistics Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • Overall MCU usage


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Public statistics Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • International (GDS) call statistics


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Public statistics Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • Endpoints statistics


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Videoconference recording and streaming Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztésiservice Intézet • Established in 2006:

 Recording: conserved material (people+content!)  Streaming: open up for more participants with PC+browser only

• Central digital recording:

 Based on Codian IP VCR 2200  Recording initiated through the MCU booking system  Web accessible interface for live/on-demand streaming  H.323 dial-in interface for playback (!)  H.239 slides recorded  Converted WMV file provided for users NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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Videoconference recording and streaming Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztésiservice Intézet

• VCR user web interface


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Other services Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • Community mailing list • Service website (Shibboleth AAI) • PSTN dial-in service:

 Ordinary phone or mobile participation  PSTN dial-in number provided  IVR based VC dialing

• Technical consultation • Permanent MCU meeting rooms for projects (e.g. GN3, FEDERICA, etc.) • On-line directory service for endpoints • Documents, FAQ • Services are all free of charge NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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Service management Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • No vendor management apps/servers  Only MGC Manager for MCU

• In-house developed customized tools • Endpoint information in SQL DB • Call Detail Records (CDRs):  Provided by gatekeepers  Used for debugging and statistics

• Gatekeeper:

 Endpoint authentication (SQL DB based)  Debugging: logs and admin interface

• Monitoring & Alarm:

 MCU, gatekeepers, VCR and servers  Nagios: L3 and application level reachability  Munin: server resources (CPU, RAM, etc.) NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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Collecting CDRs Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • Gatekeepers log into an SQL DB


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CDRs forNemzeti debugging Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet


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Current Nemzeti developments Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • High Definition upgrade:

 2010 Q1-Q2  HD MCU  32x HD endpoints for institutions

• Webconferencing service:

 Support PC + webcam + browser users  Compatibility with existing deployments

• Development of a CDR analyzing tool for the automated computation of CO2 savings NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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CO2 savings computation Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • Analyzing call data records (CDR) produced by gatekeepers • IP addresses of the conference participants can be retrieved • From IPs the geo location can be identified (WHOIS, GEO IP tool, etc.) • Based on the participating locations the length of travel routes can be computed (google map service used by API) • Summarizing the travels, the total CO2 emission can be calculated NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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CO2 savings computation Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • Simplifications:

 Domestic travels are calculated as road transports  International travels are calculated as non-stop air travel between major cities + road transport  One person / site “travels”

• The CO2 emission of the videoconferencing service should be deducted:    

endpoints+ gatekeeper+ MCU (if involved)+ network usage

• – not yet implemented! • Monthly and yearly reports can be generated NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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CO2 savings calculation Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • The computation is far not perfectly precise (theoretically impossible), but pessimistic, therefore the real life saving is even better • Limitation:

 Only Gnu GK CDR format is recognized

• Why?

 Because NIIF is forced to have and implement a sustainable development strategy and we need supporting numbers and arguments  Because we want to persuade more and more users, and this is a nice argument NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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Cisco Telepresence calculator Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet


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Cisco Telepresence calculator Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet


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The GEANT projects videoconferencing Nemzeti Információsand Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • In the second phase of GN2 there was a related task. Result: educonf  http://educonf.geant2.net/

• Although there was a proposal, in the first phase of GN3 this topic could not be continued.  • People changed their mind, and now it is getting important again: there will be a GN3 study about the possibilities of European level cooperation (coordination, central services, joint infrastructure, etc.) NIIF/Hungarnet videoconference services

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Educonf

Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet


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Conclusion Nemzeti Információs Infrastruktúra Fejlesztési Intézet • If you want to foster the usage of videoconferencing, it is not enough to have expensive endpoints… • You must provide rich, high level, complex services, continuous support, easy access, simple user interface, thorough statistics


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Thank You!

Tamás Máray [email protected]

NIIF videoconference services

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