Last Updated: 24 September 01
Contact: Ronald Olton

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this model is to provide the colleges of the Virginia Community College System with the information they need to implement multipoint H.323 video bridging services.

SCOPE:

This model covers the strategy and components used to deliver H.323 video bridging services using the VCCS IP wide area network environment.

This document will be updated to adapt to changes in technology, as they occur.

APPLICABILITY:

This model is applicable to all colleges and campuses within the VCCS.

MODEL:

H.323 video bridging is a shared VCCS wide area network service. It leverages the VCCS and college investments in the VCCS IP wide area network to provide multipoint H.323 videoconferencing for the VCCS. Colleges may use it to conduct H.323 videoconferences without having to purchase an H.323 video bridge.

The video bridging strategy is to use a shared H.323 video bridge, which is accessed via the existing VCCS IP wide area network to conduct videoconferences with any H.323 capable site on the Internet. The video bridging service is available via all VCCS and Internet H.323 capable devices, using the Internet IP connection on each VCCS campus.

The first element of video bridging is the use of the existing VCCS IP network. Customers use their H.323 devices to connect to the video bridge for multipoint conferences, just as they would connect to any other H.323 device in point-to-point mode.

The second element is the video bridge itself. It provides the basic set of video bridging features needed by multipoint conferences (chair control, continuous presence, transcoding, etc.).

The third element is the conference scheduling software used to create conference schedules on the video bridge. The software provides customers with a Web based interface to the video bridge. Any customer with a Web browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape) may schedule a conference from his/her desktop.