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DFNVC - A Videoconferencing Service for the German

Network for Research and Education “DFN”

G. Maiss, K. Schauerhammer, R. Schroeder, K. Ullmann - DFN Germany

Status report - April 2004

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Contents

• DFNVideoConference (DFNVC)

– Service Components– Service Features and Advanced Features– Statistics– Further Plannings

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DFNVC: Service Components (I)

• Same equipment in two locations (Berlin and Stuttgart)

• MCUs:– Premium Equipment:

• per location 2 Radvision MCU-60/G.722 with TCM 30 Audio Transcoder Board -> 240 Ports

• per location 2 Radvision MVP 30 Video Boards

– Standard Equipment:• per location 1 Radvision MCU-100 -> 200 Ports

• Gatekeeper, Gateways and DCS– per location 1 Gatekeeper Radvision ECS 2.0– per location 1 Gatekeeper GNU-GK 2.0.2– per location 1 Radvision Gateway gw-P20– per location 1 Radvision Data Collaboration System

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DFNVC: Service Components (II)

Redundant service components in Berlin und Stuttgart

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DFNVC: Service Features

• The service :– allows ad hoc conferences– offers Dial-In for ISDN-based VC systems– provides a Global Dialing Scheme– supports preparation, initiation and

management of conferences– provides test results and descriptions for VC

systems– offers training courses for administrators

and hotline

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DFNVC: Video Competence Center

• VCC TU Dresden (Video Competence Center)

– responsible for VC systems– ongoing tests of VC systems (new releases)– descriptions and instructions for

installation and configuration for the most common VC systems

– interoperability matrix of VC systems and other VC components

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Compatibility of VC Systems

Quality:

Good, reliable

good, unreliable

no function

sufficient, reliable

sufficient, unreliable

unsufficient, reliable

unsufficient, unreliable

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DFNVC: Advanced Services

• Observing the quality of network (LAN and access lines):

– Performance measurement on IP connection:• packet loss, one way delay, jitter• tests with a measurement system of the University

of Erlangen

– H.323 Beacon• tests with special organisations

– Prioritisation of IP-Adresses• tests with special organisations

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Statistics (I)

• Participants in the production service– contracts signed with 157 organisations and

institutes– ongoing negotiations with further

organisations– nearly 50% with own gatekeeper

• 17 training courses since April 2002 with 10-15 participants per course

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• 78 Gatekeeper registered, thereof among others 35 GNU-GK, 15 Cisco MCM, 6 Radvision, 5 VCON MXM, 2 Ezenia

• 340 devices registered with the DFN-GK, thereof among others 65 Netmeeting, 6 Sony,

48 Tandberg, 4 SunForum, 39 VCON Vigo, 4 VCON Falcon IP, 35 Polycom Viewstation, 3 VTEL Smartstation, 35 Polycom Via Video, 3 PictureTel/iPower, 18 VCON Escort/Cruiser, 3 Intel ProShare 13 GnomeMeeting/ohphone,

(only DFN-GK!!!)

Statistics (II)

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Statistics (III)

Month Number ofconferences

Sept 2003 918Oct 2003 1389Nov 2003 2119Dec 2003 1693Jan 2004 1277Febr 2004 1611

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DFNVC: Further Plannings

• Migration to E.164 / DNS / ENUM• Service administration via LDAP (H.350)• Locking VC portal against unauthorized users• Integration of new functions (e.g. SIP based

signalisation, VoIP-structure)• Reservation system

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DFNVC: Links

• VC service description http://www.dfn.de/service/dfnvc/

• VC portal http://www.vc.dfn.de/• Videoconference Cookbook

http://vcc.urz.tu-dresden.de/ (German only)

• Procurement of VC systems and gatekeeper:VCC Dresden (Video Conference Center) http://vcc.urz.tu-dresden.de/vc-systeme/