Virtual Room Videoconferencing System H. Newman & P. Galvez & G. Denis, Caltech C. Isnard, C. Isnard, CERN CHEP2000 February 6, 2000

VRVS Current & future VRVS is now a production system: VRVS is now a production system: è As of today, more than 2010 machines from 1310 different users are registered into the system. è During year 1999, 872 Multipoint Conferences has been Conducted (Total 2325 Hours). è More than 3000 point to point connection established. è 7 Virtual Rooms are available for World Wide Conferences in addition to the 4 available for each Continent (America only, Europe only, Asia only). VRVS Future evolution/integration (R&D) VRVS Future evolution/integration (R&D) è Deployment and support of VRVS. è High Quality video and audio (MPEG1, MPEG2,..). è Shared applications, environment and workspace. è Integration of H.323 I.T.U Standard into VRVS. è Quality of Service (QoS) over the network. è Documentation and user-configuration recommendations. è Improved security, authentication and confidentiality.

Reflectors Software deployment 23 reflectors Running in U.S. Europe and Asia è Switzerland: CERN (2) è Italy: CNAF Bologna è UK: Rutherford Lab è France: IN2P3 Lyon, Marseilles è Germany: Heidelberg Univ. è Finland: FUNET è Spain: IFCA-Univ. Cantabria è Portugal: LIP è Russia: Moscow State Univ., Tver. U. è U.S: k Caltech, LBNL, SLAC, FNAL, k ANL, BNL, Jefferson Lab. è DoE HQ Germantown Academia Sinica. Taiwan - Asia : Academia Sinica. Taiwan South America: CeCalcula.Venezuela - South America: CeCalcula.Venezuela - Latest Weizmann Institute Israel - Latest: Weizmann Institute. Israel

VRVS Statistics

R&D Medium Term Plan Principal Investigator: Caltech and ESnet Collaborators: CERN, Internet2/UCAID The new system aimed at using the capability of Internet2 and ESnet for rapid data exchange, will be based on VRVS è Develop, prototype and start deployment of high performance next generation Integrated Environment for Collaborative work è We will adapt and extend VRVS API to accommodate and support high performance multimedia application suites (MPEG1 and MPEG2 streaming video, shared iGRID applications, integration with H.323.) è QoS tests over ESnet and Internet2 networks A Next Generation Integrated Environment for Collaborative Work Across Internets A Next Generation Integrated Environment for Collaborative Work Across Internets

VRVS Model Implementation Network Layer (TCP/IP) QoS VRVS Reflectors (Unicast/Multicast) Real Time Protocol (RTP/RTCP) Mbone Tools (vic, vat/rat,..) QuickTime V4.0 H.323 MPEG Others?? CollaborativeApplications VRVS Web User Interface done Partially done Work in progress Continuously in development

VRVS Asia VRVS Web Distributed Model VRVS Root Community X VRVS America Community Y VRVS Europe 1- http vrvs request A 2- http vrvs redirect 3- vrvs connection B C 1- vrvs host registration with automatic or manual assignation to the local vrvs web server - ex: C 2 - Update local databases with registered host 1- direct access to vrvs services Community Y - UP - A -.. Community Y - UP - A -.. VRVS Europe UP - UP - Italy - France -.. VRVS Europe UP - UP - Italy - France VRVS root - vrvs America - vrvs Europe - vrvs Asia - Community X - Community Y -... VRVS root - vrvs America - vrvs Europe - vrvs Asia - Community X - Community Y -...

WorkPlan FY00 è Continue Deployment and Support of VRVS. k Extend Reflector topology in new sites/countries. k More users registered implies more questions and supports. k More meetings implies more monitoring of the system. è High Quality video and audio (MPEG1, MPEG2,..). k See next slides è Shared applications, environment and workspace. k Study a set of tools around the collaborative environment r VNC (Virtual Network Computer under investigation) k Modify/Integrate them in the VRVS framework. k Features foreseen (all Web based): Chat, Synchronize Web browsing, exchange of file between participant, shared desktop è Quality of Service (QoS) over the network k Tests over the transatlantic line using different protocol (CAR, ATM QoS, DiffServ,..) will be performed. k Test will be extended to End to End nodes (Caltech, CERN, others sites).

Workplan FY00 (2/2) è Integration of H.323 I.T.U Standard into VRVS. k step 1: Develop a “H.323 VRVS Gatekeeper”. k step 2: Allow H.323 clients to initiate a point to point videoconference using VRVS user interface. k step 3: Use VRVS reflector to perform H.323 multipoint videoconference. k step 4: Develop the necessary software to have interoperability between H.323 clients and Mbone (Vic, Vat/Rat) applications. k step5: Possibility to perform VRVS multipoint videoconferencing independently of the videoconferencing clients (Mbone/H.323) è Documentation and user-configuration recommendations. ( k Test and advice different Cameras, microphones, projectors,.. k Regular Update of the recommendation document. k Work in close collaboration with ESnet and all VRVS users in order to provide a large choice of working and tested devices..

MPEG2 deployment plan (1/2) è Acquisition of Minerva MPEG2 Encoder/Decoder boxes. k Support for the RTP (Real Time Protocol) k Very low latency (around 120 ms for full duplex mode) during real-time communication (videoconference). k Availability of a Video Development Toolkit (VDK) for integration with existing applications or with the VRVS framework. è ESnet already selected Minerva as the preferred solution for MPEG2 deployment inside ESnet. è One box has been installed at two sites: Caltech and CERN è Are others HENP Institutes interested in participation to the test and deployment phase ?? Goal : To deploy MPEG2 technology among HENP community. MPEG2 will provide full TV quality, full frame and full interactivity in a range of 2 to 15 Mbps

MPEG2 deployment plan (2/2) è Integration plan of MPEG2 into VRVS framework k step 1: Perform and valid bi-directional point to point and interactive communication between 2 sites r Caltech and CERN r Caltech and CERN -- Done Successfully December 14, r Caltech and Esnet sites r CERN and ESnet sites r CERN and ESnet sites -- Done Successfully January 15, k step 2: adapt/modify VRVS reflector in order to make MPEG2 multipoint videoconferencing between 3 or more sites r Caltech, CERN and ESnet sites k step 3: adapt/modify VRVS Web interface and use the MPEG2 development kits in order to initiate MPEG2 videoconference in a “click and start” fashion. k step 4: Use the whole VRVS system and philosophy (registration, scheduling, etc..) with automatic attribution to the closest reflector and start the conference by just clicking after joining a Virtual Room as of today.

Example: GLAST meeting (October 14,1999) 10 participants connected via VRVS

Example::LEPC broadcast from CERN (November 9,1999) 35 participants connected via VRVS

Example: 9 Participants, CERN(2), Caltech, FNAL(2), Bologna (IT), Roma (IT), Milan (IT), Rutherford(UK)

Conclusion u VRVS is now a production system with more than 2010 registered host computers located in more than 40 countries. The frequency of VRVS conferences is tending to increase rapidly; u I2-DV (Internet2 Digital Video) Initiative steering committee looks forward to use VRVS framework as a foundation for new video and multimedia services to be deployed throughout Internet 2; u VRVS will support all type of videoconferencing; from the Mbone and H.323 applications to very high video and audio quality like MPEG2; u QoS study and tests over the transatlantic line is more then ever a very important task in order to run Differentiated Service for real-time applications as well as other sensitive applications (distributed database); u Strong effort will be done to investigate development in new areas such as Shared Virtual Spaces and Data Applications;