Evaluation of the Direct Evaluation of the Packet STNS Firewall Emblaze-VCON VCBPro Traversal Solution Video Bridge
Research and Metrics for Transitioning Green Intentions to Green Outcomes
Evaluation of the Emblaze-VCON VCBPro Video Bridge

June 2008

Table of Contents
Executive Summary.... 1 Evaluation Results.... 2 The Emblaze-VCON VCBPro... 5 Installation and Configuration.... 8 User Interface.... 10 System Address Book.... 13 Call Creation & Launch.... 14 Connectivity..... 15 Participant Experience.... 17 Conference Management.... 18 Summary..... 18 About Wainhouse Research.... 20
About the Author(s)..... 20
About Emblaze-VCON..... 20 Appendix A Video Bridge Basics.... 21 Appendix B Call Connection Methods... 26 Appendix C Test Environment & Testing Notes... 27 Appendix D Test Call Documentation... 28

List of Figures

Figure 1: Evaluation Results - By Category.... 2 Figure 2: Evaluation Results - Summary.... 2 Figure 3: Evaluation Results - Radar Chart... 3 Figure 4: List Price per Port - Rating Criteria.... 4 Figure 5: Integration Options - Rating Criteria... 4 Figure 6: Basic Product Information.... 5 Figure 7: The Emblaze-VCON VCBPro Video Bridge... 5 Figure 8: VCBPro and VCB6 - Cost - Overall and Per Port... 6 Figure 9: Features / Functionality / Capabilities... 7 Figure 10: Conference Creation / Connection Methods Supported.. 7 Figure 11: Emblaze-VCON - Media Xchange Manager (MXM) - Main Page.. 9 Figure 12: Emblaze-VCON VCBPro - Services List.... 10 Figure 13: Emblaze-VCON VCBPro - Services - General Settings... 11 Figure 14: Emblaze-VCON VCBPro - Services - Media Settings... 11 Figure 15: Emblaze-VCON VCBPro - Services - Layout Settings.. 12 Figure 16: Emblaze-VCON - Conference Moderator - New Conference Creation Page.. 13 Figure 17: Emblaze-VCON - Conference Moderator Meeting Management Screen.. 18 Figure 18: Comparison of Full Screen and Continuous Presence Layouts.. 23 Figure 19: Endpoints Used Within the Testing Environment... 27
Evaluation of the Emblaze-VCON VCBPro Video Bridge Copyright 2008 Wainhouse Research. All rights reserved.

Executive Summary

In Q1 and Q2 2008, Wainhouse Research (WR) conducted an evaluation of the Emblaze-VCON VCBPro video bridge. Specific areas of focus during the evaluation included the following: System Installation / Configuration User Interface / Usability Call Creation and Launch Connectivity Conference Management Overall Conference Experience Items (Software) Included Cost Per Port Integration Options
Throughout the evaluation, the Emblaze-VCON VCBPro met or exceeded WRs performance expectations.
To facilitate the testing, WR (with the support of Emblaze-VCON) deployed an Emblaze-VCON VCBPro video bridge within our Atlanta test lab. The Emblaze-VCON VCBPro, like the other devices and endpoints from numerous vendors within our lab, was assigned a public IP address within the same network subnet, so all video traffic remained local within our facility. The test team then placed dozens of calls between the VCBPro and the installed video endpoints at various connection rates. Throughout the evaluation, the Emblaze-VCON VCBPro video bridge met or exceeded our performance expectations. Based on the rating system described below, the Emblaze-VCON VCBPro earned an overall weighted rating of 3.5 out of 5. In performance related areas, the Emblaze-VCON VCBPro earned a weighted rating of 3.6. Specific areas of strength included strong video and audio protocol support, solid connectivity and interoperability, support for transcoding for all supported video resolutions, and a broad range of included items. Current weaknesses include the lack of integrated ISDN capability (an external gateway is required1) and the lack of support for incoming calls from endpoints that are not registered with the MXM (or a neighboring) gatekeeper. This document provides detailed information about the testing methodology and results of this evaluation. Important Notes: 1) Within this document, the terms MCU (multipoint control unit) and video bridge are used interchangeably and have the same meaning. 2) Please refer to Appendix A (Video Bridge Basics) for detailed information about the features, functions, and capabilities of video bridges / MCUs. 3) This evaluation was sponsored by Emblaze-VCON.

System As Evaluated

Capacity - IP @ 2 Mbps - As Evaluated Capacity - IP @ 4 Mbps - As Evaluated Cost (List Price in US $) - As Evaluated
24 ports / connections 24 ports / connections $37,995
SIP support via the MXM gatekeeper (included with the VCBPro) which acts as a SIP server and a SIP / H.323 gateway.
Figure 6: Basic Product Information
The Emblaze-VCON VCBPro is a relatively new release from the first company to release a product supporting videoconferencing over IP. The VCBPro is available in 6, 12, 24, and 36 port versions, and can support connections of up to 4 Mbps per port with H.263 and H.264.
Figure 7: The Emblaze-VCON VCBPro Video Bridge
For this evaluation, Emblaze-VCON provided a VCBPro supporting 24 video participants.
The VCBPro is a software-based MCU hosted on a dedicated PC appliance running a Windows XP kernel. However, the fact that this MCU uses a Windows operating system is essentially transparent to the system administrator and totally transparent to videoconferencing users. The VCBPro ships with a wide range of software including a version Emblaze-VCONs MXM / Media Xchange Manager software (a longstanding client/server based management system), a gatekeeper, and the web-based Conference Moderator system. Capacity and Cost Emblaze-VCON offers two different video bridging products; the VCBPro (the focus of this document / evaluation) and the VCB6. These two video bridges are 100% identical with one exception; the VCBPro supports HD720p connections, while the VCB6 does not. The table below highlights the cost per port for the two video bridges. As shown, the cost per port in many cases - depends upon the bridge capacity. Number of Ports 48 VCBPro US $ List Price $14,995 $21,995 $37,995 $55,995 N/A VCBPro Cost per Port $2,499 $1,833 $1,583 $1,555 N/A VCB6 US $ List Price N/A $15,995 $19,995 $29,995 $39,995 VCB6 Cost per Port N/A $1,333 $833 $833 $833
Figure 8: VCBPro and VCB6 - Cost - Overall and Per Port

