Transcript Slides

Global Platform for Rich Media
Conferencing and Collaboration
Philippe Galvez
California Institute of Technology
Feb 19th, 2004
LISHEP 2004, Rio de Janeiro
What is VRVS ?
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The Virtual Rooms Videoconferencing System has
been developed by Caltech since 1995 to provide a
world wide videoconference service for education
and research communities.
VRVS is a realtime distributed system which
provides a scalable communication infrastructure
for large collaboration dispersed all over the world.
Different technologies and protocols are supported
(and mixed) allowing users to connect their
preferred videoconference.
Supports Mbone, H.323, SIP, QuickTime, Access
Grid, JMF and MPEG2.
The system is composed of 1 main server and
several reflectors (network servers) spread around
the world.
VRVS Web Service Design
Unified Web User Interface to 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 Leave a 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.
Full Documentation and Tutorial
Self service: You don’t need a technician or expert to
organize and join a conference
VRVS Reflector Implementation
 Avoids Duplication of Streams on a given Link
 Can be set to Unicast or Multicast mode or both
 Connection peer-to-peer with neighbors network
servers. Connectionless (more reliable to network
breaks)
 Enables Optimized Routing
 Enables Bandwidth Control
 Provides low latency communication
 Can be used for real-time interactivity or broadcast
 Provides an elegant solution to cross firewall/NAT
 Remote Management Features.
 Compliant with IETF RTPv2 Protocol, ready for new
applications.
VRVS Model Implementation
VRVS Web User Interface
(vic, vat/rat,..)
SIP
H.323
QuickTime
Player
MPEG
Minerva
QoS
VRVS Reflectors (Unicast/Multicast)
Collaborative
Applications
Mbone
Tools
Real Time Protocol (RTP/RTCP)
Network Layer (TCP/IP)
done
Partially done
Work in progress
Continuously in development
VRVS Deployment
and Usage
VRVS Reflectors Deployment
VRVS Reflectors Deployment
79 reflectors Deployment World wide
in 27 Different Countries
USA
27
Venezuela
2
Brazil
6
Italy
1
Spain
5
Germany
1
Switzerland
5
Chile
1
UK
3
Poland
1
France
3
Hungary
1
Slovakia
3
China
1
Canada
2
Ireland
1
Taiwan
2
Russia
1
Greece
2
Czech Republic
1
Portugal
2
Belgium
1
Israel
2
Romania
1
Japan
2
Australia
1
Pakistan
2
Finland
1
VRVS registered users and current usage
as of Feb 17th, 2004
Scheduled Multipoint Videoconferences Sessions
800
USA
2006
Spain
Italy
Switzerland
France
Brazil
Germany
UK
Slovakia
Japan
1210
565
511
496
442
417
349
214
161
2001
700
2002
2003
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Scheduled Multipoint Videoconferences hours
Sessions
3000
2001
2500
2002
2003
2000
And much more: Canada, Australia,
Chile, Taiwan, Argentina, China,…
1500
1000
500
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
VRVS registered users and current usage
as of Feb 17th, 2004
8400 different Users registered
from 103 Countries
and more than 26300 machines
We have in average ONE
new registered user per hour!
Machines and OS
Machines used in VRVS
VRVS support different
Operating Systems
according to the need
and the demand of the
final users:
Windows
Linux
Macintosh
Others
Connections from Machines
1st
: Windows
2nd: Linux
3rd: Macintosh
4th: Other UNIX
Windows
Linux
Macintosh
Others
Call Details Record (CDR)
Number of
Number of
VRVS Meetings Participants
NOV 2003 692
2951
Total number of
Minutes of video/audio
connection
144 Days, 17h, 14mn
(3473 hours, 14mn)
DEC 2003 656
2734
129 Days, 18h, 57mn
(3114 hours, 57mn)
JAN 2004 687
2980
189 Days, 4h, 23mn
(4540 hours, 23mn)
Some Examples
VRVS on Mac OS X
VRVS on Windows
Example 1: 20 participants
BRAZIL (3 sites) + SWITZERLAND (CERN) + USA (Caltech)
Example 2: 17 participants
JAPAN + UK + SWITZERLAND + BRAZIL + USA (SLAC + FERMILAB)
Some Features
Network and Security
 Possibility of tunneling (TCP or UDP) between reflector
servers. All communications use only ONE port !
 Peer-to-peer design with high scalability and flexibility
 Solution for Firewall and NAT
 Performing of some packet recovery
 VRVS Proxy Java agent for users behind NAT
environment
 Fixed incompatibility between several H.323 end points
 Remotely mute/unmute video or/and audio
 Optimized network bandwidth utilization
 Real-time packet loss monitoring
 Support up to 16,000 Virtual Rooms (parallel meetings)
Administration Interface
o Pure Java J2EE + XML
o HTTPS/SSL secure web interface
o Monitoring reflectors and users in ongoing conference
o Full control on database
Monalisa: Real-Time Monitoring
VRVS Virtual Setup
1 dual processor PC
With special 4 output graphic card
6400 x 4800 pixels
Most powerful VRVS End Node
What is next ?
