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.
A "Video Anywhere" event took place at Deakin University's Management Centre at Waurn Pounds today. Approximately 40 representatives mainly from Victoria, plus from Queensland, New South Wales and New Zealand attended the event. The event was hosted by Deakin University and sponsored by iVision, Tandberg and AARNet.
Mr Peter Brusco (ITS Director, Deakin University) welcomed attendees, he set the scene for the day with an introduction to Deakin University where he described the increasing use of video conferencing and digital signage across the university.
Mr Alan McMeeken (CIO, Monash University) set out efforts to achieve a virtual organisation where media richness builds on trust. Monash university use video conferencing extensively on a national/international level, this works because in most cases in person relationships have been formed beforehand. Alan believed the days of a standard operating environments are over, diversity is key with the passive and deliberate integration of video technologies as key to extending reach. Monash has a strategy based on the establishment of a robust suite of collaboration tools, a centralised support service, engagement with external service providers such as cloud computing, ARCS etc, and the need for appropriate training, support and reference services to discover tools and services. Alan believed that investments in video conferencing were delivering travel time and cost savings and fewer greenhouse gases.
Ms Audrey William (Research Director, ICT Practice) from Frost & Sullivan spoke about key trends in the Australian Unified Communications market. Audrey explained how the global financial crisis had impacted on unified communications spending, many companies expected more from less. With recent video conferencing vendor mergers and acquisitions the net result was increased complexity for the customer. Audrey believed services integration with unified communications technologies was critical for effective collaboration service returns to be achieved. Instant Messaging was driving unified communications uptake, whilst mobile solutions for the enterprise were growing significantly and also adding to complexity. Audrey pointed to the importance and value of systems integrators to help customers achieve their collaboration and communication service outcomes.
Audrey Williams - Frost-Sullivan (PDF)
Mr Shervin Fathinia (Solutions Architect, iVision) presented on issues related to communicate anywhere with his thoughts on what needed to be resolved to make that happen. Shervin started with audio conferencing, where in-dial invites worked easily as the phone "just works" similar to email and SMS. That approach does not always apply with video conferencing. The use of presence and desktop video were key enablers but they need to be applied across the board for effective collaboration. Achieving that can be difficult because researchers have different functional needs and multiple applications are readily available, managing them all adds more work to the end user. Shervin mentioned developments with Cisco IME that claims to extend Unified Communications functionality beyond the enterprise to Business-to-Business situations.
Shervin would like to see the establishment of a reverse eENUM service for URI based dialling or SIP+DNS solution as an alternative to the E.164 dial plan. More needs to be done to enable click to call within address books, the future may include voice activation to contact someone, the future connection options will be very different. Shervin expects an increased use of streaming/video on demand apps, video portals to support teaching and learning, and a move from technology silos. He concluded by saying that more needs to be done to achieve SIP/H.323 seamlessly.
Mr Jeff Wang (Unified Communications Solutions Specialist) from Tandberg spoke about the Tandberg Mgt System 12.5 advanced reporting features and the newly released Movi 3.0 desktop video solution. Jeff's talk centred on "a Management and Desktop Video Solution to Achieve the Vision of Video Anywhere". TMS 12.5 had reporting enhancements to support large video deployment support for E20 (video telephone) and a new hierarchical structure to aid large scale deployments in 000's endpoints. New reports also made it easier to calculate port utilisation and spare capacity to aid in MCU capacity planning.
Jeff then covered Movi 3.0 + vcs + expressway + TMS as a combination back end for desktop video. Movi 3 uses a new graphical user interface, with support to a H.263/H.264 and compression for efficient HD JPEG decoding for 3 times faster HD video. Jeff demonstrated the PrecisionHD camera using MJPEG for high speed still shots over USB2.0, showing how the use of an "intelligent network" based on local gateway MAC address to sense bandwidth to transmit/receive enabled great results over a 3G wireless network connection.