Basic Capabilities The Emblaze-VCON VCBPro boasts support for the following features: Constant (flat) capacity regardless of bandwidth, video resolution, etc. Data rates up to 4 Mbps per participant Narrow band (G.722, G.722.1, G.728, etc.) and wide-band (AAC-LD, G.722.1C / Siren14) audio H.264, H.263, H.263+, H.263++, and H.261 video protocols Video resolutions ranging from CIF to HD720p during transcoded conferences Audio protocol, video protocol, video resolution, and frame rate transcoding Numerous continuous presence layouts - including "auto" layout mode H.239 and AES encryption Support for mixed H.323 and SIP conferences Integrated streaming support (allows PC users to view conferences)2
While WR was finalizing this evaluation document, Emblaze-VCON announced that the next version of the VCBPro software (version 7.0 slated for release in July 2008) will include the ability to record / archive conferences for immediate or on-demand playback. Note that this pending feature was NOT tested by WR as a part of this evaluation project.
The tables below highlight the features, functions, and capabilities of the video bridge evaluated. Features / Functionality / Capabilities Web Interface Client/Server Interface Integrated scheduling Integrated address book # of Video Encodes (per conference) Allows setting changes during conferences Ability to hide local image from CP view
Emblaze-VCON VCBPro Y Y1 Y N2 Unlimited N N
Emblaze-VCONs management system (MXM), which can also be used to manage certain functions within the VCBPro, is a client server / application. However, the primary UI for the VCBPro is web-based. Although the VCBPro UI does not include a traditional address book, it does provide users with access to a list of endpoints that are currently (or have previously) registered to the MXM gatekeeper (included FREE with the MCU)
Figure 9: Features / Functionality / Capabilities
Call Creation / Connection Methods 1) Ad-Hoc via MCU UI 2) Ad-Hoc via Dial-In to Meeting Room 3) Ad-Hoc via Dial-In to New ID / E.164 4) Ad-Hoc via Dial-In to Lobby / Create Conference 5) Ad-Hoc via Dial-In to Lobby / Conference Select 6) Ad-Hoc via Endpoint Activated Blast Dial 7) Scheduled via MCU UI
Emblaze-VCON VCBPro Y Y Y1 N N N Y
The VCBPros ad-hoc support is actually the ability to expand point-to-point (direct) conferences into multipoint conferences (hosted on the VCBPro) by allowing participating users to invite additional participants.
Figure 10: Conference Creation / Connection Methods Supported
For detailed information about the various call creation / connection methods, please refer to Appendix B (Call Connection Methods).

Installation and Configuration
The basic installation of the VCBPro took less than an hour to complete. The systems network settings can be configured in three different ways; 1) Using the Existing IP Address (or DHCP to Obtain an IP Address) Retrieve (via the front panel controls and display) the systems current IP address on a particular Ethernet port (this may require activating DHCP on a particular Ethernet port), set a PC to an IP address on the same subnet, and then use the systems web UI to set the Ethernet port to be used for video traffic to the desired static IP address. 2) Using the Admin Port (Ethernet Port Gb0) Connect a network cable between a PC and Ethernet port 0 on the device (the admin port), set the PC to the admin subnet (10.10.10.x), and use the systems web UI to set the Ethernet port to be used for video traffic to the desired static IP address. 3) Using the Serial Port Connect a serial cable (not provided but available from Emblaze-VCON) between a PC and the serial port on the device, and use a terminal program to set the Ethernet port to be used for video traffic to the desired static IP address. We configured the VCBPro using option 1 above and connected the production Ethernet port (we chose Gb2 for our testing) to the network in the test lab; a process which took less than 10 minutes to complete. IMPORTANT NOTES: 1) Multiple User Interfaces Previous versions of the VCB (e.g. VCB5 and VCB6) required the use of two user interfaces to control / manage the MCU; the MXM client / server application for certain admin functions, and the web UI for conference scheduling, management, and other functions. With the VCBPro, Emblaze-VCON has enhanced the web UI to include almost all of the functions necessary to configure and manage the bridge. During our testing, we used the web UI to create and manage the majority of the test calls. The only exception was when we needed to connect specific endpoints at specific call speeds (different from the default call speed set in the call / service profile). In this case, we used the web UI to define and launch the conference, and the MXM client / server application to make the endpoint connections. 2) MXM Gatekeeper Requirement At this time, the VCBPro (like its predecessor, the VCB) is inherently tied to the MXM gatekeeper as follows: The MXM gatekeeper (included free with the VCBPro purchase and hosted / running within the VCBPro appliance itself) must be running in order to use the VCBPro.

The VCBPro can receive incoming calls only from video systems that are registered to the MXM gatekeeper (although not tested by WR, according to Emblaze-VCON, registering endpoints to a neighbored gatekeeper apparently resolves this issue). In a multi-gatekeeper / multi-zone environment, the VCBPro is unable to dial-out to endpoints that are not registered to the MXM gatekeeper. Emblaze-VCON expects to resolve this issue in an upcoming software release.
Figure 11: Emblaze-VCON - Media Xchange Manager (MXM) - Main Page

User Interface

The provided web interface includes three parts; EVC Conference Moderator, EVC Admin, and EVC Reports. Overall, the web UI is well designed and responsive (especially from systems on the same subnet), although the programming is somewhat primitive by todays web programming standards. For example, as far as we can tell, there are no right mouse click options within the interface. Instead, all navigation and control involves either clicking on hyperlinks, selecting check boxes or drop-downs, and then clicking submit. In addition, the UI permits users to change screens without saving setting changes; a weakness that could potentially cause issues for new users or those operating in fast-paced environments. Some form of warning like Do you wish to save your setting changes? would be a welcome addition. The web UI does provide standard (index based) and context sensitive help in most areas. The MXM client / server interface, however, is quite different. With a plethora of options and capabilities, MXM is more than ready to support environments and administrators in need of advanced management functionality. Notable MXM features described in the products 400+ page manual include remote configuration of Emblaze-VCON endpoints and MCUs, advanced gatekeeper functionality (endpoint and MCU registration, call routing policies, etc.), monitoring of device status and connection states, creation and administration of user groups and policies, bandwidth management, call initiation and termination, and more. Basically, MXM is a power-tool designed for system administrators.
Figure 12: Emblaze-VCON VCBPro - Services List
VCBPro conferences are based on services (see the screenshot above for the list of services that WR used during our testing), which can be created using the VCBPros web interface or the MXM client / server interface. To create a service, one must define a variety of basic settings including the E.164 number for the service, the maximum number of participants, whether ad-hoc calls are supported, the screen layouts, audio protocols supported, the video format and size supported, the video bandwidth maximums, the encryption methods to use, and the H.239 options.