VRVS Main Technical Trend Evolution
Reflectors
Extend intelligence to the edge
V3.(0,1):
VRVS core infrastructure is statically and manually
configured and operated
V3.(2,x):
3.0
VRVS core infrastructure is automatically configured and
monitored. The core software is self dependent and can take
self decisions to improve performance/quality without
manual intervention
3.x
4.0
End users
End applications
V4.0 and beyond:
• This is a Globally Distributed Self Managed End2End Real-time Infrastructure. It
provides the best quality/performance possible
• Extends the core intelligence to the edge.
• Has a full End2End control and monitoring
• The self managed infrastructure has a full knowledge of all the critical/sensitive
parameters (all network layers, hardware and software at the end nodes, resources allocated and
available,..) in order to take adequate decisions (alarms, automatic rerouting of traffic,
disconnection, remove/add services,..)
• Administrator is fully aware with operational status via constant feedback (via UI,
email, phone,..) from the self managed core software
On-going and Future
developments
Globally Distributed Self Managed End2End
Real-time Infrastructure
Advanced VRVS Reflectors
functionalities
 Dynamic registration to high level directory services
 Automatic re-activation of components and services
 Automatic and secure code update
 Continuous monitoring of network quality (packet loss,
jitter, latency) between its peers and its possible peers
 Automatic rerouting to obtain the best
performance/quality
 Automatic Alarm notifications when monitored
parameters (system or network) go beyond a preset
threshold
 Dynamically provides services (video, audio, data,..)
that matches the current resources/capabilities to the
end users/applications
 Provides access to real-time and historical data
Advanced End users/applications
functionalities (1/2)
 Dynamic registration to high level directory services
 Automatic detection of the system parameters (CPU,
Memory,..), hardware components (Audio card, video card,
…), services capabilities (video, audio, …), network
environment and capabilities (wireless environment, DSL,
available bandwidth, …)
 Automatic re-activation of components and services
 Automatic code update
 Continuous monitoring of network quality (packet loss,
jitter, latency) to the attached reflector and possible
others reflectors
 Automatic rerouting to obtain the best
performance/quality (The communication between an end
node will be rerouted transparently and automatically to another
reflector for performance optimization)
Advanced End users/applications
functionalities (2/2)
 Automatic Alarm notifications when monitored
parameters (system or network) go beyond a preset
threshold
As example: if Desktop CPU is too high, the system will automatically
try to perform the following:
 reduce services (video/audio/data/..) running in the machine
and inform user of the change
 or if there is no improvement, inform the user of the problem
and where it comes from (if possible) and then propose a
solution (ultimately reset the system)
 Keep informed the general system administrator
 Dynamically gets services (video, audio, data,..) that
matches the current resources/capabilities to end
users/applications
 Provides access to real-time and historical data
On-going and Future
developments
 Adaptation to emerging standards: IPv6, SIP
 Improve Security (Firewall, NAT, Authentication,
Encryption)
 Develop a pure peer-to-peer VRVS reflectors network to
be able to handle thousands of parallel sessions.
 Integration of new hardware/software for high-end
interactivity.
 Develop a multipoint videoconferencing system based
on MPEG4 compression standard
 Develop a system using HDTV standard if affordable
hardware devices available.
 Wireless/Mobile Client Integration:
 User Interface dedicated for small screens
 Integration of low end client. VVP, JMF, MPEG4
VRVS, Caltech Team
Philippe Galvez
Pasadena (USA)
Kun Wei
Pasadena (USA)
Dave Adamczyk
Pasadena (USA)
Dennis Lattka
Pasadena (USA)
Gregory Denis
Geneva (Switzerland)
David Collados
Geneva (Switzerland)
Joao Fernandes
Geneva (Switzerland)
WWW.VRVS.ORG
[email protected]
[email protected]
Additional Slides
Virtual Access Grid
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User can connect to either unicast or multicast
videoconferencing with full supported features
 User can create his/her own virtual AG node and
virtual venues and integrated 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
VAG with Mbone Clients
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 by a 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
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 necessary
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 a simplified deployment and use, beyond
anything available today (except maybe POTS and email!)
Web based interface
 VRVS provides a natural and
intuitive interface to organize
and manage your meetings.
 Several interfaces let you see
in 1 shot all current
conferences, let you book a new
one in 3 clicks.
 Several academic
communities are handled by
VRVS. Each one has its specific
Virtual Rooms.
 VRVS manages multi
international time zones in a
transparent way.
 Its use do not require
technical knowledge nor
technician action.
Connection Interface
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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