The Application of Distance Education Using Advanced Hybrid Networking

Chinese-American Networking SymposiumShanghai, People's Republic of China

August 21-23, 2002

Dan CottonUniversity of Nebraska, Lincoln

American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC)

American Distance Education Consortium

WWW.ADEC.EDU

ADEC

• Janet Poley, President

• Ancillary organization of the University of Nebraska

• 12 year old non-profit organization of 50 plus state universities and land grant colleges

• Local, state, national and international partnerships

Advanced Internet Satellite Extension Project (AISEP)

• 3 year, National Science Foundation (NSF)

• $4 million

• NSF Supplements– Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)– Chinese - American Networking Symposium (CANS)– Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive

Research (EPSCoR)

Advanced Internet Satellite Extension Project

• Partnerships– ADEC, Internet2 Universities, smaller and minority

serving institutions, rural and remote learners– Tachyon, Inc.– OARnet & ITEC-Ohio (Internet2 Technology

Evaluation Center) – University of California San Diego Supercomputer

Center - SDSC– Cooperative Association for Internet Data Analysis -

CAIDA– National Laboratory for Applied Network Research -

NLANR

Lead Institutions for AISEP

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• University of Maryland-College Park

• University of Illinois

• North Carolina State University

• North Carolina A&T University

• Washington State University

Goal

• Bring advanced networking applications to geographically remote campuses and learning centers for purposes of research, teaching and extension.

Project will:

• enable unreachable campuses, remote learning centers, extension offices to share in advanced networking research and applications

• create access for the research university community to scientific, cultural and human resources otherwise inaccessible

Objectives

AISEP will:• explore use of satellite to deliver Internet

services to determine compatibility of satellite technology with I2 services and applications

• explore deployment and integration of DE applications, including collaborative applications at rural, remote institutions and extension learning centers

Tachyon.net

ADEC Network - SDSC

Typical Tachyon Satellite Dish Installation

ADEC Network Site Map

Research objectives

• establish standards for "acceptable, application- based Internet" for remote locations

• understand how to establish, build and support a satellite-based IP network

• Connect Tachyon satellite gateway to the San Diego NAP (I1 and I2 service)

• Provide CPEs (formerly TAPS) to ADEC member institutions (70 sites)

Research objectives (continued)

• investigate QoS

• study network performance

• determine requirements to support this type of network

• determine parameters for a sustainable business model

Transportable Dish System

Internet 1 orInternet 2

EarthSatellite

Permanent Ground Station

Tachyon Central Ground Station San Diego

Internet Instructional Sites

Instructional Sites

Instructional Sites

Transportable Ground Station

Design Goals

• Inexpensive to build and operate• Off-the-shelf parts for easy duplication• Easy to operate by one person with one day

training• Small and light• Reliable and adaptable to diverse field

conditions• Reliable and adaptable to diverse field

conditions• Easily modified

Initial Applications

• Provide distance learning in rural/remote and underserved areas

• Link field research to campus computers, laboratories, and collaborators worldwide

• Link field instruction and demonstrations to campus classrooms

• Link field activities to remote databases using devices such as PDAs

• Remote monitoring of construction projects

• Special events, conferences, fairs, disasters, etc.

Portable

Satellite Trailer Subsystems

• Dish and radio transceiver

• Power

• Leveling and aiming

• Heating and cooling

• External connections

• Computer

Next steps

• Develop improved designs

• Demonstrate at conferences

• Publish papers

• Provide training on use of the system

• Provide consultation on design, construction and operation

• Arrange for turnkey system purchases

Application Testing

H.323 Over Satellite

Variables• Tachyon Network

– Satellite IP, asynchronous, bandwidth settings dedicated vs. non-dedicated service

• Polycom– dialing speeds

• Internet1 – Internet2• Point-to-point, multi-point• Data flow: uplink > downlink, downlink > uplink• Network traffic, noise• H.323• Multipoint Control Unit (MCU)

Testing

• Test tape• Internet1 and Internet2• Tachyon bandwidth service

– 2mb/256k non-dedicated– 2mb/512k non-dedicated

• Identify optimum Polycom speed per Tachyon bandwidth service

• Video tape results

Internet 1 orInternet 2

EarthSatellite

Ground Station

Tachyon Central Ground Station San Diego

Internet Instructional Sites

Instructional Sites

H.323 Testing

ITEC-Ohio

Observations

• Data rate

• Frame rate

• Packet loss

• Pixilation

• Latency

• Jitter

Preliminary results

• Some fluctuations in quality

• Some packet loss

• It worked!

• Excellent video– Internet2 <> 2Mbps / 512Kbps with 384Kpbs

Tachyon service level

Program Design

ADEC H.323 Presentation for Megaconference III

Lessons Learned

• Hybrid networking works• Television techniques can be applied….and they

positively impact program quality– Studio cameras– Studio lighting– Studio set– Microphones– Producer / director

• Don’t limit your thinking….explore all possibilities

Multicast Over Satellite

Variables

• Internet2 <> Tachyon– PIM Sparse Mode (Internet2) versus DVMRP (Tachyon)

• IGMP

• Internet1, and non-multicast enabled sites– Cisco– Quickcom

• MPEG– VBrick– Other technologies

Testing/Observations

• Internet2 <> Tachyon– Iowa State University – video streaming

• ITEC-Ohio– ADEC router configuration– Monitoring

• Works quite well!

Research Projects

• EPSCoR– …to extend the AISEP test-bed into EPSCoR states

in a systematic fashion, as well as test specific remote sensing, GIS and other scientific applications of hybrid networking, including satellite

– …using appropriate combinations of fiber, satellite, wires and radio technology to carry signals in combination with software and devices for data collection, communications, visualization and decision making

Research Projects

• EPSCoR– 8 sub-projects

• Land management• Aquaculture• Water conservation and management• Environmental monitoring

Nebraska Research, Teaching and Extension Project

• Internet2 Applications to Enhance the Management of Natural and Agro-ecosystems.”– Carbon Sequestration and Global Climate

Change– Improved Efficiencies of Nitrogen and

Irrigation Management– Grazing Behavior of Cattle in the Nebraskan

Sandhills

Internet 2

EarthSatellite

SatelliteIP

Tachyon Central Ground Station San Diego

University of NebraskaLincoln

Data loggers and sensors

Tachyon Access Point (TAP)

Computer

802.11b network

Improved Efficiencies of Nitrogen and Irrigation Management

Why this work?

• ADEC believes distance education….– is about providing new knowledge and

information wherever and whenever the learner is ready to take advantage of it

– positively impacts competition– leads to improved economic development– aids in cultural sharing and understanding– is vital in community building– requires advanced networking and

information technology

Credits

• Janet Poley, Ph D– President of ADEC

• Bob Dixson, Ph D, PE– Chief Research Engineer– Ohio State, OARnet

• Paul Schopis– Senior Network Engineer– ITEC-Ohio

Questions