Figure 13: Emblaze-VCON VCBPro - Services - General Settings
Figure 14: Emblaze-VCON VCBPro - Services - Media Settings
The VCBPro supports a number of video screen layout options including voice activated / full screen (transcoded), quad-screen continuous presence, a combined (auto layout) mode under which the display changes based on the number of participants, and a pre-defined setting under which users see the same layout at all times. Available pre-defined settings include 1+1 (side-by-side view of 2 users / locations), 2+1 (three sites on screen with two above one), 2x2 (a.k.a. quad-screen continuous presence), 1+5 (one large window and five small windows), 4x4 (four rows of four users), etc.
Figure 15: Emblaze-VCON VCBPro - Services - Layout Settings

System Address Book

There is no true address book function in either user interface (web interface or MXM). However, MXM integrates with enterprise directory systems (LDAP, etc.), which allows users to view the directory of video systems from within Conference Moderator.
Figure 16: Emblaze-VCON - Conference Moderator - New Conference Creation Page
As shown above, the Conference Moderator user interface provides users with access to a list of endpoints that are currently (or have previously) registered to the MXM gatekeeper.
Call Creation & Launch
The VCBPro supports ad-hoc conferences created on-the-fly by system administrators, scheduled conferences created using Conference Moderator, and a somewhat unique form of ad-hoc conferencing in which a point-to-point call is expanded into a multi-point conference by having one of the participating users invite one or more additional participants. As of this writing, the VCBPro does not include a lobby function, standing meeting rooms, or support for endpoint activated blast dial. Administrators can create conferences from either Conference Moderator or MXM. Using Conference Moderator, call creation involves the following steps: 1) Clicking the New Conference button 2) Selecting the endpoints to include in the session a) from the list of systems currently registered (or previously registered) with MXM, b) using an external data source like Active Directory, or c) by entering in the IP / E.164 address of an external endpoint 3) Selecting the start date and time (with an option to start now or schedule a recurring session) 4) Selecting a pre-defined conference service (which defines the overall call settings for the conference) 5) Defining encryption settings 6) Selecting Finish from the Confirm screen Initially we were planning to use Conference Moderator to create all of our test calls. However, in Conference Moderator, call settings (call speeds, encryption settings, etc.) across all participating endpoints are defined using one of the pre-defined conference services; a method which greatly simplifies call creation. For this reason, when creating conferences using Conference Moderator, we were unable to define connection speeds on a per-endpoint basis. Hence, when our test calls required the connection of endpoints at specific (different) speeds, we had no option but to launch those test calls using the MXM interface. Nevertheless, readers should note that Conference Moderator should be more than adequate to schedule and manage conferences in the typical enterprise environment. Although powerful, the MXM administrator interface makes call creation very inconvenient. To create a call, administrators must right click on the service definition required and direct it launch a point-to-point call between the MCU and each participating endpoint. There is no quick meeting creation option or multipoint session creation wizard, so creating the multi-speed test calls (which had to be launched via MXM) involved dozens of mouse clicks per call.

To enable fair, apples-to-apples, comparison of the MCU generated latency of different video bridges, whenever possible WR conducts its latency measurements at 384 kbps and using CIF / SIF video resolution.

Conference Management

The VCBPro provides a standard set of meeting management functions including the ability to extend the time of a conference (for scheduled sessions), update layouts on the fly, mute audio and video (on a persite or all-site basis), and invite additional participants.
Figure 17: Emblaze-VCON - Conference Moderator Meeting Management Screen
As shown above, Conference Moderator provides limited call statistics including bandwidth used, and audio and video codec used. The same information is available from MXM via the Node Status view. Specifically lacking was information about the video resolution, video frame rate, and H.239 connection status. For detailed connection information, we referenced the call connection statistics on the participating endpoints.

Summary

With the release of the VCBPro, Emblaze-VCON has finally become a worthy competitor at least in terms of product performance - in the video bridging space. Prior Emblaze-VCON bridging products suffered from two primary issues; lack of transcoding and lack of support for interim / enhanced resolutions. These issues have been resolved in the VCBPro. Overall, WR was pleased with the performance of this video bridge. In short, the combination of ease of use, relatively low cost, and solid performance makes the Emblaze-VCBPro well suited to meet the bridging requirements of almost any enterprise.
PROs / Strengths Simple, straight-forward web-based user interface with crisp screen refreshes Support for up to 4 Mbps per connection Flat capacity regardless of video resolution or call speed used Strong video and audio (narrow and wide-band) protocol support Solid connectivity and interoperability Support for 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios Support for transcoding for all supported resolutions (CIF to HD720p) Support for universal encoding (creates an outgoing video signal per endpoint) Reasonably low latency (~90 ms) during transcoded conferences Includes both system-wide and context-sensitive help screens Innovative feature allowing users to expand point-to-point calls into multipoint sessions without have to hang up and call the MCU Wide range of software included with the system at no extra charge (MXM Management system, MXM gatekeeper, Conference Moderator, etc.) Includes integrated reporting engine with ability to export CDR data CONs / Weaknesses Inability to use the MCU without the MXM gatekeeper Lack of support for advanced web features (multi-select, drag and drop, right click, etc.) in the web interface. This makes the web UI functional on various browsers / platforms, but makes controlling the MCU less convenient. No integrated ISDN capability (requires external gateway) Limited ability to connect to systems unknown to the MXM gatekeeper Certain functions accessible only via client / server application (and not via web interface) Lack of a true address book function Limited call statistics (on a per-endpoint basis) Limited HD720p resolution support (outgoing HD resolution signals from the VCBPro were limited to 15 -= 18 fps during our testing) Occasional connectivity compromises (using lower video resolution than expected) No integration with 3rd party conferencing management systems

About Wainhouse Research

Wainhouse Research (www.wainhouse.com) is an independent market research firm that focuses on critical issues in rich media communications and conferencing. The company conducts multi-client and custom research studies, consults with end users on key implementation issues, publishes white papers and market statistics, and delivers public and private seminars as well as speaker presentations at industry group meetings. Wainhouse Research publishes Conferencing Markets & Strategies, a three-volume study that details the current market trends and major vendor strategies in the multimedia networking infrastructure, endpoints, and services markets, as well as a variety of segment reports, the free newsletter The Wainhouse Research Bulletin, and the PLATINUM (www.wrplatinum.com) content website.

