DOD & Federal VTC Interoperability Standards

Chuck Grandgent

Dir. Strategic Development

Octave Communications, Inc., Nashua, NH

Chair, IMTC Dataconferencing Activity Group

E-mail: chuck@octavecom.com

November 2002 UNCLASSIFIED

In support of:

Defense Information Systems Agency

Interoperability Directorate, IN42

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Background

- In the 1980’s and early 1990’s DOD relied on proprietary equipment to achieve VTC interoperability.

- In the mid 1990’s DOD successfully switched to international standards-based VTC equipment to achieve interoperability.

- As a result, DOD is now no longer reliant on any one VTC vendor to achieve interoperability.

- Multiple vendors within DOD

- Customer has the option to choose the vendor that best meets his particular needs.

- Interoperability is good (but not perfect)

- However, technology and use of the technology is rapidly evolving

- New standards are often needed to keep up with new technology and new requirements

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Joint Technical Architecture

• Joint Technical Architecture (JTA) is the set of information technology standards needed for interoperability within U.S. Dept of Defense(DOD)

• Developed jointly by all DOD Services and Agencies

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Joint Technical Architecture

• Goal: improve interoperability within DOD

• Adopts mostly international standards

• Includes mandatory and emerging standards

• To be included as mandatory, standard must be approved (decided or ratified) and have commercially available implementations

• Website: www-jta.itsi.disa.mil

• JTA 4.0 approved Aug 12, 2002

• JTA 5.0 in draft form

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JTA Policy• JTA is mandated for all DOD per Aug. 12, 2002

memorandum

• Exceptions require a waiver with concurrence from USD(A&T) and ASD(C3I)

• Memorandum signed by:

• E.C. Aldridge, Jr – Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology & Logistics

• John P. Stenbit – DOD Chief Information Officer

• OK to implement non-standard protocols to meet special requirements, as long as the corresponding JTA standard protocol is also implemented.

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JTA Status – v 4.0

• Latest approved version: 4.0 dated August 12, 2002

• Mandates the following families of international standards pertaining to VTC and collaboration:

• H.320 for digital switched ckts

• H.323 for packet switched networks such as TCP/IP

• Lots of recent interest in DOD

• H.324 for low bit rate (9.6 –28.8 Kbps) (POTS)

• T.120 for all circuit types

• References Federal Standard for VTC for further details • (Federal Telecommunications Recommendation 1080)

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FTR 1080• Federal Telecommunications Recommendation

1080• Federal Standard for VTC

• Website: www.ncs.gov/n2/content/standard/html/ftr.htm

• Latest approved version: FTR 1080B-2002• Unanimous approval by Federal Telecommunication

Standards Committee

• Final Approval --- 15 Aug 2002

• Adds H.323 for VTC over packet switched networks

(in addition to H.320 for circuit switched networks)

• Supercedes FTR 1080A-1998

• Appendix A is VTC Profile

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VTC Profile (FTR 1080B-2002, Appendix A)

• Detailed profile of standards tailored for DOD Interoperability• Includes security specifications (Type 1 encryption)

• Includes Protocol Implementation Conformance Statements (PICS)

• Has been very useful in improving interoperability in DOD

• Cited in DOD procurement documents to “raise the bar” on standards-based interoperability

• Mandated for DOD by DOD policy and JTA• Optional for rest of Federal Gov’t

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VTC Profile Features

• Point-to-Point

• Multipoint

• Circuit Switched

• Packet Switched

• Digital Compressed Video• Near Full Motion

• Audio Coding

• Narrowband

• Wideband

• Collaboration• Application Sharing

• Shared Whiteboard

• Still Image Transfer

• File Transfer

• Security (Encryption)

• Classified

• Unclassified Sensitive

• ISDN Interfaces

• Electrical Interfaces

• Mechanical Interfaces

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Video Standards

H.261 Video CodingH.263 Video Coding

H.231 MCUsH.243 Establish CommH.245 MCUs

G.711 Narrow-band Voice G.722 Wide-band VoiceG.723 Low Bit-rate VoiceG.728 Narrow-band VoiceG.729 Low Bit-rate Voice

Audio Standards

Interface Standards

EIA-366-A Dialing InterfaceTIA/EIA-422-B Digital InterfaceTIA/EIA-423-B Digital InterfaceEIA-449-1 Digital InterfaceTIA/EIA-530-A Digital Interface

H.320 Narrowband VTCH.323 Packet Network VTCH.221 Frame StructureH.224 Real Time ControlH.225 MultiplexingH.230 Control SignalsH.242 Establish CommH.245 SignallingH.281 Far-end camera controlH.450 Supplementary Services

Multipoint Standards

•ISDN•Switched 56•T1 / Fractional T1•Dedicated•Packet Switched•LANs

Networks

Key Standards & Interfaces in the VTC Profile (FTR 1080B-2002, Appendix A)

Encryption Interfaces

KG - 194 InterfaceKIV - 7 Interface

Collaboration Standards

T.120 Multimedia DataT.122 Multipoint CommT.123 Data Protocol StacksT.124 Conference ControlT.125 Multipoint Comm SpecT.126 Shared WhiteboardT.127 File TransferT.128 Application Sharing

VTC Standards

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VTC Standards Policy

• FTR 1080 is official VTC standards document for DOD

• Mandated per 30 Mar 1998 ASD-C3I policy memorandum and as per JTA 4.0

• Copy of policy memorandum can be found at end of FTR 1080B-2002.

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Next version of VTC Profile:

Focus on joint tactical VTC stds

• Army is fielding its Battlefield VTC (BVTC)

• Navy is fielding shipboard Tactical VTC

• NATO is planning its tactical VTC system

• Other DOD components are also starting to use tactical VTC

• Need for interoperability to existing DOD VTC base, other government agencies & contractors

• Need for joint, combined, & coalition interoperability between DOD services, NATO, & coalition partners

• First meeting held Sept. 24-25, 2002 (gov’t only)

• Looking for voluntary industry participation

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Army BVTC Equipment

Ruggedized

laptop

Audio/Video CODEC

Router

Microphone

Radio

Video Camera

Headphones/Mike

Speaker

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A few of the Issues

• Need better support for common set of low bit rate audio standards on H.323 VTC

• Forced to go with G.711 as common denominator

• Need better interoperability & support of T.120 standards in H.320 and H.323 VTC products

• More robust, fully integrated, full featured implementations of T.120

• Firewall issues

• Need standardized, non-proprietary methods of passing through firewalls without opening many ports

• Managing gatekeeper configurations - prone to human error

• Error resiliency is key requirement for future codecs

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Summary • U.S. federal government relies on international standards for

interoperability

• The JTA mandates the minimum set of standards and guidelines for the acquisition of all DoD systems

• JTA 4.0 was approved 12 Aug 2002; JTA 5.0 is in draft form

• Primary standards applicable to VTC currently in JTA – H.320, H.323, & T.120 families

• FTR 1080 VTC Profile is a profile of VTC standards tailored for DOD and cited in the JTA

• VTC Profile to be enhanced to more fully address Joint Tactical VTC standards