Global Platform for Rich Media Conferencing and Collaboration

1. Global Platform for Rich Media Conferencing and Collaboration Philippe Galvez California Institute of Technology Nov 6th, 2003 RedIRIS conference

2. VRVS: What it is ? • TheVirtual Rooms VideoconferencingSystem has been developed by Caltech since1995to provide aworld widevideoconference service for education and research communities. • VRVS isa realtime distributed systemwhichprovide ascalable communication infrastructurefor large collaboration dispersed all over the world. • Different technologies and protocols are supported(and mixed) and allow users to connect their preferred videoconference. • SupportsMbone, H.323, SIP, QuickTime, Access Grid, JMFandMPEG2. • The system is composed of1 main server and several reflectors(network servers) spread around the world.

3. VRVS Web Service Design • Unified Web User Interfaceto schedule and join/leave a meeting independently of the application. • Multi-platform: Windows, Linux, MacOS and Unix • Easy to use: Everybody (from 4 to 77 years old) knows how to click on a web page today. Not true for running a VCR • Virtual Room Concept, Scheduling; Create a virtual space were people can exchange real-time information • Join or Leavea Collaborative session anytime. Do not need to know in advance how many participants and booked ports capacity. Just announce the meeting and people will join from anywhere. • FullDocumentation and Tutorial • Self service: Don’t need a technician or expert to organize and join a conference

4. VRVS Reflector Implementation • Avoids Duplicationof Streams on a given Link • Can be set toUnicast or Multicastmode or both • Connectionpeer-to-peerwith neighbors network servers. Connectionless (more reliable to network breaks) • EnablesOptimized Routing • EnablesBandwidth Control • Providelow latency communication • Could be use forreal-time interactivityorbroadcast • Provide elegant solution to crossfirewall/NAT • RemoteManagementFeatures. • Compliant withIETF RTPv2 Protocol, ready for new applications.

5. VRVS Model Implementation done Partially done Continuously in development Work in progress VRVS Web User Interface Mbone Tools (vic, vat/rat,..) SIP H.323 QuickTime Player MPEG Minerva Collaborative Applications VRVS Reflectors (Unicast/Multicast) QoS Real Time Protocol (RTP/RTCP) Network Layer (TCP/IP)

6. VRVS Deployment and Usage

7. VRVS Reflectors Deployment 78 Reflectors deployed worlwide

8. VRVS Reflectors Deployment 78 reflectors Deployment World wide in 27 Different Countries

9. VRVS registered users and current usageas of Nov 4th, 2003 6285 different Users Registered from93 Countries Taiwan, Greece, Argentina, Russia, Slovakia, etc…

10. Machines and OS • VRVS support different • Operating Systems • according to the need • and the demand of the • final users: • 1st : Windows • 2nd: Linux • 3rd: Macintosh • 4th: Other UNIX

11. VRVS connection per communities A community hosts a dedicated set of Virtual Rooms (currently 10 communities)

12. Some Examples

13. VRVS on Mac OS X

14. VRVS on Windows KEK (JP) Caltech (US) RAL (UK) Brazil CERN (CH) AMPATH (US) Pakistan SLAC (US) Canada AMPATH (US)

15. Example 1: 20 participantsBRAZIL (3 sites) + SWITZERLAND (CERN) + USA (Caltech)

16. Exemple 2: 17 participantsJAPAN + UK + SWITZERLAND + BRAZIL + USA (SLAC + FERMILAB)

17. Some Features

18. Network and Security • Possibility oftunneling (TCP or UDP)between reflector servers. All communications use onlyONEport ! • Peer-to-peer design withhigh scalability and flexibility • Solution forFirewall and NAT • Perform somepacket recovery • Aggregate dynamically bandwidthfor H.323 multipoint conference between End Points to an overall maximum conference bandwidth • Fix incompatibilitybetween several H.323 end points • Remotelymute/unmutevideo or/and audio • Optimized networkbandwidth utilization • Real-timepacket loss monitoring • Support up to16,000Virtual Rooms (parallel meetings)

19. Administration Interface • Pure JavaJ2EE + XML • HTTPS/SSLsecure web interface • Monitoring reflectorsand users in ongoing conference • Full controlon database

20. Monalisa: Real-Time Monitoring

21. VRVS Virtual Setup 1 dual processors PC With special 4 output graphic card 6400 x 4800 pixels Most powerful VRVS End Node

22. What next ?

23. On-going and Future developments (1/2) • Adaptation to emerging standards:IPv6, SIP • Develop advancedmonitoring and tracking toolsfor ad-hoc conference as well as scheduled multi-site conferences • Developadvanced network monitoring agents(based on Java and web services) to run on each network servers. • Possibility toautomatic reroutingbetween VRVS network servers to find a better network path. • ImproveSecurity(Firewall, NAT, Authentication, Encryption) • Develop a purepeer-to-peer VRVS reflectorsnetwork to be able to handle thousands of parallel sessions

24. On-going and Future developments (2/2) • Wireless/Mobile Client Integration: • User Interface dedicated for small screens • Integration of low end client: • Provide dedicated software clients (VVP, JMF) • Transcode streams to lower bandwidth • Support MPEG4 • Integration of new hardware/software for high-end interactivity. • Developed a multipoint videoconferencing system based onMPEG4 compression standard. • Developed a system usingHDTV standardIf affordable hardware devices available.

25. VRVS, Caltech Team

26. WWW.VRVS.ORG Contact@VRVS.org Support@VRVS.org

27. Additional Slides

28. Virtual Access Grid • User can connect to eitherunicast or multicastvideoconferencing with full supported features • User can create his/her own virtual AG node andvirtual venues andintegrated into VRVS • Different Video modes possible: • Voice switched: default mode for H.323 clients. one video stream at a time • Timer switched: browse through all the video based on preset timer. One video stream at a time. • Selected Streams: Click among the video participants to view selected video streams (one or several streams available). • All Streams

29. VAG with Mbone Clients

30. Conclusion: We believe that VRVS offers the following unique differentiators: • Usability– VRVS’ web-based user interface is easy to use and allows almost any desktop of videoconference suite to connect to a VRVS virtual room conference with only few clicks. Its default client apps enable multi-standards audio, video and data collaboration. • Scalability– VRVS scales up with the needs for quality and volume more elegantly and beyond anything possible now. • More simultaneous participants in a same virtual room • More simultaneous virtual room conferences • Wider range of video and data sharing quality

31. Flexibility– VRVS allows inter-operation of collaborative communications between end points of various audio, video and data sharing capabilities as well as different types of connectivity. • Efficiency– VRVS server software makes efficient use of bandwidth by routing required information only to various nodes. • Ubiquity– VRVS’ ease-of-use and scalability unlocks the value of network-based collaboration tools and allows anyone, anywhere, anytime to improve their collaborative experience. • Robustness– VRVS is field tested on a large scale for a long period of time. It has demonstrated exceptional reliability and simplified its deployment and use beyond anything available today (except maybe POTS and email!)

32. Web based interface • VRVS provides anaturalandintuitiveinterface toorganizeandmanageyourmeetings. • Several interfaces let you see in 1 shot all current conferences, let you book a new one in 3 clicks. • Several academic communitiesare handled by VRVS. Each one has its specific Virtual Rooms. • VRVSmanagesmulti internationaltime zonesin a transparent way. • Its use do not require technical knowledge nor technician action.

33. Connection Interface • Connect / Disconnect the selected videoconference client • Provide different video modes • Allow CHAT and Private messages • Can share your computer desktop • Remote control of video cameras. • co-browsing of web sites • real time list of connected participants • share computer desktop with other participants