About the Author(s)

Ira M. Weinstein is a Senior Analyst and Partner at Wainhouse Research, and a 15-year veteran of the conferencing, collaboration and audio-visual industries. Prior to joining Wainhouse Research, Ira was the VP of Marketing and Business Development at IVCi, managed a technology consulting company, and ran the global conferencing department for a Fortune 50 investment bank. Iras current focus includes IP video conferencing, network service providers, global management systems, scheduling and automation platforms, ROI and technology justification programs, and audio-visual integration. Mr. Weinstein holds a B.S. in Engineering from Lehigh University and can be reached at iweinstein@wainhouse.com. David Maldow is a Senior Researcher at Wainhouse Research and a member of the New York and Louisiana Bar Associations. Prior to joining WR, David was a practicing attorney focusing on environmental law. David supports a variety of IP videoconferencing, streaming, and end-user consulting projects. Mr. Maldow holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois and a Juris Doctorate from Tulane Law School and can be reached at dmaldow@wainhouse.com.

About Emblaze-VCON

Emblaze-VCON, a subsidiary of ZONE-IP Ltd., is a world leader in the development and deployment of Video over-IP Conferencing Solutions, enabling enterprises of all sizes to optimize their productivity and efficiency through enhanced interaction and communication. The Company designs, develops, manufactures and markets high-performance, feature-rich desktop and group videoconferencing systems designed for a variety of networks, including those based on the Internet Protocol as well as infrastructure servers to manage the video network and services. More information is available at www.emblaze-vcon.com.

Appendix A Video Bridge Basics
Video bridges / MCUs come in a various shapes and sizes, and support a variety of features and functions as described below: Type of System MCUs are available in either appliance (dedicated hardware) or PC-based architectures. The primary advantage of an appliance solution is that the systems processing power and reliability are not limited by / dependent upon the host PC. The primary advantage of a PC-based solution is cost-effectiveness. System Architecture MCUs are available in either fixed or modular (customizable using blades / cards) configurations. In some cases, the same MCU platform can be purchased in either configuration (ex. Tandbergs Codian MCU 4500 is a fixed configuration MCU, while Polycoms MGC and RMX are modular systems). Fixed configurations are typically (but not always) more cost-effective, while modular offerings offer greater flexibility and expansion capability. Networks and Protocols Supported Todays videoconferencing traffic runs on either IP or ISDN networks. Some MCUs, most commonly the fixed configuration systems, support only IP network traffic directly and require an external or 3rd party gateway to host ISDN calls. Other MCUs support IP and ISDN networks directly. MCUs that support IP video calls will most likely support both of the most common IP videoconferencing protocols, H.323 (an ITU recommendation / standard for IP-based videoconferencing) and Session Initiation Protocol / SIP (an IP telephony signaling protocol developed by the IETF commonly used for audio / VoIP calls, but also able to support video). Some MCUs also support connections to 3G (mobile wireless) devices. Finally, MCUs that support ISDN will use the H.320 ITU standard for ISDN videoconferencing. Connection Rates Supported In the videoconferencing world, a higher connection rate or call bandwidth typically provides a superior call experience. Todays MCUs support video connection rates ranging from 64 kbps to 4 Mbps or more. Connection rates of 384 kbps, 512 kbps and 768 kbps are most common today, but the introduction of HD-capable video systems has resulted in a great need for higher (1 Mbps+) connection rates. Capacity In the MCU world, capacity typically refers to the number of connections to systems / devices the bridge can support simultaneously and is often quoted in terms of ports (1 port = 1 connection). Fixed MCU capacities range from 6 to 64 ports, while modular MCUs can be configured to support hundreds of connections.
Depending upon the MCU, port capacity may depend upon a number of factors: 1) Type of Connection - Some MCUs offer much greater capacity when hosting audio-only (H.323 or SIP) calls. 2) Network Type - Depending upon the MCU, port capacity for IP calls may be different from that provided for ISDN. 3) Connection Rate - For some MCUs, the port capacity depends upon the connection rate utilized. For example, the Radvision Scopia-100-12 MCU supports 12 connections at 768 kbps or 18 connections at 384 kbps. 4) Additional Factors - Depending upon the MCU, there may be other items that impact or limit capacity. For example, some MCUs lose capacity when certain features (H.239, encryption, etc.) or higher resolution video signals (4CIF, HD) are used. For these reasons, with some MCUs it is easy to determine the exact port capacity, while with others the actual capacity may vary depending upon the active calls at the time. Audio Quality The audio quality of a multipoint video call depends upon several factors including the audio standards (G.711, G.722, G.722.1, G.722.1C, Siren14, G.728, MPEG4-AAC, etc.) used and supported by the participating endpoints and the MCU, the MCUs ability to process the audio, the delay (a.k.a. latency) associated with the video call, and the synchronization between the video and the audio (called lip sync). Although audio performance was not specifically evaluated as a part of this initiative, the test call results do indicate the audio protocols used. Video Quality The video quality of a multipoint video call depends upon a number of items including: the video standards (H.264, H.263, H.261, etc.) and video resolution (CIF, 4CIF, HD / 720p, etc.) used and supported by the participating endpoints and the MCU the MCUs support for video transcoding the MCUs processing power, which impacts its ability to process the signals and provide full motion (30 frames per second (fps) for NTSC, 25 fps for PAL) images to the participating systems User Interface There are two basic types of user interfaces (UIs); web-based and client-server based. Web-based UIs offer the advantage of accessibility (no download is required since a browser is used), while client / server interfaces require the user to install a program on his PC, but typically offer better performance, immediate status updates and additional functionality. Transcoding Videoconferencing systems support a variety of networks (IP, ISDN), protocols (H.323, SIP, H.320), connection rates, video (H.264, H.263, H.261, etc.) and audio (G.722, MPEG4-AAC, etc.) protocols, and video resolutions (CIF, 400/448p, 4CIF, HD720p, etc.). In order to support a variety of networks, rates, protocols, and resolution in a single conference, an MCU must be able to convert (or transcode) between the various signals. For example, an MCU that supports video transcoding will allow video systems using different video protocols, H.263 and H.264 for example, to participate in the same conference. Without transcoding, an MCU would force all endpoints to use the same protocols and to connect at the same speeds.

The advantage of transcoding is connection flexibility, and in the ideal world all sessions would support full transcoding. However, transcoding requires additional processing power and can also cause additional call latency (delay). Depending upon the MCU and the operating mode (see below), transcoding support varies from very limited (perhaps connection rate only) to advanced. Screen Layouts MCUs typically support three different screen layout modes; full screen, continuous presence, and a combination of the two. In full-screen mode (often called voice activated switching or VAS), the MCU sends a full-screen view of the video image from the currently speaking system to all participating sites. In continuous presence mode (also called CP or quad-screen mode), the MCU combines the incoming video signals together to create a new signal that includes video images from multiple locations. The result is that several (or perhaps all) of the participating sites are on screen (or present) continuously. Finally, hybrid mode involves adding voice activated switching to a single window within a continuous presence layout. It is worth pointing out that full screen conferences can either be non-transcoded or transcoded, but continuous presence sessions are typically transcoded.

