Dear All,
As we enter April its an opportune time to reflect on what AARNet Apps & Services Team have achieved, here is a summary of where we are
1. National Video Conferencing Services (NVCS)
A number of upgrades have been completed with AARNet's Conferencing Scheduling System and to enhance the functionality of AARNet's Cisco and Polycom conferencing servers. A number of customers have requested access to guaranteed MCU ports to complement their NVCS Quality Assured sites, we are working through a number of models to ensure we can deliver on guarantees in a cost effective competitively priced way. Naturally the service includes ongoing O&M, can be accessed unmetered from AARNet connected institutions and is regularly updated to the latest firmware and tested throughly thereafter. We are also working closely with a number of vendors to determine our direction for streaming and recording services as we continue to see greater use of the service and requests for multi-tenant like capabilities.
Staff have recently deployed server hardware and a channel licence to extensively test a Skype Gateway solution to our MCUs to offer another option to connect into audio and video conferences, pending tests of the latest Gateway product an announcement of the new service feature will be made soon.
Another mobile development is underway in testing access to IOS Apps like the freely available Polycom RealPresence Application for Iphone 4S and IPAD2 access to our conferences via AARNet gateways and Session Border Controllers, configuration guides will be published soon once testing from offices, home and via 3G networks are concluded.
The AARNet Anywhere beta platform continues to be supported, its available now via the Australian Access Federation so try it out today, its free and support multi-party video collaboration, a newer product version is being explored. To access AARNet Anywhere, login with your Australian Access Federation (AAF) credentials at http://vivureg.aarnet.edu.au/. AARNet Anywhere is a plugin works with Skype. Skype will ask permission to use plugin then iedirects you to log into the portal and schedule a meeting which loads all in your browser window. If you do not have access to the AAF credentials you can alternatively register online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SBNKT37 for an account.
Smart Services are close to developing a 2D and 3D video based virtual world client/server application available for Windows and MAC users, once both versions are available and tested successfully a broader trial will be considered, at this time this would be a separate platform based solution though it is hoped ongoing development could allow for interoperability with open standard based conferencing servers. iSee is a product that is being developed by Smart Services CRC (http://www.smartservicescrc.com.au/)
Service use continues to grow, for the latest statistics see http://www.aarnet.edu.au/services/real-time-communication/conferencing/conferencing-services-use.aspx; attached are details of the number of subscribers using the online scheduler
For more information about NVCS please see http://www.nvcs.edu.au or contact support@nvcs.edu.au
2. Unified Communications Exchange
Customer institutions are continuing to connect to the Exchange in increasing numbers with many now added more voice and video calls between connected institutions across the exchange. This new service offers greatest value in being able to connect to remote sites or to other institutions for video collaborations, examples may include connecting to researchers in medical or other disciplines. Costs savings purely based on voice calls may be negligible depending on any existing current PSTN/Mobile bundling arrangements, nonetheless the opportunity to enable calls to divert over the AARNet network may offer a level of redundancy should PSTN disruptions occur. Current institutions connected are The Australian Institute of Marine Science, Bond University, Charles Sturt University, CSIRO, Curtin University, Deakin University, Griffith University, Monash University Australia, Monash University Malaysia, Swinburne University, The University of Canberra, University of Southern Queensland. A dedicated website containing more details can be found at http://www.telepresence.aarnet.edu.au/index.html
For more information about video calling capabilities via the UC exchange please contact Bill.Efthimiou@aarnet.edu.au
3. Telepresence services
The Cisco based TelePresence Exchange was officially launched at Cisco Live in Melbourne, a number of institutions are connected including AARNet, The University of Melbourne, The University of Southern Queensland, Swinburne University, Monash University and Victoria University. Interoperability options are being explored and include (1) use of Webex to connect to Cisco TP conferences; (2) use of Polycom RMX MCU TIP features to support Cisco TP endpoints into traditional video conferences and (3) access to other TIP and SIP hardware platforms for interoperable TP services. AARNet are developing an extension to the AARNet Conferencing Scheduling Service to offer the same look and feel options to allow Telepresence connected institutions with the ability to schedule conferences 24x7, currently the process is a manual one as the platform does not support scheduling direct to the Cisco CTMS conferencing bridge. Peering opportunities have enabled access to US universities and in time it is hoped that other peering links to other locations across the globe will be possible.
