Video Conferencing Meets WebRTC

Transcription

1 Video Conferencing Meets WebRTC How new browser technology is ushering in a new era of collaboration tools A special report by Tsahi Levent-Levi White Paper September 2015

2 Executive Summary WebRTC is a relatively new technology that brings video-calling capabilities to the web browser. This enables new opportunities and use cases to be realized but also changes traditional markets such as video conferencing. Video conferencing in business is in a transition from on-premises, device-based solutions toward a hybrid, virtualized service. While video network infrastructure is slowly moving toward the cloud, little has been done on the client side. WebRTC will change that, introducing huge benefits if implemented correctly. 1. Starting meetings on time, enabling employees and customers to spend less time trying to set up a call and more time engaging in the conference 2. True access for everyone, allowing anyone needed to join a call from anywhere without needing to install any software or configure any settings 3. Addressing changes in computing trends, such as the need to support the growing use of Chromebook devices and the removal of plug-in technologies from browsers 4. IT bypass, allowing the deployment and use of video conferencing within companies with minimal assistance from IT 5. Hybrid transition, combining (OR adopting) the best of both worlds: physical room systems and web browsers used as needed by the workforce, bringing better utilization and effectiveness than ever before It is important to remember that WebRTC is but a technology. Solutions built on top of it come in different shapes and sizes. Decision makers within companies must assess WebRTC solutions to make sure the introduction to the business brings with it the advantages and benefits it enables. What Is WebRTC? If one had to capture the essence of WebRTC in the context of video conferencing for end users, the definition would be something like this: WebRTC reduces the friction for users of video conferencing systems and extends the reach of video, making it more accessible WebRTC is a media engine that is preintegrated into web browsers and has a common API that developers can use. Today, it is supported by Chrome and Firefox, with early indications of future support by Microsoft in their new Edge browser. As an IETF and W3C standard, it can be expected that all major web browsers will support it in the future. Being a technology that is embedded right into the browser makes it possible for WebRTC to be stitched into web-related experiences; adding voice and video communication into websites and web services has never been easier. For communications within the company, this provides the ability to join meetings directly from the browser without the need for any specialized software, hardware or settings. For communicating with customers, this provides the ability to add real-time interactions through business workflows: Initiating voice and video sessions from an e-commerce website directly to a sales agent Offering visual support services to remote workers and customers through online portals Integrating between the CRM and its associated contact center Providing healthcare services right from the clinic s web portal The use cases and possibilities are endless. For those who wish to connect WebRTC to an existing video conferencing deployment, there is a challenge that needs to be addressed: WebRTC differs slightly in its specification from traditional video conferencing standards. This difference needs to be mitigated within the devices and architectures of the solutions designed and built on top of WebRTC. A special report by Tsahi Levent-Levi 1

3 The Great Migration of Video to the Cloud Video conferencing over IP networks isn t new. It started in the 90s, when the room system slowly migrated from ISDN circuit-switched networks to today s IP networks. a phase or two behind other industries. This phase shift occurs due to the real-time nature and bandwidth requirements involved with video conferencing. If we had to picture that migration toward the cloud, we could place several interesting milestones: At that time, everything required an onpremises installation, be it the room system device itself, the gateways, the MCUs (multipoint conferencing units) or the central management terminals and switches. As the Internet evolved, video conferencing started making the transition toward virtualization and cloud technologies, usually Everything runs on-premises over engineered systems (proprietary hardware and software built to fit, from scratch) 2. Video conferencing network equipment appears 3. Devices start to be developed over commodity hardware and operating systems 4. Desktop applications are added into the mix of available endpoints 5. Browser plug-ins are introduced as a means to join a conference call 6. Mobile apps are used to control and then participate in video conferences 7. Video conferencing infrastructure is offered as a service instead of on-premises 8. Cloud technologies are being adopted by vendors and companies 9. WebRTC is added as an access point to video conferencing deployments This migration toward the cloud happens in parallel to the transition from conducting video conferences exclusively in meeting rooms toward employees desks, mobile devices and, lately, any device. A special report by Tsahi Levent-Levi 2

4 The Benefits of WebRTC to Video Conferencing Video conferencing systems have come a long way in the couple of decades they have been in existence. WebRTC can further that progress by introducing simplicity to the end user that was not possible until now. To realize these advantages to their fullest, a business needs to consider the various options. At one end of the spectrum, there are traditional video conferencing systems, and on the other end of that spectrum are the WebRTC-only services. As with most things in life, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. From traditional video conferencing to WebRTC-only cloud services, there s no one-size-fits-all solution. Five Benefits WebRTC Brings to the Video Conferencing Table 1. STARTING MEETINGS ON TIME Oftentimes, video conferences don t start on time. The reason usually relates to the setup time necessary. In a meeting room, it revolves around finding the remote, fiddling around the system s menus and knowing what numbers to dial. With the introduction of the desktop application, things have improved. That said, there are still issues around installation and update of the latest software version or support of various operating systems. WebRTC eases things even more by taking care of the software setup part. Whenever you head over to a meeting s web page, the browser downloads the latest version of the client automatically. It is not uncommon for joining via the browser to take less than a minute to set up for a first call. 2. TRUE ACCESS FOR EVERYONE Enterprise communication requires the ability to connect employees with partners, customers and suppliers. Traditional video conferencing systems lag in this area. While they are designed and built around standards and interoperability, often they are deployed in company silos. The common solution around this challenge is to offer a software download or a browser plug-in, which external parties then install on their machines. This doesn t always work due to technical issues, causing delays and aggravations for the user. With the introduction of WebRTC into enterprise communication, you can send out the meeting s link in an or a calendar invitation. Following that link with a browser to a web page allows anyone you wish to participate in the video conference with little friction involved. A special report by Tsahi Levent-Levi 3