Full Screen View

Continuous Presence (CP) View
Figure 18: Comparison of Full Screen and Continuous Presence Layouts
Number of Encodes Supported In order to host a multipoint video call, an MCU must i) receive (or decode) the incoming video signals, and ii) create (or encode) the signal (or signals) to be sent to the participating sites, and iii) transmit the newly created (encoded) signals. The number of encodes an MCU can provide determines the number of different signals that can be sent to the participating endpoints. For example, a single-encode MCU is able to create only one output signal per conference, and thus ALL participating endpoints will receive the same exact video image (typically at the same speed, using the same protocol) from the bridge. Such a situation forces the participating endpoints to use the same connection speed and/or protocols regardless of whether or not that represents the best possible connection profile for each system. On the other hand, an MCU that supports universal encoding is able to create an individual signal (encode) that is best suited for each participating system.
Call Profiles / Services - In order to simplify and expedite conference creation, most video bridges utilize pre-configured templates (a.k.a. call profiles, services, meeting rooms, etc.). For example, one might create a template called VAS-768-Open referring to a pre-defined, non-encrypted VAS conference that supports connection speeds up to 768 kbps. Typically the MCUs allow a user to create a conference based on a template and then to modify the settings as required. Change Settings On The Fly Some MCUs allow users / administrators to change some or all of the call settings while the call is in progress and without having to disconnect the users. The benefit afforded by this capability ranges from limited (perhaps allowing one to improve call quality by selecting a different protocol) to dramatic (allowing one to save a failed conference by activating a required feature). Integrated Scheduling Capability Many MCUs allow users (or admins) to schedule conferences in advance using the MCUs graphical user interface (GUI). Those that do not include integrated scheduling within the UI typically provide scheduling capabilities via a separate scheduling / management application. The ability to schedule conferences in advance is a key part of automating the conferencing environment. Address Books To simplify call creation, most MCUs include some form of address book for video systems. In some cases the address book entries must be typed in manually, while in others the list is based on external databases, enterprise directory systems (LDAP / AD), or system gatekeepers. Encryption Support The use of encryption during video calls provides a degree of security for the audio, video, and data content. Support for AES (and in some cases DES) encryption is now standard on the leading MCUs. However, interoperability issues related to encryption remain common, and some MCUs are not able to make encrypted connections to certain video systems. H.239 Support Over the years the inclusion of a second source of content, in addition to the primary video image, has become commonplace during videoconferences. For example, a video conference might include camera signals and a PC-based PowerPoint presentation. The ITU recommendation / standard for dual-stream conferencing is H.239. Although almost all MCUs available today support H.239, interoperability issues remain. Latency / Delay In the videoconferencing world, latency refers to the time delay between when a person speaks and when his voice is heard by participants at the remote site(s). Latency can have a significant negative impact on the call / conference experience, and depending upon the video bridge, the MCU-generated latency can range from limited (less than 100 ms) to significant (200 ms or more). Error Resiliency - As more video traffic is hosted over imperfect networks (like the public Internet), the ability of an MCU to tolerate and compensate for network errors and packet loss becomes increasingly important. In the ideal world, an MCU would mask out all error-related artifacts and protect the call experience. In reality, different MCUs provide different degrees of error protection / resiliency.

Appendix C Test Environment & Testing Notes
Videoconferencing Endpoints As a part of this testing, the following video endpoints were used. Manufacturer Aethra Emblaze-VCON LifeSize Polycom Polycom Sony Tandberg Tandberg Model Vega X3 xPoint Room HDX-9004 VSX-7000 G-50 880MXP 6000MXP Software Version 10.02.0014 SW Release: 7500062-1.1.0.14 - Firmware Version 04 LS_RM1_3.5.0(17) RC - 2.0.2-2461 8.7 Host: 2.5 / DSP: 03.56 F6.0 F6.1
Figure 19: Endpoints Used Within the Testing Environment
Network Environment 1) To avoid the complexities and costs of ISDN, WR used only IP connections for this evaluation. 2) To avoid potential network issues and transport latency, all call traffic was hosted on our local area network. No wide area network was used. 3) To avoid NAT related complications and to facilitate remote support from the participating vendors, all systems / devices (MCUs, endpoints, gatekeepers, etc.) were assigned publicly accessible IP addresses on the same subnet. Gatekeepers / Dial-Plans For this evaluation, WR disabled the Radvision ECS gatekeeper deployed within our test environment, and instead utilized Emblaze-VCONs MXM gatekeeper. System / Device Settings Unless otherwise stated, the default settings were used for all devices (MCUs, endpoints, etc.) within the environment. Test Calls 1) Protocols - Unless otherwise noted, the audio and video protocols selections were set to AUTO on all MCUs and endpoints. 2) Connection Method - Although inbound dialing capabilities were tested, the majority of the test calls / connections were placed outbound from the MCUs to the endpoints. Testing Notes Connection Rate Maximums - One of the test endpoints, the Tandberg 880MXP, has a maximum connection rate of 1152 kbps. As a result, some of the call connection rates were automatically decreased to 1152 kbps during the testing.
Appendix D Test Call Documentation
The pages that follow include the results of the test calls conducted using the Emblaze-VCON VCBPro.
SW Release: 6.0.M01.D13.Y08.VCB2500
Notes: Unless otherwise stated, all endpoints were set to favor motion over sharpness. The connection rate between the Tandberg 880MXP and the Emblaze-VCON VCB was limited by the Tandberg 880MXP's bandwidth limitation of 1152 kbps. Since neither the VCBPro nor the Tandberg systems provide call frame rate information, we were unable to record frame rate information for VCBPro to Tandberg connections. As shown, the frame rate of the VCBPro's outgoing HD resolution signals was limited to 15 - 18 fps.

