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Video Portal Recommendations for H.323 (IP) Videoconferencing
Local LAN Requirements
Wiring Infrastructure:
- LAN cabling (Ethernet)
need to be high quality Category 5e or better.
- LAN cable terminations
should use the EIA/TIA 568A wiring scheme.
- Keep cables away from
electrical fields, fluorescent lighting, and electrical outlets.
- Cable runs should be
kept short and should NEVER exceed 100 meters (300 feet) on any
Ethernet segment. If the segment needs to be over 100 meters (300
feet), we recommend that you use a fiber optic connection between
the switch and the codec.
Router and Switch
Requirements:
- Extensive testing has
been done by Verizon in the lab and in the field to
come up with a baseline that “works”.
- Switches from the codec
to the edge router should be used, NOT passive hubs. A switch
reduces data traffic and collisions of packets as they are sent
and received. Passive hubs should be
eliminated from the path completely.
- The number of
switches should always be minimized between your router and codec.
Each switch adds latency, which is undesirable for video conferencing.
- All VIDEO traffic should
be on a dedicated Ethernet port.
- Approved Cisco
router and IOS. The Verizon
Account Team and the Video Portal staff can assist in recommendations
for routers, IOS (router operating system version), and memory
requirements for successful deployment of H.323 video conferencing.
Bandwidth and Provisioning Local LAN Bandwidth:
- Minimum 10 Mbps, 100
Mbps is preferred. Because some routers do NOT auto negotiate reliably,
we recommend NOT using the AUTO setting, instead select 10 or 100
fixed. Codecs should also be fixed 10 or 100.
- Full duplex from the
codec to the Access New Jersey edge router minimizes the effects
of latency and jitter and is preferred. Codecs should also be fixed
to full duplex.
Bandwidth and provisioning
to Access New Jersey Video Portal:
- To allow for 384 Kbps
calls, as an example, you need bandwidth plus overhead. One H.323
connection at 384K plus overhead for call setup and signaling is
about 512K.
One T1 can never have more than one H.323 call across it.
- In some cases it may
be better to have a central High School be the main "hub" in the
district and all the others sites to aggregate here.
- Communicate your needs
to Video Portal staff for recommendations.
- To have a circuit provisioned
between school or school district to the Video Portal's backbone,
please contact your Verizon Account Team. The Verizon Account
Team can assist in designing the appropriate bandwidth based on
your knowledge of your overall network and calling needs.
Firewalls and Network
Address Translation
Firewalls and Network Access Translation (NAT) are used to provide
security by limiting access to a Local Area Network by filtering "inbound" Internet
traffic.
Video conferencing is difficult to negotiate through Firewalls and
Network Address Translation (NAT). Recent
advancements, in the Cisco PIX firewalls and recent Polycom software
upgrades, are beginning make this easier to deploy. But it is still recommended
to ANJ member institutions to assign an IP address to your codec and
install it on your network outside of your firewall. All video traffic
should be on a dedicated Ethernet port of your router.
Most viruses and worms attack Microsoft Windows. Polycom and several
other "appliance-based" codecs do not use the Windows operating
system. A hacker may be succeed in getting access an "appliance-based"
codec that is outside
a firewall, but can do little other than place a call or change its settings
at the very most.
If your codec is attached
to the ANJ network this adds to your security, as there is no direct
connection to the commodity Internet. Connections needed to the commodity
Internet
are "bridged" by the Video Portal through an MCU.
If you feel that you must
use a firewall and NAT, contact the Video Portal staff for additional
information.
 Codec Settings:
- Make sure that the network
parameters of the codec are set to 100 Mbps - full duplex.
- If the codec is an appliance
on a roll-about cart, make sure that the LAN port it is connected
to is also set to 100 Mbps -full duplex. The
Verizon Account Team
can assist in codec recommendations.
- Video Portal will assist
in setup information, addressing, and registering with gatekeepers.
We will also assign your E.164 dial plan numbers.
Gatekeeper function:
- Gatekeepers under
H.323 manages bandwidth between your codec and the network.
- Admission control of
the codecs access to other codec endpoints, MCUs and gateways.
- Administers the E.164
dial plan.
- Error logging and for
diagnostics.
E.164 numbers and
the ANJ dialing plan
Video Portal will assign all ANJ members endpoints an E.164 number that
will act like a video phone number and will register with the gatekeepers.
Clients that are registered to a gatekeeper can connect point-to-point
to each other using the assigned E.164 dial number. IP addresses are
not used for these connections.
Test and certify
your new codec:
- After you register with
the Video Portal online and set up your endpoint.
