Particular attention must be paid to the “special features” or “enhancements” of the product. These may improve performance and/or functionality between devices from the same manufacturer. However, these are proprietary enhancements provided by the manufacturer and they may not work with all of the types of equipment that has previously been validated for use within the VCCS.

Local Area Network and Wide Area Network:
Both point-to-point and multipoint tests are conducted using the H.323 protocol. There may be known issues with the LAN and/or WAN that effect performance. All such issues will be considered in determining the acceptability of the product being tested.

Test Criteria:
Testing is limited to confirming the product and MCU features and functions needed by VCCS, and defined in the ITU H.323 Standard. They include, but are not limited to:

• Continuous Presence - An MCU feature that allows all of the sites in a multipoint conference to view the video from all of the other sites, simultaneously. This feature uses a proprietary protocol of the MCU manufacturer, and is available on the MCU that VCCS uses.
• Chair Control - An MCU feature that allows one user at a time to control the conference features and functions used by all sites in the conference. This feature uses an H.323 Standard protocol.
• T.120 Data Sharing - A protocol for data connection that enables features such as white boarding, file sharing, etc. among conference participants. This feature uses an H.323 Standard protocol.
• Remote Camera Control - A product feature that allows one site to control the camera at a remote site. This feature is not defined in the H.323 Standard. Because of this, the video bridge does not support remote camera control in multipoint conferences. It may be available in point-to-point conferences if the end points support it.
• Transcoding - An MCU feature that allows sites in a conference to run at different speeds. This feature uses a proprietary protocol of the MCU manufacturer, and is available on the MCU that VCCS uses.
• Audio Quality - A subjective measure of acceptable audio quality. It includes, but is not limited to lip synchronization, audio dropouts or choppiness, audio variations, other noise or interference.
• Video Quality - A subjective measure of acceptable video quality. It includes, but is not limited to pixelizing, video freezes, artifacts, problems with movement, clarity of picture, overall quality and stability.
• Proprietary Features - Features unique to this manufacturer.

Test Scenarios:
Scenario 1. Defined as a point-to-point videoconference between two of the same type of systems being validated in a controlled environment. The purpose of this test is to prove that the systems are capable of communicating with each other, using the features and functions needed by the VCCS.

This test will be conducted at the college campus. The controlled environment is created using a single Ethernet switch to connect only the two devices being tested. The preferred order of switch selection is:

1. A switch provided by the college.
   
2. A switch provided by the VCCS System Office.
   
3. A switch provided by the equipment manufacturer.

The test criteria are:

• T.120 Data Sharing -
  
  • Whiteboard -
    
  • File Sharing -
    
  • File Transfer -
• Remote Camera Control -
  
• Audio Quality -
  
• Video Quality -
  
• Proprietary Features -

Scenario 2. Defined as a point-to-point videoconference between two of the same type of systems being validated on the same VCCS campus. The purpose of this test is to prove that the systems are capable of communicating with each other over a typical VCCS campus infrastructure.

Both systems are connected to the campus infrastructure.

The test criteria are:

• T.120 Data Sharing -
  
  • Whiteboard -
    
  • File Sharing -
    
  • File Transfer -
• Remote Camera Control -
  
• Audio Quality -
  
• Video Quality -
  
• Proprietary Features -

Scenario 3. Defined as a point-to-point videoconference between two of the same type of systems being validated on different VCCS campuses. The purpose of this test is to prove that the systems are capable of communicating with each other in the VCCS WAN environment.

Move the systems to different campuses. Both campuses must be connected to the WAN via a DS-3 connection and be "official" VCCS campuses. They may belong to the same college or different colleges.

The test criteria are:

• T.120 Data Sharing -
  
  • Whiteboard -
    
  • File Sharing -
    
  • File Transfer -
• Remote Camera Control -
  
• Audio Quality -
  
• Video Quality -
  
• Proprietary Features -

Scenarios 4 thru n. Defined as point-to-point testing using one of the systems being validated and one of each device that has been previously validated by VCCS. The purpose of these tests is to ensure interoperability among the systems.

The test criteria for these tests are:

• T.120 Data Sharing -
  
  • Whiteboard -
    
  • File Sharing -
    
  • File Transfer -
• Remote Camera Control -
  
• Audio Quality -
  
• Video Quality -
  
• Proprietary Features -

Scenario n+1. Multipoint testing using two of the systems being validated, one device that has been previously validated by VCCS, and a VCCS video bridge. The purpose of this test is to ensure interoperability among the systems and the video bridge.

The test criteria for these tests are:

• Continuous Presence -
  
• Chair Control -
  
• T.120 Data Sharing -
  
  • Whiteboard -
    
  • File Sharing -
    
  • File Transfer -
• Remote Camera Control -
  
• Audio Quality -
  
• Video Quality -
  
• Proprietary Features -

Scenario n+2. Multipoint testing using at least one of the systems being validated, one of each device that has been previously validated by VCCS, and a VCCS video bridge. The purpose of these tests is to ensure interoperability among the systems and the bridge.

The test criteria for these tests are:

• Continuous Presence -
  
• Chair Control -
  
• T.120 Data Sharing -
  
  • Whiteboard -
    
  • File Sharing -
    
  • File Transfer -
• Remote Camera Control -
  
• Audio Quality -
  
• Video Quality -
  
• Proprietary Features -