The Tandberg 6000 MXP's image was cropped (top and bottom) within the continuous presence window.
(c) Wainhouse Research 2008

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6/26/2008
Endpoints Connected at Same Speed
Mode: Layout: Quality Encrypt: H.239: Transcoded 3x3 This bridge has no motion / sharpness settings Yes No Requested Call Configuration BW Call Results BW Encrypt Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Actual Outgoing Stats (from MCU / to the Endpoint) V Protocol Resol FPS A Protocol H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.263 H.264 H.264 H.264 CIF (352x288) 4CIF (704x576) 4CIF (704x576) 4CIF (704x576) 4CIF (704x576) CIF (352x288) 4CIF (704x576) 4CIF (704x576) AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722 64k AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k Actual Incoming Stats (from Endpoint / to the MCU) V Protocol Resol FPS A Protocol H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 SIF (352x240) 4SIF (704x480) 768x432 SIF (352x240) SIF (352x240) CIF (352x288) w288p (512x288) 400p (528x400) AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k G.722.1 AnC 32k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722 64k AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k

Call# 5 5

The Polycom HDX 9004 and Tandberg 6000 MXP's images were cropped (top and bottom) within the continuous presence window. Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 CIF (352x288) HD720p (1280x720) HD720p (1280x720) HD720p (1280x720) CIF (352x288) CIF (352x288) CIF (352x288) CIF (352x288) AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722 64k AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k H.264 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.263 H.264 H.264 H.264 SIF (352x240) 4SIF (704x480) 1120x624 2SIF (704x240) SIF (352x240) CIF (352x288) w448p (768x448) 400p (528x400) AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722 64k AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k
The Tandberg 6000 MXP's image was cropped (top and bottom) within the continuous presence window. As shown above, the Tandberg endpoints received 4CIF from the MCU at 384 kbps (call #5) and CIF at higher calling speeds. This appears to be an interop issue. Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y H.263 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.263 H.263 H.264 H.264 CIF (352x288) HD720p (1280x720) HD720p (1280x720) HD720p (1280x720) CIF (352x288) 4CIF (704x576) CIF (352x288) CIF (352x288) AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722 64k AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k H.263 H.264 H.264 H.264 H.263 H.264 H.264 H.264 CIF (352x288) VGA (640x480) HD720p (1280x720) 4SIF (704x480) CIF (352x288) CIF (352x288) HD720p (1280x720) 400p (528x400) AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722.1 AnC 48k G.722 64k AAC-LD 64k AAC-LD 64k

FPS 7 7

Resol XGA (1024x768) XGA (1024x768) XGA (1024x768) XGA (1024x768) XGA (1024x768) XGA (1024x768) XGA (1024x768) XGA (1024x768)

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Conferencing Systems

VCB VCBPro

User Guide

Version 7.0

Limited Warranty
2009 Emblaze-VCON Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of this document can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic or mechanical - for any purpose without written permission from Emblaze-VCON Ltd. Media Xchange Manager is a registered trademark of Emblaze-VCON Ltd. All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or organizations.
Emblaze-VCON Ltd. warrants that SOFTWARE will perform according to accompanying user documentation for a period of 90 (ninety) days from the date of receipt; replacement SOFTWARE will be warranted for 90 (ninety) days from the date of receipt. This Limited Warranty shall not apply to any product that in the opinion of Emblaze-VCON Ltd. has not been installed or upgraded according to accompanying documentation from Emblaze-VCON Ltd. or been subject to misuse, misapplication, negligence or accident while in the hands of the purchaser. GRANT OF LICENSE Emblaze-VCON Ltd. grants the Purchaser a nonexclusive and non-transferable license to use the SOFTWARE product and to make one copy solely for backup or archival purposes, which may include user documentation provided via online or other electronic form. Additional copies may not be made nor may anyone else be allowed to copy or otherwise reproduce any part of the licensed software without prior written consent of Emblaze-VCON Ltd. COPYRIGHT All trademarks), logo(s), name(s), software, documentation and other supporting materials relating to the Product are trademarked, copyrighted or owned by Emblaze-VCON Ltd. as proprietary information protected by United States copyright laws and international and applicable national treaty provisions and laws. Software protection extends beyond its literal code to structure, sequence and organization; any unauthorized use or modification would constitute a misappropriation of Emblaze-VCONs proprietary rights and a violation of the License agreement. LIABILITIES Emblaze-VCONs entire liability and the Purchasers exclusive remedy shall be at Emblaze-VCONs option, either return of the price paid or repair/replacement of the Product not meeting EmblazeVCONs declared Limited warranty. Emblaze-VCON or its suppliers shall not be liable in any event to anyone for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special or exemplary damages including without limitation damages for loss of business profits, business interruptions, business information or other Emblaze-VCON VCB Ver. 7.0 Users Guide
Limited Warranty pecuniary loss arising out of the use of or inability to use the said Product even if advised of the possibility of such damages. In any case, EmblazeVCONs entire liability under any provision of this agreement shall be limited to the amount actually paid by the Purchase for the Product.
Emblaze-VCON VCB Ver. 7.0 Users Guide

Table of Contents

1 WELCOME TO THE VCB.. 4 1.1 INTRODUCTION.... 4 1.2 PACKAGE CONTENTS... DEFINING THE VCB IP CONFIGURATION.. 8 2.1 RETRIEVING VCB INITIAL IP CONFIGURATION.. 8 2.2 ASSIGNING A STATIC IP ADDRESS TO A VCB WITH DHCP ADDRESS.... 9 2.3 ASSIGNING A STATIC IP ADDRESS TO THE VCB THROUGH INTERFACE GBE0... 4 LOGGING INTO THE VCB... 13 SETTING UP THE VCB... 15 4.1 VCB SETTINGS... 15 MCU Settings.... 15 Administrators List... 17 4.2 VCB SERVICES CONFIGURATION.. 19 General... 21 Layouts.... 24 Media.... 26 QoS.... 28 Advanced... 29 4.3 VCB SYSTEM.... 32 Upgrading VCB... 32 VCB Restart / Shutdown.. 32 VCB Backup/Restore... 33 System Restore... 33 Delete Snapshot... 35 Take Snapshot... 35 4.4 VCB REGISTRATION TO REMOTE MXM.. 35 Managing a VCB on a remote MXM... 36 Registering back to the local MXM.. 37 4.5 LICENSE... SETTING UP A DEDICATED VCB SERVICE.. 39 5.1 DEDICATED SERVICE FOR END POINTS.. 39 5.2 DEDICATED SERVICE FOR A ZONE... 40
Emblaze-VCON VCB ver. 7.0 User Guide 1
ADDING THE VCB TO AN AD-HOC PERMISSION GROUP. 41 6.1 AD-HOC PERMISSION GROUP PROPERTIES.. 42 General... 42 Permission Group... 43

