Unified Conferencing: Why Unified Conferencing? What is it? What are the benefits?

Transcription

1 Unified Conferencing: Why Unified Conferencing? What is it? What are the benefits? How to implement it. Technical White Paper Document Overview This document provides an overview of the issues, capabilities and benefits to be expected from a single platform solution for voice, video and unified conferencing. What can be expected in a unified conference experience, and the benefits of having this capability is also provided. Polycom Unified Conferencing addresses these challenges with revolutionary, truly converged conferencing on one MGC platform. 1

2 Table Of Contents INTRODUCTION... 3 WHY UNIFIED CONFERENCING?... 4 Separated Conferencing Architecture Creates Multiple Barriers...4 Meetings At A Distance Need To Do More...6 WHAT IS IT?... 6 One Platform...6 One Conference, One Conference Experience...7 Conference Entry Queue...7 Conference Management...7 Presentation Of Content And Collaboration...8 WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF UNIFIED CONFERENCING?... 8 Flexible Meeting Options, Anytime, AnyPlace...8 More Robust, Productive Meetings...8 More Productive Conference Support...9 Superior Return On Investment...9 HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT Polycom Unified Conferencing Built On MGC Technology...9 Supports Multiple Networks...10 Ease Of System And Conference Support...11 Feature Rich...11 Flexible Deployment Options...13 Superior Return On Investment...13 THE POLYCOM OFFICE SUMMARY: POLYCOM UNIFIED CONFERENCING BENEFITS

3 Introduction With ever-increasing deployments of voice and video bridging infrastructure, as well as Web collaboration, end users are demanding much more than plain vanilla conferencing services. End users now want the ability to: Integrate voice, video and web collaboration into the same conference Have simple, intuitive user interfaces Have ad hoc conference service support, regardless of communications media Networks today are delivering: An ever-expanding range of network technologies An increasing range of endpoints with different communications media and network connectivity Decisions to invest in infrastructure and conferencing technologies are getting more complex, with a wide array of equipment, software, and network choices, and uncertainty about where these technologies and their end users are headed. As a result, support personnel require help in making these decisions, as well as alternatives that minimize the risk of the investment decisions they are required to make. Today s separated communications and conferencing technologies reside on different networks and, different platforms, requiring different management interfaces for support. These communication boundaries are major barriers to the effective deployment of mixed / feature rich media conferencing services. A unified conferencing solution that supports unified conferencing services, and that can be managed with a single management interface, is required to overcome the complexities associated with these historical barriers. To provide effective voice and video conferencing services, organizations are looking for a converged solution, a solution that will answer all the above challenges. There is a need for a unified conferencing bridge that can seamlessly connect voice and video end points to the same conference, on the same platform, with the same robust features and management interfaces for both end users and system support. 3

4 Why Unified Conferencing? Voice and video conferencing products and services are well established, heavily demanded solutions to business and consumer needs to communicate, and to work with others, at geographically dispersed locations. Voice and video multipoint and gateway conferencing solutions have followed different development paths on different platforms, creating complexity, increased costs, and separated conferencing solutions, with significant differences in conferencing features. These islands of conferencing technologies, products, and services are not capable of the flexibility needed in today s world to deliver a scheduled or ad hoc conference that can seamlessly connect all needed participants, regardless of their location, voice or video endpoint or network connection. These limitations are more significant today with the global trend towards a mobile workforce, dispersed geographically among different business and home office locations. Using a contract workforce to perform office, technical, and professional jobs and projects is now a common business practice and another key trend that creates more need for a converged conferencing solution. The huge differences in interactive communication features between today s voice and video conferencing products and services translate into huge differences in conference productivity. A truly converged conference that seamlessly connects voice and video participants into a conference must have a common set of conference features and end user interfaces if it is to be a productive conferencing solution. This means that the level of shared conferencing features must be set at the highest, not the lowest level, of features. This means that robust voice conferencing features with IVR/DTMF interfaces must be supported by video endpoints in a video or converged conference, creating a truly unified conferencing experience. Separated Conferencing Architecture Creates Multiple Barriers The technical barriers to having the capability to conduct a truly converged, unified conference of voice and video participants, are greater when issues of different switched, dedicated, and packet networks and support are considered. Many large, businesses and institutions that have a geographically dispersed workforce and/or customers have moved from a public voice or video conferencing service to an in-house based conferencing service. Almost none of the businesses and institutions have brought both voice and video conferencing services in-house. The answer to the why not question is that separate conferencing platforms, separate management systems, and separate network services supporting voice and video conferencing require duplicate costs, duplicate training, duplicate support and less productivity. The following graphic depiction of separated voice, video and data conferencing platforms on separate networks highlights several other significant technical barriers to delivery of a simple, intuitive unified conferencing solution. Without robust and automatic capabilities to transcode across different audio and video algorithms, different network protocols, and 4

