How To Implement H.323

Presented at the

Joint Techs Workshop

28 - 31 January 2001

University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HA

By Larry Amiot (NWU/I2) and

Tyler Miller Johnson (UNC)

Today’s Agenda

•Video Conferencing Environment

•H.323 Video Conferencing • Basics • ITU Standard• Addressing and Zone Management

•H.323 Deployment

•Internet2 Video Conferencing Service

•Applications in the Educational Environment

Video Conferencing Environment

Digital Video In The Educational Environment

• Classroom presentations- need for video clips• Colloquiums- need to broadcast on the network• Homework Assignments- Video-based reference material• Collaborative classes- need for remote interaction between

class participants• Committee meetings- need for remote interaction between

participants• Informal collaboration- need for remote interaction between

colleagues• Conference presentations- need for remote interaction

between presenters and audience

Parts of the Puzzle

•Web-based Virtual Classroom

•Collaborative Tools• Application sharing• White board• Chat window

•Video Conferencing

•Real-time Streamed Video

•Archived Video

Video Conferencing Alternatives

•ISDN-based• H.320 (Legacy)

•Internet-based• Access Grid

http://www-fp.mcs.anl.gov/fl/accessgrid/• Virtual Room Videoconferencing System (VRVS)

http://vrvs.cern.ch/• MPEG2 Multicast• H.323

H.323 Video Conferencing

H.323 Video Conferencing is becoming widely used in the educational environment.

• Staff meetings• Working Group meetings• Collaborations• Interactive classes• Conference tracks

ViDeNet: A Business Case

ViDeNet is one current model for deployment

Voice-Over-IP integration driving the business case

Research applications driving video implementations

H.323 Video Conferencing

•Basics

•ITU Standard

•Addressing and Zone Management

H.323 Standard

•Umbrella set of standards defining real-time multimedia communications and conferencing over packet-based networks

•International Telecommunications Union (ITU) finalized Version 1 in 1996

•Version 2 approved January 1998

•Part of the family H.32x standards

H.323 Standard

•Version 2 added• Security (H.235)

–Authentication/Authorization–Integrity–Privacy–Non-Repudiation

• Fast call setup• T.120/H.323 integration• Supplementary services

–Call transfer–Call diversion

H.323 Standard

•H.323 Components• Terminals (Clients)• Gateways• GateKeepers• Multipoint Control Units (MCU’s)

H.323 Standard

•H.323 standard covers• Voice- required• Video- optional• Data- optional

GateKeeperMCU

H.323 Clients

INTERNET

H.323 Video Conferencing

Real Video

Web Browser

H.323

Pieces of H.323

•Audio Codecs• G.711 (required), G.722, G.723, G.728, G.729

•Video Codecs• H.261 (required), H.263

•Data Sharing• T.120, T.125 Annex A (multicast)

•Call Control• H.245

Control Data Audio VideoA/V

Control Control

RASRTCP

RTP

G.7XX H.26X

H.245 T.120H.225 (Q.931)

TCP UDP

IP

H.323 Protocol Stack

H.323 Standard

•Gatekeeper required functions• Address translation• Admissions control• Bandwidth control• Zone management

•Optional functions• Call control signaling• Call authorization• Bandwidth management• Call management

H.323 Zone

•Gatekeeper (master control)

•Multipoint Control Unit (MCU)

•Gateway

•Endpoints

AddressingH.323 Concepts

Three intraZone Dialing Modes• By IP address – not recommended• By Alias (trjohns1 or tyler@netcall1.unc.edu)• By Extension (226.6101)

Interzone Dialing• ‘Neighbor’ tables – current ViDeNet practice• Automatic Destination Zone Resolution

–Peer to peer–Hierarchical

AddressingInterfacing to the PSTN

Exit Zone Prefix

0 (168 245 929) 226.6101

Zone PrefixExtension

+1 (919) 226.6101GatekeeperPSTNIP Network Gateway

EndPoint

226.6101

O h io S ta teP rim ary Z on e

U N C -C HP rim ary Z on e

U N C -C HP u b lic Z on e

P izza S topV oIP S ervice

ViD eN et

And Directory Services

MetaDirectory

LDAP LDAP LDAP LDAP

ViDeNet Peer to Peer Gatekeepers

O h io S ta teP rim ary Z on e

U N C -C HP rim ary Z on e

U N C -C HP u b lic Z on e

P izza S topV oIP S ervice

ViD eN et

H.323 Standard

•Gateways are optional elements of H.323 that communicate with:

• PSTN analog terminals• H.320 terminals via ISDN networks• H.321 terminals over ATM• H.324 terminals over PSTN networks• Other

GateKeeperMCU

H.323 Clients

INTERNET

H.323 Video Conferencing

Real Video

Web Browser

H.323

H.320

Gateway

ISDN

H.323 Deployment

H.323 Deployment Events

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

H.235 Security

Unix Gatekeeper

Ethernet Power

H.450 Fancy Services

NT Gatekeeper

USB Desktops

Unified Messaging

PCI Desktops

LDAP Gatekeeper

H.323 Phones

VC Appliances

Rack Mount CODECs

Wireless H.323

RE

LIA

BIL

ITY

Cell

H.323

POTS

Cable TV Over IP DE

PL

OY

ME

NT

100%

0%

Video

Voice

Choose Your Connection

H.323FABRIC

Desktop VideoPerformance: Fair to GoodPrice: $500 - $1000

Conference Room AppliancePerformance: Very GoodPrice: $2500 - $8000

Teleclass CodecPerformance: ExcellentPrice: $10,000

IP PhonePerformance: ExcellentPrice: $150 - $500

Fax / Modem AppliancePerformance: GoodPrice: $150 -$500

Wireless IP PhonePerformance: Very GoodPrice: $250 - $600

Soft PhonePerformance: FairPrice: $0 - $50

In The Zone

GatewayFarm

GatekeeperCluster

MCUFarm

MessagingServers

PSTNTrunks

H.323 FABRIC

Endpoints

Services

Embedded, Distributed,Load BalancingNT / Unix / VxWorks

Embedded, Distributed,Load BalancingNT / Unix / VxWorks

Embedded, Distributed,Load BalancingNT / Unix / VxWorks

Win2000Cluster

Management Server (Directory Services)

Unix

Popular Equipment

Gatekeepers• RADVision NGK-100/200• RADVision embedded

gatekeeper• RADVision ECM / ViaIP400

*beta• Cisco MCM

MCUs• RADVision MCU-323• RADVision ViaIP 400 platform,

100-port *beta• Accord (including h.321

gateway)• Siemens LP5100 - IP telephone

($400)

Gateways• RADVision L2W-323

• RADVision VIU

Endpoints• Polycom VS4000 - discrete codec

($10,000)

• Polycom ViewStation - conference room in a box ($4000)

• VCON ViGo Standard - desktop / laptop USB solution ($550)

• VCON ViGo PRO - desktop / laptop USB solution/ Speaker, 2Mbps, & multicast support ($1199)

• Polycom ViaVideo - desktop / laptop USB solution ($400)

• Siemens LP5100 - IP telephone ($400)

MCU

H.323 Video Conferencing

Bandwidth Requirements

Audio & Video Streams (N*2*384Kbps)

Staffing for H.323

Offering H.323 Services Requires• Account Management

– ‘Free-love’ zones– Explicitly defined users

• Systems Administration• Directory Services• Monitoring 7x24• Web Documentation• Training• Initial Client Installation• Purchasing Assistance and Consultation• Help Desk

ViDeNet Participants50 and counting …

American University in Cairo (Egypt)

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)

Beijing Institute of Technology (China)

Canarie (Canada)

CiCV (France)

CINECA (Italy)

The College of William and Mary (Virginia)

Columbia University (New York)

ESnet (US Nuclear Laboratories)

The Georgia Institute of Technology

HEAnet (Ireland)

IIUCC (Israel)

Indiana University

Internet2

Louisiana State University

Texas A&M University

University of Akron - Wayne College

University of Alabama

University of Colorado at Denver

University of Hawaii

University of Illinois at Chicago

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Missouri at Kansas City

University of New Brunswick (Canada)

University of North Carolina

University of Pennsylvania

University of South Carolina

University of Tennessee

University of Virginia

Virginia Commonwealth University

Wright State University (Ohio)

Yale University (Connecticut)

MCNC (North Carolina)

Mississippi State University

National Sun Yat-Sen University (Taiwan)

National Technical University of Athens

North Carolina State University

NYSERnet (New York)

OARNet (Ohio)

Ohio State University

Oklahoma State University

OneNet (Oklahoma)

Pennsylvania State University

Procter and Gamble (Ohio)

RADVision (Tel Aviv)

SURFnet (the Netherlands)

Tel Hai College (Israel)

Internet2 Video Conferencing Service

Collaborative Video Conferencing Services over Internet2 Initiative

Provide a service that is intended to enable one-to-one, one-to-group, and group-to-group collaborative conferencing in support of personal communication, meetings, conferences, and shared education for Internet2 members (primary and sponsored) and their international counterparts.