The VCB includes advanced features, such as video and audio transcoding, support of high definition video resolutions, conference recording and streaming, advanced cascading, as well as basic features such as continuous presence, presenter mode, password-protected conferences and voiceactivated switching.
The VCB includes the Conference Moderator, which provides administrators and users with the ability to schedule conferences in advance, also from within MS - Outlook, and to manage them remotely. At the appointed time, the Conference Moderator initiates the conference and connects the conference participants. Conference hosts can also control when participants join or exit sessions, and transmit video and data streams to the participants. For more details, see the Conference Moderator Help. The VCBs robust Chair Control provides several options for displaying conference participants. A rich selection of predefined layouts expands on the traditional methods of Continuous Presence and Voice-activated Switching. Additionally, conference organizers can choose among the following view switching modes for each session: Lecture Showing the Lecturer in full screen mode for all participants. Lecturer sees a pre-defined, Continuous Presence layout of all participants. Showing the most recent speakers in the conference or from within predefined groups. Showing specific views throughout the conferences duration. Showing a rotation of Continuous Presence views, changing at timed intervals.
Dominant Speaker Fixed Image

Timer Image

1 Welcome to the VCB Per User Image Allowing participants to define their own preferred chair control mode and views.
The VCB supports the following: H.261/H.263/H.263+/H.263++/H.264 video transcoding in Voiceactivated Switching, and in Continuous Presence. High Definition (720p) resolution. Conference recording and streaming and archive management. G.711, G.722, G.722.1 Annex C, G.723.1, G.728, G.729 and AAC-LD audio algorithms with audio transcoding, allowing users to participate in a multipoint conference using different audio standards. Up to 4 Mbps data rate per participant in Voice-activated Switching and in Continuous Presence. Dial-in conference initiation. Password protected conferences. Voice notifications in different languages. Handles calls connecting of up to 36 concurrent users. Advanced cascading of multiple VCBs for large conferences. Support for sessions including H.323 end points/devices and SIP User Agents (through the MXM's embedded SIP proxy server). Data (H.239) transcoding. Mode switching, allowing participants to choose the type of viewing mode (Dominant Speaker, Fixed Image or Timer Mode) during a conference. Protection of calls using H.235 (AES) encryption. Optional deployment of Emblaze-VCON vPoint HD videoconferencing clients.

Package Contents

When you open the VCB shipping package for the first time, check that the following items are included. If any of the items (according to your Customer Order) is missing or damaged, contact your Emblaze-VCON representative immediately. Emblaze-VCON VCB ver. 7.0 User Guide 6

Logging Into the VCB

Enter your login name and password. The default login configuration is: User Name Password su 1234
If necessary, define the following: Remember Login Name and Password Language Force Login Select to allow the system to use the same login values in the future. Language of the management program. If a user with the same Login Name is already connected from a different location, this login attempt will succeed, disconnecting the other user.

Click Login. 13

Click the VCB tab to enter the VCB Configuration pages. VCB Configuration is divided into Settings, Services, Network, System and Archive.
VCB Settings - MCU Details

4 Setting Up the VCB

SETTING UP THE VCB
This chapter provides instructions for configuring the VCB, and describes the properties most suitable for your installation.

VCB Settings

The Settings tab contains general device configuration. These appear under the MCU Settings and Administrators categories.

MCU Settings

To display MCU Settings
After logging in, click the Settings tab and then MCU Details. On this page, you can edit the ports parameters, and the general description and location. The other parameters are read-only and cannot be edited in the VCB configuration program.

General

Description Identity of the VCB. This name will appear in the MXM Administrator after the login process is finished. Physical location of the VCB. IP address of the VCB.

Location Network Address

Product info:
Vendor ID Product ID Version ID Build Number Identity of the manufacturer. Manufacturer's identity of the product. Manufacturer's version identification of the product. Version information for the VCB.

Licensing

Licensed Ports Maximum number of concurrent participants that may be serviced by this VCB.
Status Last Log On Most recent date that the VCB logged in to the MXM or H.323 gatekeeper. Most recent date that the VCB logged out of the MXM or H.323 gatekeeper. If the Last Log On date is later than the Last Log Out date, the selected node is currently logged into the MXM.

Last Log Out

Port configuration
Defaults RTP Ports Start At Click to restore the default port configuration. The lowest port number allocated for video and audio during videoconferences. This allocation meets the Real-Time Protocol (RTP) and Real-Time Control Protocol (RTCP) specifications, which enable applications to synchronize and spool audio and video information. H.245 Port Range The lowest port number allowed for end-to-end signaling of multimedia during videoconferences This allocation provides for H.245 functions, such as capability exchange, signaling of commands and indications, and messages to open and fully describe the content of logical channels.

4 Setting Up the VCB Streaming ports start at: The lowest port number allocated for streaming during videoconferences. This allocation meets the Real-Time Protocol (RTP) and Real-Time Control Protocol (RTCP) specifications, which enable applications to synchronize and spool audio and video information.
To implement the changes, click Apply.

Administrators List

The Administrator tab lists administrators with permission to work with the VCB. To display the list of Administrators
In the upper bar, click the Administrators tab.
List of Administrators To Add New Administrator
Click on the Add button at the bottom of the page. A new administrator is created with a default name and a default password of 1234. Select the new administrator and change its name. Click Apply. Go to the Security tab and set administrative level and change 17
4 Setting Up the VCB the password. Click Apply. To change an Administrator password
In the left pane, click the Name of the desired Administrator. Click on the Security tab.
Changing Administrator Password
In the Security tab, do the following: To keep the same password, leave the Password boxes blank.
New Password Confirm the Password
Type a new password for the administrator. Type the new password again.

Click Apply.

VCB Services Configuration
VCB Services define the usage of resources used during a multipoint videoconference managed by the VCB. After the VCB's installation, you can add or edit service entries. One directory number (E.164) is created for each service type. To handle situations, in which additional participants require additional resources, set up several VCB Services with incremental increases in bandwidth, number of ports, or multicast capabilities.
List of VCB Services Explanation of the column titles of the list in the figure above can be found under General on page 21.

Status

Green: Connected Red: In call Grey: Not connected

To add a VCB Service

At the bottom of the services list , click Add. A new VCB Service entry appears in the list with the default configuration.

To edit a VCB Service

Click the name of the VCB Service in the Description column. The Service Configuration page opens. The Configuration includes the following categories (each in its own tab on the page). General Layouts Media QoS Advanced 19

Change properties according to your service specifications, or keep the default settings. When you finish each page, click Apply to implement the changes. For explanations about the various properties, see the following subsections. When you finish editing the configuration, click List to return to the Services list. Click the checkbox to the left of the VCB Service entry. Click Delete. Click OK to confirm.