5 transmission data rates, connection of different voice and video endpoints across different networks will not be seamless. In fact it will not be possible to achieve an acceptable level of reliable conference set-up. Current Separated Conference Architecture Packet Switched Networks Circuit Switched Networks IP Phone VOIP Gateway Call Manager Audio Bridge Voice Network PBX PSTN Phone Cell Phoneone Limited Connectivity Limited Interoperability H.323 Gatekeeper Gateway Network Bridge H.320 Limited Control Separate Management Systems PC Web Browser Web Conference Server Data Network T.120 Conference Server PC - NetMeeting eting Like any meeting, meetings at a distance very often require the delivery of content and application-based collaboration. These service capabilities are different for voice and video conferencing with, in-band delivery of content and collaboration in a videoconference, and web based service used in voice conferences. The current separated conferencing architecture also means different end user interfaces, leading to less productivity during the conference, as well as creating a barrier to end user cross-over from their current, familiar conferencing service to another unfamiliar conferencing service, even though that service may be more appropriate for their conference application. 5

6 Meetings At A Distance Need To Do More Most businesses, organizations, governments, and institutions use voice and/or video conferencing services on a regular basis. Many now regularly use Web-based collaboration services in conjunction with audio conferencing services. Growth in demand for these conferencing services has consistently been strong and is, in fact, accelerating for Web collaboration services, resulting in increasing demand for related audio conferencing. Increasingly dispersed and mobile workforce, markets, and customers are not the only trends driving demand for these conferencing services. Issues of costs, productivity, security, travel, and family are also now key drivers of need and demand for voice, video and web collaboration conferencing services. The limitations of separate conferencing solutions, with huge differences in connectivity, features, interfaces, and productivity, are technical barriers that must be overcome to be able to connect from anywhere, anytime into a unified, feature rich, highly productive, meeting at a distance. There needs to be flexibility to support whichever voice, video or unified conference that is most appropriate for the customer application with the same set of features and interfaces. What is it? One Platform Unified conferencing supports ISDN video, IP video, PSTN voice, VoIP, and mixed voice/video conferences simultaneously on one platform, with the same set of conferencing features, one set of end user interfaces, and one management application. Key technologies required to support unified conferencing include: Full, automatic transcoding Multi-network support for switched, packet and dedicated networks Resource sharing of software and hardware resources One management application to support the conferencing platform as well as voice, video and unified conferences One set of interfaces that the end user uses to schedule and manage their voice, video and unified conferences A unified conferencing solution must be able to support both scheduled and ad hoc conferencing services, as end user demand for scheduled and ad hoc conferences varies by conference application, by type of conferencing services (voice, video and web), and by organization. To concurrently support both scheduled and ad hoc conferences, without having serious resource contention problems, priorities and rules for system resource allocations and conflict resolution between scheduled and ad hoc conferences must be enforced by the unified conferencing bridge. 6