For more information about telepresence services see http://www.telepresence.aarnet.edu.au or contact Don.Mackintosh@aarnet.edu.au
4. Future Development of services
A recent review of services provided by NRENs worldwide positions Australia well in the rankings, however there is always room for improvement and the challenge faced is to determine where resources should be prioritised to be more effective in the delivery of valued service outcomes. To that end, AARNet recently established a Steering Committee to examine services and communications convergence opportunities coupled with cloud computing developments. The Steering Committee comprises of lCT leaders to help identify and prioritise developments and will be a major theme of AARNet's presentation to CAUDIT this month. To help ensure we have a broad consultation we encourage everyone to complete the short online survey to help rate our current services and future service ideas that cover 3 key focus areas of collaboration services, content delivery services and mobility services. This is an opportunity to have your say, please do. The online survey is available at http://svy.mk/aarnetservices
If you have any further questions or comments about AARNet services we do have comprehensive details contained within our service catalogue available at http://www.aarnet.edu.au/services/services-catalogue.aspx
Otherwise please reply back to me directly and I'll be happy to help answer your questions or comments
Please forward this update to those lists or people who may be interested, thank you.
Best wishes
James Sankar
Director, Applications & Services, AARNet Pty Ltd
On July 6, 2010 AARNet's National Video Conferencing Service (NVCS) supported another live Questacon event titled “25th Anniversary of Shell-Questacon Science Circus”
The Shell-Questacon Science Circus is a national tour by Questacon that visits schools and institutions around Australia highlighting science and giving hands-on demonstrations of many science exhibits and experiments.
The video conference was a success, there were 4 sites in total including:
- Questacon Canberra
Parkes
- Primary School
- Scots College Sydney
- Bairnsdale Primary School
Attending VIP’s at Questacon were Senator Kim Carr who gave a short speech along with representatives from Questacon and Shell.
Below are some screenshots from the event.
Questacon presenters making a “glove-a-fone”
Senator Carr opening the event
The group demonstrating sound waves using fire by playing music through a “Rubens Tube”
What’s this FaceTime Thingy?
We’ve been hearing this a lot lately from NVCS customers and indeed even
from our own staff here at AARNet. Apple has crafted a lot of hype around their
own implementation of a mobile/desktop video conferencing product. Cleverly
produced TV commercials give viewers a warm fuzzy feeling about communicating
with their family members and friends face to face despite being separated by
distance.
So what does this mean for me you ask?
Well unless you are a Apple Mac or iPhone/iPod user not much but for
many of us who are this is quite a development.
So what is FaceTime?
Essentially Apple has created a one touch to dial interface around their
mobile devices that uses industry standards (albeit in a proprietary way) to videoconference
with other devices that use the FaceTime standard. Up until recent days this
was restricted just to mobile devices such as the iPhone 4 or iPod Touch but
now with FaceTime for Mac this has been extended to any Mac running Mac OSX
“Snow Leopard”. This includes Mac desktops, laptops and probably the next
version of the iPad, which is widely known to be including a FaceTime camera.
So how easy is it to use?
Compared to most mobile video calling devices and software it’s
incredibly easy to use and the quality is unsurpassed. FaceTime uses the H.264
video compression codec as well as the G.711 audio codec, which is used by most
video conferencing endpoints and hardware.
NVCS has been testing iPhone 4’s with FaceTime and with the beta release
of FaceTime for Mac we’ve been able to connect and communicate in good quality
video and audio quite successfully for the most part. The fact that FaceTime
for Mac is still a beta product a bet quite a good one still has a few ways to
go to match up to most desktop clients.
