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.321 video bridging services.

SCOPE:

This model covers the strategy and components used to deliver H.321 video bridging services using the VCCS ATM 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.321 video bridging is a shared VCCS wide area network service. It leverages the VCCS and college investments in the VCCS wide area network to provide multipoint H.321 videoconferencing for the VCCS. Colleges may use it to conduct H.321 videoconferences without having to purchase an H.321 video bridge.

The video bridging strategy is to use a shared H.321 video bridge, which is accessed via the existing VCCS wide area network to conduct videoconferences with any H.321 capable site on Net.Work.Virginia (NWV). The video bridging service is available via all VCCS and NWV H.321 capable devices, using the NWV ATM connection on each VCCS campus.

The first element of video bridging is the use of the existing VCCS ATM network. Customers use their H.321 devices to connect to the video bridge for multipoint conferences, just as they would connect to any other H.321 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.