7 One Conference, One Conference Experience A unified conference seamlessly connects a mix of voice and video endpoints on different networks to one conference, on one platform that provides each conference participant with the same conference experience. Conference Entry Queue At its simplest level, unified conferencing is a single phone number that all voice and video participants use to enter the same conference entry queue, regardless of whether they are on switched or packet networks. To initiate an ad hoc conference, the conference chairperson needs only to dial the single number assigned to their personal virtual meeting room. All other conference participants can join the conference using the same number and conference PIN code. Each voice (PSTN and VoIP) and video (ISDN and IP) participant enters the same conference entry queue. As they enter the entry queue, each voice and video participant hears the same IVR greeting and prompt to enter the conference PIN code. Each voice and video participant then using their endpoint keypad or keyboard enters the conference PIN code. Different IVR messages services could also be selected to require a chairperson PIN code and/or a billing code. When the requested PIN codes are entered correctly, each voice and video conference participant is prompted to record their name, that is used to announce new participants as they enter the conference, during the conference when there is a request to hear the roster of conference participants, and when a participant exits the conference. Conference Management Once all voice and video participants have entered the conference, the conference chairperson and all conference participants (voice and video) have available to them the full set of voice conferencing features that can be accessed with IVR/DTMF. Chairperson conference management features that can be controlled from either a voice or video endpoint should include: Conference security (lock and unlock the conference) Put conference on-hold Invite new conference participants, delete participants (voice or video) Request operator assistance for the conference Mute all participants audio, except the chairperson audio Request roll call of all conference participant names Extend or terminate the conference Initiate and terminate question and answer sessions Initiate voting/polling sessions, monitor and results 7

8 Presentation Of Content And Collaboration The feature capability to present meeting content, and to have interactive collaboration, exists today in the separate worlds of voice and video conferencing. In a videoconference, delivery of content and collaboration is embedded in the data stream used to transmit both voice and video. In a voice conference, the transmission of content and collaboration is accomplished over the IP LAN and/or Internet. In-band transmission of content and collaboration in a videoconference excludes the participation of voice participants in this critical part of the conference. A truly unified conference must include a unified experience of content presentation and data collaboration. The best solution to address this requirement is web-server-based, enabling every conference participant to receive the content presentation and to fully participate in applications-sharing and white-boarding sessions, regardless of their location and network access. Using the features supported in today s web conferencing products, the conference chairperson can conduct a one-way or interactive presentation of content that allows the chairperson and all conference participants to view, highlight, and annotate specific points of the presentation. If the unified conference requires workgroup collaboration, this also can be accomplished in a one-way or interactive format, using application-sharing and white-boarding. An added advantage of using a web-server-based solution, for a unified experience of content presentation and collaboration, is the ability to use Instant Messaging during the conference. With Instant Messaging in a unified conference, the conference participants have a greatly enhanced capability to interact without disrupting the flow and focus of the conference. Important features that the conference chairperson (voice or video endpoint) has available to manage participant interaction during the presentation and conference includes mute/unmute all but me, question and answer sessions, and voting/polling sessions. What Are The Benefits Of Unified Conferencing? Flexible Meeting Options, Anytime, AnyPlace One of the most important benefits of a unified conferencing solution is the flexibility to start a conference when it is needed (scheduled or ad hoc), that includes the appropriate conference participants regardless of their location, the capabilities of their endpoint equipment, or their network connection. More Robust, Productive Meetings Merging the best features and capabilities of voice and video conferencing into a unified conferencing experience creates a uniquely robust and more productive meeting environment. 8

