Dan Cotton University of Nebraska, Lincoln American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC)

1. The Application of Distance Education Using Advanced Hybrid NetworkingChinese-American Networking SymposiumShanghai, People's Republic of ChinaAugust 21-23, 2002 Dan Cotton University of Nebraska, Lincoln American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC)

2. American Distance Education Consortium WWW.ADEC.EDU

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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

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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Tachyon.net

11. ADEC Network - SDSC

12. Typical Tachyon Satellite Dish Installation

13. ADEC Network Site Map

14. 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)

15. Research objectives (continued) • investigate QoS • study network performance • determine requirements to support this type of network • determine parameters for a sustainable business model

16. Transportable Dish System

17. Tachyon Central Ground Station San Diego Internet Instructional Sites Earth Satellite Internet 1 or Internet 2 Transportable Ground Station Permanent Ground Station Instructional Sites Instructional Sites

18. 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

19. 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.

20. Portable

21. Satellite Trailer Subsystems • Dish and radio transceiver • Power • Leveling and aiming • Heating and cooling • External connections • Computer

22. 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

23. Application Testing

24. H.323 Over Satellite

25. 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)

26. 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

27. Internet Instructional Sites Tachyon Central Ground Station San Diego Earth Satellite Internet 1 or Internet 2 H.323 Testing ITEC-Ohio Ground Station Instructional Sites

28. Observations • Data rate • Frame rate • Packet loss • Pixilation • Latency • Jitter

29. Preliminary results • Some fluctuations in quality • Some packet loss • It worked! • Excellent video • Internet2 <> 2Mbps / 512Kbps with 384Kpbs Tachyon service level

30. Program Design

31. ADEC H.323 Presentation for Megaconference III

32. 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

33. Multicast Over Satellite

34. Variables • Internet2 <> Tachyon • PIM Sparse Mode (Internet2) versus DVMRP (Tachyon) • IGMP • Internet1, and non-multicast enabled sites • Cisco • Quickcom • MPEG • VBrick • Other technologies

35. Testing/Observations • Internet2 <> Tachyon • Iowa State University – video streaming • ITEC-Ohio • ADEC router configuration • Monitoring • Works quite well!

36. 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

37. Research Projects • EPSCoR • 8 sub-projects • Land management • Aquaculture • Water conservation and management • Environmental monitoring

38. 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

39. Improved Efficiencies of Nitrogen and Irrigation Management Tachyon Central Ground Station San Diego Earth Satellite Internet 2 University of Nebraska Lincoln Satellite IP Data loggers and sensors Tachyon Access Point (TAP) 802.11b network Computer

40. 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

41. 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

42. Questions