Basic Tenets of Service

•Independent of geographic or national boundaries

•Video conferencing viewed as current best collaborative environment

•Gateways between technologies will be necessary

•Gateways must be transparent to end users

•Need to consider voice/telephony integration

Key Technical Issues

•A Global Dialing Plan

•A Global Directory Service

•A Scheduling Mechanism for the use of shared resources

•Improvements and coordination in “back room” functionality and control

•Interoperability with other significant communication services (gateways)

Key Technical Issues (Continued)

•QoS

•Multicast

•H.235 Security• Authentication/Authorization• Integrity• Privacy• Non-Repudiation

I2DV Steering Committee

I2DV-VC Sub-Committee

White Paper Developers

Implementation Plan Development Team

Service Implementation Team

•Funding Task Force•Operations Task Force•Research & Development Task Force•Outreach & Communication Task Force

Collaborative Video Conferencing Services over Internet2

Proposed Prototype Service

•Focus on deployment not research

•Start with single technology

•Recommended that that prototype service be based on H.323 technology

•Based on contributed resources

•Based on distributed management

•Based on distributed systems

•Emphasis on Gateways (centralized if necessary)

Applications in the Educational Environment

By Dr. Robert Dixon, Ohio State University

H.323 Examples

•Megaconference1• Fall 1999 Internet2 meeting• Over 50 sites from all over the world• 384Kbps• Cascaded MCUs

•Megaconference2• www.mega-net.net/megaconference

Megaconference2

•Fall 2000 Internet2 meeting.•World’s first totally remote conference track.•Empty lectern.•Worldwide interactive audience.•114 End points; 28 Multipoint Control Units.•The model for all future conferences on all subjects.

Megaconference2 Presentations

1. Use of H.323 Technology in CINECA Activities

2. Material World Module(MWM) & virtual institute

3. Use of IP Video for Distance Surgical Education

4. University of Venice Experiences

Use of IP Video for Distance Surgical Education

•Jerome Johnson (OSU), Presenter

•Laparoscopic Surgery• Surgical instruments & small camera inserted through incision in abdomen

• Surgery performed watching TV• Consultation via 2-Way Real-time video• Instruction via Real-time Video

Megaconference2 Presentations

5. Generation X and Generation D Learning in the ZPD with H.323: Literacy Strategy Lessons from Rural America

6. Wireless Distribution of H.323 Videoconferencing in a Trauma Center Emergency Department

7. Tools for Extending Classroom Walls via the Internet

8. Work and Life in an Antarctic Station

Work and Life in an Antarctic Station

•Hans Pfeiffenberger (Alfred Wegener Institute), Presenter

•Neumayer Station in Antarctica at 70 deg. South

•384Kbps satellite link to Bremerhaven, Germany

•Weekly conferences to interested school classes and museum visitors

Megaconference2 Presentations

9. LSVNP - A Managed Prototype for H.323 Zones

10. A Multi-University Internet-based (H.323) Graduate Course in Turbulence

11. Distance Learning using H.323; A Singapore-MIT experience

12. Bodyworks: Medicine, Technology, and the Body in the late 20th Century

13. Advanced Collaboration Tools to Support Multi-University Collaborative Learning in Organizational Communication

Collaborative Learning in Organizational Communication

•Noshir Contractor (UIUC), Presenter

•Fall 1998 to Fall 2000

•Real-time Graduate Seminar Courses• Globalization• Social Network Analysis• Communication Technologies & New Forms of Organizing

•Faculty at:• University of Illinois• Purdue University• University of Southern California• University of Pennsylvania• University of California at Santa Barbara

URLs

Internet2 Digital Video• Dv.internet2.edu

Megaconference• www.mega-net.net/megaconference/

ViDeNet• www.vide.net

Videoconferencing Cookbook• www.vide.gatech.edu/cookbook2.0/

VRVS• vrvs.caltech.edu/

CAVNER• www.cavner.org

Access Grid• http://www-fp.mcs.anl.gov/fl/Accessgrid/

How To Implement H.323

Presented at the

Joint Techs Workshop

28 - 31 January 2001

University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HA

By Larry Amiot (NWU/I2) and

Tyler Johnson (UNC)