9 More Productive Conference Support The gains in support productivity that come with a single platform, single management system supporting both voice and video conferencing, provides a powerful justification for the unified conferencing product solution. Superior Return On Investment Unified conferencing eliminates the need to make duplicate investments in voice and video conferencing equipment and upgrades. Network services do have to be duplicated. Training costs are significantly reduced for support and end users. Manpower required for operations support is significantly reduced. How To Implement It. Polycom has taken the best of the industry leading Plus and VoicePlus conferencing products and developed Polycom Unified Conferencing that takes conferencing to the new level needed to provide truly converged, feature rich conferencing. Polycom Unified Conferencing is the first solution in the industry to offer full-featured voice and video on a single platform, in the same conference, with the same set of conference features and end user interfaces. All of the conference features of a feature rich voice conference are now provided in a Polycom unified voice and videoconference. Any combination of conferencing features, such as roll call, conference invite, mute/unmute, questions and answers, voting / polling, and even request for operator assistance, can be utilized by all conference participants using their voice or video endpoint keypad or key-board. Polycom Unified Conferencing takes multipoint conferencing to a new level that adds significant value and increased productivity well beyond traditional voice and video meetings-at-a-distance. Polycom Unified Conferencing Built On MGC Technology Polycom developed the Multipoint Gateway Controller (MGC) conferencing bridge to support multipoint and gateway conferencing that seamlessly bridges conferences across different networks, as well as different endpoints, with different communications media support and performance capabilities. Automatic transcoding of differences in audio and video algorithms, video resolution, video frame rates, transmission rates, and network protocols are integral to the MGC architecture. Transcoding capability across these technology boundaries is an essential feature of the Polycom MGC, enabling support of ISDN video, IP video, PSTN voice, and VoIP conferences on a single platform. 9

10 The MGC architecture also includes the ability to share hardware and software resources across all switched and IP video, voice, and mixed video/voice conferences. Key benefits of the MGC shared resource design include lower costs of equipment needed to support video and voice conferencing, improved resource module backup, and more efficient use of platform real estate that can be used for future system upgrades. Polycom s MGC conferencing bridge is designed to deliver high levels of system reliability and ease of support. Hardware modules and power supplies are all accessible from the front of Polycom s MGC 50 and MGC 100 platforms, and are hot-swappable. The self-configuring design of the MGC 50/100 hardware modules means that replacing a module does not require an engineer or a technician. For enterprises that require workgroup and distributed deployments of unified conferencing, Polycom provides the compact MGC 25 platform in standard configurations. The diagnostic and fault resolution capabilities of all Polycom MGC platforms enable effective remote diagnostics of alarms down to the DSP level. These combined system capabilities, with the shared resource architecture of the MGC, results in the high levels of system reliability and ease of support needed for an effective Unified Conferencing Bridge solution. Supports Multiple Networks Polycom Unified Conferencing streamlines voice and video services by providing a single entry point to multiple networks, protocols, standards, and services integrated for IP, ISDN, POTS, and wireless (cellular) multipoint and gateway conferencing applications. The ability to seamlessly provide video and voice communications connectivity, from anywhere to anywhere, across different networks on the same platform, is a major benefit that should be demanded from a single conferencing platform solution. The complete and automatic transcoding capabilities of the MGC are essential to achieving this key benefit. The resource sharing design of the Polycom MGC provides the opportunity to reduce the required investment in network resource interfaces. It also provides the opportunity to reduce the costs of network service, as the same switched or IP network connections can be used to support ISDN video, IP video, PSTN voice, and VoIP conferences. The capability of the MGC to support multiple networks on a single conferencing platform also brings important benefits in future migrations to new system support for additional network protocols and standards. The fact that these migrations, like ISDN video and voice to IP networks, occur over many years, is a very important reason why an effective single conferencing bridge solution is needed to address the complexity, increased costs, and inefficiency in supporting different multipoint and gateway conferencing platforms. The MGC capability to use the same IP resources to support video and/or voice multipoint and gateway conferences means that decisions and investments in IP are leveraged in the ability to support the migration to IP video and voice, at whatever rate it occurs. 10