Jeff-Wang - Tandberg Management System 12.5 (PDF)
Simon-Mills - TMS-Deakin University (PDF)
James Sankar (Director, Applications and Services), AARNet, spoke about the significant increase in use of the AARNet conferencing service and encouraged the community to undertake quality assurance tests either to proactively address any inst A to inst B issues or to use the service to sign off on a new installation. A new monthly QA automated test scheme has started to provide details of any access to endpoint issues via email (on an exception basis), the frequency may become daily in the near future.
James briefly mentioned the 2010 focus on extending enterprise based unified communications features across AARNet via Cisco, Microsoft OCS, Avaya IMS, OpenSER, and possibly Session Border Controllers. The work will require recruiting a senior engineer and issues such as dial plans, directory services and Skype integration are important aspects. James also provided an early insight into iSee a virtual world platform for desktop video that would add a further dimension to video conferencing, this is currently in Alpha test phase and is being developed by Smart Services CRC.
James Sankar - AARNet-NVCS-Update (PDF)
Jamie Nicol (Deakin University) spoke on Digital Signage that has been developed using Cisco digital media solutions (latest generation is 4400G) that acts as a set top box and can be managed remotely. LCDs were chosen as static images would burn on plasmas. The screen are able to pick up EthernetDVB multicast TV streams. 36 units have been installed across 4 campuses. It was important to note that ownership, content control and standards are very important. Jamie shows some future uses of digital signage that can support interactive features via mobile phones acting as keypads on YouTube (See Gesturetek clips 1 and 2).
Jamie-Nicol - Digital-Signage-Deakin University (PDF)
Brett Adams (Deakin University) shared experiences in the use of a resource mgt system to remote manage audio visual equipment based on virtual servers which are now as standard for new installations delivered via iVision.
Brett-Adams - RMS_Deakin University (PDF)
James Sankar (AARNet) concluded the day by thanking the speakers, the hosts and sponsors, the key points from the day were as follows
1. Growth in technology options, recession is driving a "more from less" attitude, mergers and acquisitions (Cisco+Tandberg, Logitech+LifeSize, Polycom?) are adding complexity for the customer, add to that more applications including integration to the virtual world!
2. There are an increasing number of applications and services to
support, administer and manage versus a huge proliferation of
non-supported products online and users that want to use whatever they
want.
3. Unified communications aims are to offer a more usable interoperable enterprise solution for VoIP, IM, Presence, personal and room based video conferencing, integrating with services is important, system integrator expertise is recommended.
4. A key challenge is how to connect organisation A to organisation B? This requires support at both organisations, AARNet plays a coordinator role here too, currently its based on E.164 dial plans, we need to move to more intuitive options based on names such as reverse ENUM, DNS+SIP, issues related to Directory Services and privacy, authenticity still prevail.
5. Future product offering most ensure there is support for IPv6, this is critical for the Asia-Pacific region in particular.
6. Measuring Greenhouse Gas savings is still a bit of an art, models and tools are emerging and being developed but these need to be less intrusive of the end user. A manual audit approach of conferences booked on the MCU was suggested as an interim solution. The key is determining whether a meeting would have required travel if video was not available. That is the more difficult question to answer.
7. We will see even greater commoditisation in the "cloud" or access to external services such as NVCS, ARCS, uptake depends on the credibility of the service and the priorities within each organisation when it comes to allocating resources for service delivery (in-house vs external).
8. There remains a desire to integrate Skype, the Skype architecture though proprietary is based on VoIP and even with a Gateway is not scalable, AARNet has applied to be part of SIP for Skype trials that would help bring Skype into the Unified Communications World via a standards based approach.
9. Technologies, applications and services need to be integrated for a suitable ROI to be attain based ideally on a set of strategic goals and benchmarks, suitable organisation structure (with ownerships, responsibilities) and support from experts (vendors, system integrators) to achieve video anywhere credible services.
10. The Association of Education Technology Mgr's (A/V community) will meet at UniMelb/Monash in 2010, this could be an opportunity for a future video event, that would leave one other event to host earlier in the year in Victoria (April/May), hosts are welcomed to contact James at AARNet.
Photos available from the day at http://picasaweb.google.com/aarnet.pics/VideoAnywhereDeakinUniversity#
Links to photos, videos and presentations from the first event at Monash University can be found at