- Schedule a test with
the Video Portal staff to ensure connectivity, QoS, and proper
operation of your site prior to scheduling any conferences.
Video Portal Services:
- Bridging (gateway services)
and multi-point conferences can be booked "free of
charge" for all ANJ members.
- Video Portal requires
ten (10) days advance notice for use of portal services to ensure
availability of resources.
- Request for Video Portal
services can be done online.
- Local ISDN dialing is
available through specialized video gateways that are positioned
in each New Jersey LATA. This allows for ISDN videoconferencing
units to connect with the Video Portal in their own LATA avoiding
long distance calls for users of the ANJ network.
Gateway Services
(Bridging)
We can "bridge" between H.323 (IP), H.321 (ATM), H.320
(ISDN), IDLS (in North Jersey only), and H.323 from over the
commodity Internet
(best effort, no QoS guaranteed).
 Multipoint Conferences
ANJ Video Portal provides "free of charge" multi-point
conferences for H.323 (IP or commodity Internet), H.320 (ISDN), H.321
(ATM) and IDLS (in North Jersey Only). ANJ Video Portal maintains "three" separate "video
portals" located in all three New Jersey LATAs (Newark, Atlantic
County, and Mount Laurel) to provide total redundancy and a robust video
network. This also allows for "local dialing" to our ISDN members
saving them the cost of expensive "long distance" ISDN dialing.
We use fully loaded Accord Multipoint Control Units (MCU).
 
We provide
continuous presence that shows all sites simultaneously in various
screen views or video switching
where the video automatically
switches on the audio of the presenting site.
What is QoS (Quality
of Service)?
QoS is a measure of the quality and low latency (delay) of the video
and audio connections. Connecting H.323 video conferences over the commodity
Internet are always considered "best effort". Even with enough
allocated bandwidth between your endpoint and the other site, you are
competing for the same bandwidth that all the other data traffic on the
Internet. with nothing to prioritize the traffic. Multiple router "hops" can
cause latency and jitter making successful video conferencing not always
possible.
Only with the ANJ network
connection can good quality conferences be guaranteed as our robust "controlled" network
can provide QoS. Access New Jersey Video Portal is a fully
managed video network that connects institutions across
New Jersey with "portals" in all three New Jersey LATAs, creating
an interactive distance learning community. This network is one of
the
largest most
advanced
video
networks in
the U.S. With "portals" in all three New Jersey LATAs we provide
a robust video network with total redundancy and QoS with the availability
of local ISDN dialing.
Global Management
System
Verizon Video Portal deploys the Polycom
Global Management System (GMS) as part of their strategy for management
of the ANJ video network and its users. GMS is an intelligent web-based
management software solution for enterprise-wide video communication
networks.
Global Management System
- Highlights of Features and Benefits
System Management:
- Remote control of users
videoconferencing systems
- View real-time video
network status and conferences
- Manage video communication
network devices -
remotely
Complete Video Network Aggregation:
- Minimize time for network
support
- Reduce cost and time
in maintaining videoconferencing infrastructure and provisioning
- Create standard profiles
of setting op video endpoints
- Enables simplification of large video deployments
Global Directory:
- Centralized, server-based
directory - we can load your codec address book remotely
- E.164 Dialing
Remote Alert Notification:
- Receive email/pager messages
remotely for 24x7 troubleshooting
Call Detail Record and Account
Management:
- Detail
video network usage
Software Updates:
- Perform
immediate or scheduled updates on multiple Polycom endpoints
at once remotely
With GMS, the
Video Portal
staff assists customer support by aggregating all video communication
network data. It allows a central
management of ANJ members video endpoints
such as the ViewStation, VS4000, and any third-party
video endpoints
with embedded web servers. GMS enables the Video Portal to
store video numbers in a centralized global
directory that can be "pushed" out to ANJ member endpoint's address
books. What does all
this mean to the everyday ANJ member? It means a much higher
level of customer support from the Video Portal - remotely, instantly, "free
of charge"!
Technical Support:
- Verizon Access New Jersey
Video Portal provides support to all ANJ members with a single
point-of-contact.
- Video Portal staff can
be reached online.
- Video Portal maintains
24 hour video test numbers at first come basis.
- Access New Jersey Video
Portal maintains the
ANJ Community website to assist ANJ members.
- The Access New Jersey
website maintains a
list of ANJ members and with an ANJ member password users can
retrieve ANJ member contact information and manage their own account
information online.
See our
FAQ section and our
Technical Appendix for more explanations
of terms an additional help.
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