11 Ease Of System And Conference Support A key requirement and benefit of a single platform conferencing bridge is that both the system and the conferences are easy to support, both from a support and end user perspective. A key component of system reliability is having a management application that enables easy monitoring of conferencing operations, to quickly resolve any system or conference alarm. Polycom s answer to this requirement is the MGC Manager, a Windows-based system and conference management application that enables support to manage either a single or an entire network of MGCs. From the MGC Manager application window, video and voice conferences are scheduled and managed, conferences and systems can be monitored for alarms, and problems are resolved. Hardware alarms can be diagnosed down to the DSP level, and reset or taken off-line to allow continued use of all other hardware resources for video and voice conference support. Maintaining the MGC platform at current release levels of software is a simple download of the latest release of the MGC operating system. The MGC automatically upgrades the software level of hardware modules, whenever a new software release is downloaded. At the enduser level, the requirement for management tools and interfaces that are simple and easy to use is equally important. The benefits of a single conferencing platform solution are significantly reduced if the end user must learn to use different interfaces in scheduling and managing their video and voice conferences. Different user interfaces means: more end user training, more end user errors that require more support, and less crossover utilization of different conferencing media. Polycom s Web Commander is a browser-based interface for end users to schedule and manage voice, video or unified conferences on a single or multiple network of MGC gateways, MCUs, and Unified Conferencing Bridges. All voice and video end users also have the same IVR/DTMF interfaces to all of the conferencing features that are supported in a VoicePlus conference. Having a single interface to access and manage any combination of video and voice conferences, whether the network is switched, dedicated, or IP, means that meetings will be more productive and will use the communications media that best addresses the end user s conference requirements. Feature Rich Ease and simplicity of use are not of sufficient benefit to have an effective single conferencing platform solution, if it does not also support the full set of video and voice conferencing features required by the end user. Most of today s video MCUs are capable of supporting either ISDN or IP videoconferences, with expected conferencing features, as well as multipoint ISDN or IP voice conferences. In the latter case, the voice conferencing capabilities of these video MCUs do not include the voice conferencing features that the end user expects. The lack of features such as roll call, voting and polling, and IVR/DTMF 11

12 Unified Conferencing: Why Unified Conferencing? What is it? What are the benefits? How to implement it. interfaces are key reasons why these solutions for video conferencing have not displaced any significant share of voice conferencing services or equipment sales. Polycom Unified Conferencing provides the end user with fully featured video and voice conferencing capabilities that are also, in many cases, replicated across these different conferencing environments. Support for attended, unattended, and ad hoc voice, video and unified conferencing services provides both the end user and operations support with important service level consistency, as well as the flexibility to use a level of service that best supports the needs of the conference. Equally important in this regard is a consistent interface for the end user to schedule and/or manage their conferences. Polycom s Web Commander is the only browser-based interface the end user requires to schedule or manage a video, voice, or mixed conference on the Polycom Unified Conferencing Bridge. Polycom s Web Commander also supports the integration of video and voice conferences with Web-based collaboration, the Polycom WebOffice. The integration of voice and video conferencing services with Web collaboration is now a baseline service capability that a single conferencing platform solution should address. Integration of conferencing features and services is the direction that end users are expecting and vendors are rapidly developing. By definition, a single conferencing platform solution should offer both a rich selection of possible conferencing features, and a seamless integration of different conferencing and communications media. Polycom Unified Conferencing Architecture Packet Switched Networks Circuit Switched Networks Call Manager IP Phone PBX Audio Bridge VOIP Gateway Cell Phoneone Voice Network Total Connectivity Complete Gateway H.323 Bridge Gatekeeper PSTN Phone Interoperability H.320 Network Full PC Web Browser Common Management Systems Control Web Conference Server Data Network 12 T.120 Conference Server PC NetMeeting eting