5 3. ADDRESSING CHANGES IN COMPUTING TRENDS While mobile devices are marching toward application usage patterns, the desktop and laptop scene is shifting more and more toward browser-based use. Video conferencing solutions cannot rely only on mobile devices and cannot assume that a desktop application or a plug-in will be a viable alternative moving forward: 1. Chrome and Firefox are eliminating native plug-in support, making it harder to offer friction-free alternatives for application installation. 2. The new Microsoft Edge browser is following suit, eliminating the plug-in option as well. 3. Chromebook and Chrome OS devices are being adopted en masse in education and are making headway within companies. These devices are geared toward web use and make it impossible to use on-device applications. As a natural HTML5 tenant, WebRTC is the most suitable option for using video conferencing solutions on desktops and laptops, where a large portion of today s usage takes place. 4. IT BYPASS There is a shift of power in companies these days from the CIO to business leaders. As more IT budget shifts from the former to the latter, technologies that enable the business leader to bypass his or her IT department are on the rise. Many cloud services offer that alternative. While video conferencing tends to require the CIO s involvement, WebRTC requires less hassle on the CIO s part: It is already available to the workforce where the use of Internet Explorer isn t mandated. It doesn t necessitate providing administration privileges on employees laptops and desktops. It has built-in NAT traversal mechanisms, enabling it to work with most corporate firewalls. Easier setup and deployment within a company with little dependence on internal IT resources make WebRTC a great and easy way of introducing video conferencing to the company with little upfront investment of time or resources. 5. HYBRID TRANSITION Video conferencing has been around for several decades. In many businesses, existing deployments of room systems and back-end infrastructure are used on a daily basis at times, with equipment that is five to ten years old. As we move to a world dominated by software and cloud services, businesses need to strike a balance between using their existing communication tools to transitioning to next-generation systems. This transition requires the introduction of a hybrid approach, where video conferencing in traditional meeting rooms, on desktops and with mobile applications is supplemented with browser accessibility as a first-rate citizen. This is enabled through the use of WebRTC. Being able to use the ubiquitous room system when possible, coupled with the simplicity and ability of joining a video meeting from anywhere using WebRTC in the browser, is a basic requirement in many situations. Making sure this hybrid approach works across a variety of legacy and newly released video conferencing devices offers the flexibility many businesses now expect. Make WebRTC an Equal Citizen in Your Video Network It is important to note that in order to realize the benefits of WebRTC in video conferencing, there is a need to look at WebRTC beyond an additional access point. If all you end up doing with WebRTC is offering the occasional URL to visitors of your business, then many of the capabilities of WebRTC are lost. To get the most out of WebRTC in your video conferencing deployment, make sure to make it an equal citizen in your network not to limit its feature set to the bare minimum or even to what a native desktop application implementation entitles. Conclusions Employees expectations are changing. This is happening due to the increased use of mobile devices and communication means. To meet the demands of the workforce and the needs of a growing company s multinational footprint, businesses need to look beyond the meeting room, empowering employees to connect with their peers, suppliers, partners and customers from anywhere. For that to happen, a company needs to choose a video conferencing solution that can offer the following capabilities: 1. Cloud-based service, enabling flexibility and accessibility without reliance on internal IT resources 2. Understanding of video, and especially the requirements of the multinational business 3. A hybrid approach that complements software-based clients with hardwarebased room systems 4. Takes WebRTC seriously, offering the best experience possible with it instead of treating it as just another access point A special report by Tsahi Levent-Levi 4

6 About Lifesize Lifesize is the only company to deliver video conferencing that s as easy, as lifelike and as remarkable as meeting in person. Founded in 2003 and acquired by Logitech in 2009, Lifesize continues to reinvent the video conferencing industry. From delivering the world s first high definition video conference in 2005 to introducing the first and only cloud video solution to provide a connected experience across devices and meeting rooms, Lifesize addresses organizations demand for high quality and reliable video that is affordable and simple to use. For more information, visit or follow the Work smarter with award-winning video conferencing that goes everywhere you do. About the Author Tsahi Levent-Levi has over 15 years of experience in the telecommunications, VoIP and 3G industry as an engineer, manager, marketer and CTO. Tsahi is an entrepreneur, independent analyst and consultant, assisting companies to form a bridge between technologies and business strategy in the domain of telecommunications. Tsahi has an MSc in computer science and an MBA degree specializing in entrepreneurship and strategy. Tsahi has been granted three patents related to 3G-324M and VoIP. He acted as the chairman of various activity groups within the IMTC, an organization focusing on interoperability of multimedia communications. Tsahi is the author and editor of bloggeek.me, which focuses on the ecosystem and business opportunities around WebRTC. Tsahi Levent-Levi is an Independent Analyst and Consultant for WebRTC. HEADQUARTERS Austin, Texas, USA Toll Free US EMEA REGIONAL OFFICE Munich, Germany Toll Free Europe APAC REGIONAL OFFICE Singapore [email protected] 2015 Lifesize, a division of Logitech. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. Lifesize is the registered trademark or trademark of Logitech. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. WP_VideoConferencingMeetsWebRTC_EN_0915