Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Proposed SA Videoconference Plans for Year 4 plus 6 Months (M37 to M54) János Mohácsi, András Kovács (NIIF/HUNGARNET) 4 th GÉANT2 Technical Workshop Cambridge, 6 June 2007

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Present Problems Volunteered multipoint resources for international meetings: –Ad-hoc, without any guarantees –No MCU/VC service in many countries (“digital divide”) No coordination between NREN VC support groups: –Slow problem identification and resolution –Bad user experience Lack of common monitoring tools: –Interdomain facilities not monitored at all (SLA? Stability?) –GDS has been very unstable recently Difficult to find contact points for remote endpoints: –Seeking new partnerships (?) –Difficult to organise a multi-party conference

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Background and synergy European VC service history: –Has been subject of discussions since –Technical and organisational complexity –Failed to agree on technical content for GN2 Y3 –Recent activities (TERENA TF-VSS) → proposal Recognised synergies: –GN2 monitoring services (PerfSONAR) –GN2 EduGAIN AAI –TF-VSS and TF-ECS cooperation –Related NREN activities/projects ← to be harmonised

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Planned Work WI1 (14MM) Support coordination activity: –A central website will be established –National support group contact information database Available at the central website –Single communication channel for support groups (mailing list) –Central trouble ticketing system (TTS) Help problem resolution and joint work –Federated directory of institutional videoconference endpoints Hierarchical architecture, federated data management Any organisation/institution can join and feed its data Very simple, RSS based architecture

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Planned Work WI2 (8MM) Monitoring infrastructure: –L3 reachability of equipment: GDS gatekeepers, national gatekeepers, SIP proxies, etc. MCUs and other relevant equipment –Deployment of national test numbers: Used for reachability testing and end-user tests –H.323/SIP interdomain reachability matrix: Both for H.323 and SIP (GDS and ENUM) –Overall reachability statistics –Audio/video echo test services (central and national) For end-user equipment testing –Integration with PerfSONAR (plugin)

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Planned Work WI3 (7MM) Pan-European videoconference website: –Host support information database: Contact points Test facilities, basic NREN service information –Host management tools: Reachability matrix Monitoring tools and reachability statistics (PerfSONAR) TTS –Host the federated directory –Knowledge base wiki of support cases –Multipoint service access point (reservation system)

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Planned Work WI4 (9MM) Central Pan-European multipoint resources: –Procure and deploy a state-of-the-art MCU: Support European research projects Support countries without service (“digital divide”) –Procure 2 servers (central website, monitoring, etc.) –Free gatekeeper/SIP registrar for end-users (GDS/ENUM access) –Deploy a resource reservation system: Central website, EduGAIN AAI enabled Support invitation of participants to help VC organisers To use/modify an existing one –Support for central resources: NRENs, rota basis

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Structure

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Effort Required: –~40MM (~3.16MY) –200kEuro (for central VC equipment – optional) Offered: –Positive feedback (TERENA TAC & GA) –Manpower offers needed ASAP Issues: –Decision on starting an SA –Decision on central resources –Provide your feedback/ideas –Further discussion on technical content –Finalise the proposal

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Participation Number of NRENs: (for 1 st preliminary proposal) –CESNET, CSC, GRNET, NIIF/HUNGARNET, REDIRIS, SWITCH, TERENA –0.5MY in overall Key contributions –To be defined according to contributions Summary: –We need more NRENs to express their interest –Technical content should be finalised with participants –Please confirm your contribution ASAP to

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Work Item 1 (Support) Deliverables –DS?.1.38: TTS –DS?.1.39: Cookbook recipe for setting up PSTN dial-in facilities –DS?.1.40: contact point database at SA webpage Milestones –MS?.1.40: completion of helpdesk infrastructure. –MS?.1.43: integration of MCU services into the SA website.

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Work Item 2 (Monitoring) Deliverables –DS?.2.40: cookbook recipes on test number infrastructure –DS?.2.42: PerfSONAR plugin for H.323/SIP reachability testing –DS?.2.43: mechanism for collecting info from distributed beacons –DS?.2.44: web reachability matrix Milestones –MS?.2.43: reachability monitor plugins deployed at NRENs –MS?.2.45: central monitoring in place

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Work Item 3 (SA website) Deliverables –DS?.3.41: website requirements –DS?.3.48: fully functional website Milestones –MS?.3.43: website with basic informational services –MS?.3.48: fully functional website with invitation system and EduGAIN integration.

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Work Item 4 (Central MCU) Deliverables –DS?.4.38: equipment specification (MCU, servers) –DS?.4.45: integration of MCU API for resource scheduling Milestones –MS?.4.40: installation and initial configuration of servers –MS?.4.43: installation and initial configuration of MCU –MS?.4.48: MCU scheduling integrated into SA website

Connect. Communicate. Collaborate Next steps & Risks Decision needed on SA to start Manpower bids needed ASAP Until now, limited activity and contributions Technical content should be finalised with more NRENs’ technical experts involved Decision needed on expensive central resources