13 Flexible Deployment Options Polycom MGC Unified Conferencing supports the flexible deployment of multipoint and gateway conferencing capabilities, whenever and wherever they are needed. The MGC-25 (2U) platform, MGC-50 (8 slot) platform, or an MGC-100 (16 slot) platform can be selected to configure a video and/or voice multipoint, gateway, or unified conferencing system configuration. As requirements for video and voice multipoint and gateway conferencing change, upgrades to add additional video and/or voice conference capabilities can be easily accomplished with the addition of the appropriate hardware resource modules and software support. All MGCs, regardless of configuration and conference support capabilities, use the same platforms, hardware resource modules, and operating system software, making it both easy and costeffective to support a network of systems. Any or all can be easily upgraded to the full conferencing capabilities of a single platform MGC Unified Conferencing Bridge. Superior Return On Investment A single multi-point and gateway conferencing platform should deliver feature-rich service level capabilities and seamless integration of media. The most important deliverable is a very attractive return on investment. This is inherent in the purpose of having a single platform solution. In this regard, the design capability of the Polycom Unified Conferencing MGC platform to share software and hardware resources, to be managed with one interface, and to transcode across a full range of video, audio and network standards, means the customer can leverage their investment in equipment and save on support costs in ways that are both flexible and produce significant returns on investment. The Polycom Office The Polycom Office is the conferencing and communications vision that drives the integration of all Polycom video, voice, network, and data products. Polycom Unified Conferencing is a major advancement in making a feature-rich, seamlessly integrated conferencing environment a reality. The Polycom Office provides a proven end-to-end conferencing solution that includes Polycom Unified Conferencing, voice and video endpoints, and network management and support. With The Polycom Office, the benefits of interoperability, feature rich conferencing, and shared resources and management that are provided with Polycom Unified Conferencing are extended to the entire conferencing network, including voice and video endpoints, collaboration and network management. 13

14 The Polycom Office Personal Voice SoundPoint VOIP Via Conquering Distance Communication Conferencing Group Voice VoiceStation SoundStation SoundStation IP Premier ViewStation Large ROOM Voice Vortex SoundStation VTX 1000 Conferencing & Collaboration Personal ipower Executive WebOffice Group ipower Executive Collection Application Packages: Health; Legal; Education Network Infrastructure and Management Solutions Polycom Global Services Summary: Polycom Unified Conferencing Benefits The power to bring together integrated services for voice and video into one platform is beneficial on many levels. A Polycom Unified Conferencing MGC platform provides seamless connectivity, management, interoperability, control and a simplified user experience for the network manager, the conference administrator and the end user. Binding these network layers, protocols, and applications together under a single, unified platform has significant benefit. Let s take another look at the challenges discussed earlier to see how the MGC provides valuable solutions to those challenges. Beginning with the network, it becomes clear that the MGC platform solves many issues related to the network. The MGC provides physical interfaces to both voice and video circuits. It is extremely important to have a common element when deploying mixed services. Having a system that provides mixed services natively, within a reliable architecture, alleviates many problems associated with simply getting the services deployed. The MGC platform supports all of the standards and protocols associated with voice and video services. This is important in itself, but the MGC goes a crucial step further. The MGC solves the issue of mixing conferences that have differing standards and protocols. NO LONGER are you limited to supporting a least common denominator method of conferencing services. The MGC translates the various standards and protocols between each endpoint, allowing each endpoint to participate in a conference session at its highest mode of operation. This is achieved entirely without manager or end user intervention. 14

15 The network manager now has a common entry point for monitoring, diagnostics and management. It is much easier for the manager to have access to and manage one or more systems, using the robust capabilities of the MGC Manager, ensuring with confidence that all voice and video services are operational from end to end. The other key benefit to the manager is that the MGC unified platform is based on the highly reliable MGC architecture, providing both scalability and redundancy. The conference administrator also now has a single point of entry for all scheduled or adhoc conferencing services. This is very advantageous to the administrator when trying to coordinate not only voice and video services, but also peoples schedules. The end user now has a single point of entry for conferences and a common user experience for voice and video services. The end user is able to focus on the issues at hand without having to worry about using the technology. The Polycom MGC eliminates issues related to differing levels of access control and security. As described earlier, the MGC provides common entry points into the service, based on a user, or group policies and permissions. The network administrator sets these policies and permissions one time and, from that point on, the user s experience remains the same. The organization s typical usage scenarios and requirements are now greatly expanded due to the ability to mix and integrate both on-demand and scheduled voice and video services. The organization s goals for technical support, effective management of network, technology, and application resources are now all synchronized through a core set of capabilities based on the MGC Unified Conferencing Bridge. All of these benefits result in a lower cost of ownership and operation, thereby providing costeffective services to the organization. 15