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.
  

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.

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.

• 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).

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.

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.

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, via video number, or via phone M-F 8:30 AM to 5 PM at (973) 497-9765.
• 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.
• The Video Portal deploys the Polycom Global Management System to troubleshoot and assist ANJ members

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"!

See the rest of this website which includes weblinks, additional FAQs, and extensive information about Access New Jersey. The ANJ community also includes forums, news, and feedback sections.

See our FAQ section and our Technical Appendix for more explanations of terms an additional help.