VC Services information - United Kingdom, UKERNA

Information about VC resources and services from UKERNA:

Basic information

  • Type of service
    H.323 (IP)
    H.320 (ISDN)
  • General usage policy
    Service available for free for people from the academic and higher education and research community,
    Profit oriented service possible: no
  • GDS connection
    Available
    GDS prefix: 0044
  • JANET Videoconferencing Service
  • John S. Martin
    Videoconferencing Service Manager
    JANET Videoconferencing Management Centre
    Computing Services
    University of Edinburgh
    Tel: +44(0)131 650 6743
    Mob: +44(0)7711100289

    Foad Boroujerdi
    JANET Videoconferencing Management Centre
    Computing Services
    University of Edinburgh
    Tel ++44 131 650 4989
    Fax ++44 131 650 6552
    Email: F.Boroujerdi@ed.ac.uk

Resources

  • MCU
    There are currently three fully populated Polycom MGC-100 MCUs in service. These MCUs are running software revision 5.15. They facilitate H.323 and H320 compliant endpoints to participate in point to point or multipoint conferences.
    Another less populated MGC-100 MCU with software revision 5.15 is used for resilience and for hardware/software testing.
  • World Directory Gatekeepers
    Two Cisco 3600s running Cisco Multimedia Conference Manager (MCM)
  • National Directory Gatekeepers
    Two Cisco 3600s running Cisco Multimedia Conference Manager (MCM)
  • JANET Gatekeepers
    Two Cisco 7200s running Cisco Multimedia Conference Manager (MCM)
  • Gateway
    H320 to H323 Gateway via the Polycom MGC-100 MCUs
    Access-Grid to H323 gateway via inSORS bridge server
  • Clients
    Any H.323 compliant endpoints are able to use the services. The most popular endpoints currently used are Polycom and Tandberg.

Middleware, network

  • Microsoft Internet Locator Server (ILS)
  • Booking System - a bespoke system based on Redhat Linux and a SQL server

Employment and Services

  • Services
    • MCU
    • H320/H323 Gateway
    • AG/H323 Gateway
    • Microsoft Internet Locator Server
    • Booking Service
    • Quality Assurance Testing of H.323 & H.320 compliant endpoints
    • Gatekeeper Registration
    • Global Dialing Scheme (GDS)
    • Video Technology Advisory Service
  • User groups
    • Higher Education Institutes
    • Further Education Institutes
    • Research Institutes
    • Schools
  • Employment
    • Point to Point
    • Multipoint
    • Point to Group
    • Group to Group
  • VC is used for the following purposes:
    • Teaching
    • Tutorial
    • Lecture
    • Research
    • Event Participation
    • Administration/Management Meeting
    • Interview
    • Training Event/Demonstration
    • System Testing

Future plans

  • Instant Video Conferencing (IVC) - A MGC-100 for users to auto-schedule videoconferences
  • Instant Quality Assurance Station - Ability to test quality of endpoint and related network using an automated service
  • High Quality Video Conferencing - Investigation in to Higher Quality videoconferencing
  • SQL Server for MCU Management - Ability to maintain a database of endpoints for use on scheduling videoconferences
  • Integrate Shibboleth on some services - Look particularly at integrating shibboleth on booking service