Below are some screenshots of testing between NVCS members:
So How Does It All Work?
Testing by various sources online have revealed FaceTime is using the
SIP protocol for call control but is using it’s own proprietary authentication
however this is not always a bad thing. Apple has promised to open up the API
for FaceTime and publish their FaceTime protocol, whether this happens remains
to be seen.
Essentially though your mobile device registers your ID with it’s
servers just like a video conferencing endpoint does with a GateKeeper. When
you make a call the gatekeeper knows where the other party is and if it’s
online will process all the call control and hand over the call to the devices
concerned.
In the case of an iPhone being a phone with a SIM card and a phone
number, this number is used to dial the phone. In the case of an iPod or a Mac
computer this is your email address registered with Apple or your AppleID.
Below is a screenshot of FaceTime dialling on a Mac:
FaceTime picks up your address book and allows you choices to dial via
email or via a phone contact for an iPhone client.
When in a call the display will automatically switch between portrait
and landscape modes depending on the other party. If the iPhone user turns
their phone sideways the FaceTime display on the Mac automatically switches to
landscape as well.
Initial tests showed the first couple of calls sometimes fail upon
connection. My guess is that it takes a couple of goes for the Apple servers to
get you authenticated properly but after that it seems to work pretty much all
the time.
This being beta software its inevitable that issues will persist.
So what does this all mean?
Apple traditionally never enters a marketplace unless they are sure they
will get a good proportion of market share otherwise it’s not worth their time.
The fact Apple has come up with FaceTime is a big indication that they are
looking for market share hence there is no reason why they wont open up the API
and interoperability for FaceTime.
Indeed I expect a Windows version of
FaceTime in the next 6 months to appear sealing the deal that FaceTime can
indeed work across all the various platform giving Apple a unified standard
that others can build upon and extend from.
What does this mean for us?
You can expect FaceTime to be available on most platforms both desktop
and mobile in the next 12-18 months I would imagine and various other software
and apps that can either interface with the FaceTime client or use it as a
backend for their own version.
Whether or not you decide to use FaceTime is up to you. The fact that
it’s one touch and simple to use makes it ideal for the platforms its going to
run on. There will be other devices and software that does the same thing and
that’s the best thing about competition and diversity!
So what does this mean for AARNet and NVCS?
We’ll certainly be using FaceTime along with all the other slew of tools
that NVCS has at it’s disposal. We’ll certainly consider any integration and
interoperability between FaceTime devices and clients and our existing services
and infrastructure. We welcome all vendors who have FaceTime products and
services to get in touch with NVCS for evaluation and consideration for
addition to our services.
Until then, see you on FaceTime!
On the
11th of February, in conjunction with the Asia Pacific Advanced
Networkers (APAN) conference, we have been very lucky to secure a day
long Video Workshop which is entitled ‘Leading Video Conference
adoption in the Education and Research sector’.
APAN brings together a myriad of networking experts from across Asia,
The Americas and Europe with a diverse group of talented speakers
presenting locally on topics relevant to National Research and
Education video conference service providers.
Featured speakers at this event will include:
-
Lynnette Whitfield (Polycom)
-
Garvan Long (IPFocus)
-
Simon Horne (H323.net)
-
Kathy Reid (Deakin)
-
Jason Woolridge (Evidence Technology)
Topics will range from streaming media with updates from the
in-progress AARNet Streaming Media project group, video conferencing
desktop developments including the provision of VC services to
disparate networks beyond the NREN boundaries, the ad-hoc vs centrally
booked/scheduled developments in MCU capacity and centralised video
transcoding services and will also include a panel session on the
future of collaboration services and the role of the NREN in the next
3-5 years.
Please register now for the APAN event (8-11 Feb 2010) which will be
held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney. The cost of the week long
registration including all social events and dinners is $555. The main APAN registration website and full conference registration site is located at:
http://apan.net/meetings/Sydney2010/
Limited day registrations at $195 may also still be available. Please contact
Joan.Hummer@aarnet.edu.au for further information.