To delete a VCB Service

The following subsections describe the VCB Service properties.
In the General tab, enter the identity information of the VCB Service.

VCB Service - General

General tab properties:
Number Description Number to be dialed for using this service. Name of the service. This name identifies the service in the VCB Services List.
4 Setting Up the VCB Max Number of Participants Reserve Ports The maximum number of concurrent calls allowed in this session, according to your VCBs license terms. If selected, the VCB reserves an equal number of ports as the number of maximum users in this session, in accordance with your VCB license terms. For example, if the session is limited to a maximum of 8 participants, the VCB will reserve 8 ports. None of those ports will be available for other sessions. Optimize for number of participants The number of participants that VCB will optimize resources for. For example, If there are going to be only 5 participants in a conference, VCB will divide its resources so that each one of these 5 participants receives the best video quality his VC system can handle. Maximum bandwidth available for each participant. Select to enable expansion of this service to an Ad-Hoc conference. Enable voice notifications to be played when participants join the conference, participants leave the conference and when dialing a password protected conference. Select the language in which notifications will be played.
Conference Bandwidth Ad-Hoc
Enable Voice Notifications

Notification Language

Service Password A conference can be password-protected to ensure that only authorized participants can connect to it. The / Confirm password has to contain 4 to 8 numeric characters. Password Confirm password to validate it. Multicast Session Name Select to enable streaming sessions. Type a name to identify this services multicast streaming session.
4 Setting Up the VCB Session Description Media Formats Type a name or description of the multicast session. Select the video and audio codecs and the video resolution in which the multicast streaming session will be transmitted. Select the audio codec for the multicast streaming session. Select the video codec for the multicast streaming session. Select the resolution in which the multicast video will be transmitted. The destination IP address for the multicast session. All participants in the session transmit and receive from this common IP address. This address must be a class D address in the range of 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255. Define the interval at which the endpoint broadcasting the multicast synchronizes the video display at the receiving ends. The maximum number of routers (hops) that the multicast session's packets may pass through. Session Description Protocol Rate - The interval at which announcements and descriptions of the multicast session are sent out on the Internet Multicast backbone (Mbone), for Participants and passive third-party viewers. The maximum number of routers (hops) that the SDP announcement for this session may pass through.

Select to display a frame surrounding the active speaker Enable Active Speaker Highlight in Continuous Presence layouts. Enable On Screen Select to display the names of the displayed users in Display Continuous Presence layouts. Maximum Packet Size Audio/Video/Data Jitter Size Set this parameter either equal to, or lower than your networks MTU. Smooth playback of transmitted media continues even if the packets arrive out of order at the receiving end, up to the number of packets defined here for each packet
4 Setting Up the VCB type.

VCB Service - Advanced

VCB System
The VCB System tab defines system upgrade, backup & restore, restart, and registering local VCB to a remote MXM.

Upgrading VCB

upgrading VCB
Save the upgrade package (upgrade.evc) you received from EmblazeVCON to the local hard drive or network resource. Click on the System tab and open the Upgrade page. Click the Browse button and browse to the upgrade package location. Click the Apply button. At the end of the upgrade process, VCB will restart. VCB Version number can be verified under the Settings tab -> MCU Details screen.

VCB Restart / Shutdown

VCB Restart / Shutdown Emblaze-VCON VCB ver. 7.0 User Guide 32
4 Setting Up the VCB Restart Restart VCB server. The EVCAdmin application will be unavailable and you will have to login again. Shutdown VCB server. Turn it on again from the power button on the front panel.

Shutdown

VCB Backup/Restore
VCB supports a system backup and restores functionality to help recover the system immediately in cases of disaster. The Backup and Restore functionality saves the baseline (Factory Default) configuration, creates a new snapshot of VCB configuration once a week for 10 weeks, and allows you to manually create snapshots according to configuration changes. At any time, you can easily restore the default VCB configuration (as was set at EVC) or return to a specific configuration state.

Action

Choose the Action you want to perform:

System restore

Restore system configuration to previously saved snapshot. Snapshot can be a baseline (Factory defaults), periodic snapshots that are created automatically by the VCB, or a snapshot that was previously created by system administrator. Take a snapshot of current VCB Configuration. It is recommended to take snapshots every time a configuration change is made e.g., adding new services, scheduling new meetings etc.

Take Snapshot

System Restore
This tab allows you to set up backup and restore settings. Emblaze-VCON VCB ver. 7.0 User Guide 33
4 Setting Up the VCB Setting up the restore options: Choose the Restore option and click the Apply button.
System restore Options Restore To Baseline Restore system configuration to factory default snapshot (baseline), or a newly created baseline. Baseline is the basic snapshot to which the system can be restored at any time. Restore system configuration to the latest snapshot.

In the Description box, type a name for the Ad-hoc Permission Group. This name will appear on the system tree and in the VCBs Properties dialog boxes' Product Info tab.
New Ad-hoc Permission Group - General Properties

Permission Group

The Permission Group Properties page includes all registered services that are defined for use as an ad-hoc resource, which is a service set up to connect ad-hoc conferences. Select any number of VCB services from the list, to include in the Ad-hoc Permission Group. The group may also include combinations of services from more than one registered VCB unit. To place all services in the permission group, click Select All. To clear all the selections, click Clear All.
New Ad-hoc Permission Group - Permission Group Properties

Setting the Usage Order

The location of the services in the list determine the order in which the MXM tries to use them. After an end point invites another end point, the MXM first tries to use the first service defined in the permission group. If the first service is not available, it tries to use the second defined service, and so on. If all enabled services are unavailable, the MXM does not complete the "invitation" to the additional end point. In the Permission Group page, you can move the services to different places in the usage order. To set the usage order of the selected services Click the name (not the checkbox) of a selected service. To move the service up and down the list to its designated place, click Move Up or Move Down as many times as necessary. Repeat this step for as many services as necessary.
Note: Ad-hoke can be also configured from the General tab of a specific service.
To update your VCB license After logging in, select the VCB tab and then License.
VCB Update and License Information Emblaze-VCON VCB Users Guide 44

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Select and copy the license key on the page. Contact your local Emblaze-VCON representative and send the license file according to the instructions you receive. After processing your order, the Emblaze-VCON representative will send you a new license key by e-mail. Copy the new key. Go to the VCB tab, select the License tab, delete the previous key, and paste the new one. Click Apply. You will be logged off from EVCAdmin and will have to log in again.

7 Ad-Hoc Conferencing

AD-HOC CONFERENCING
To invite and join additional parties into an ad-hoc videoconference, users must initiate the Invite function from their videoconferencing application during an open session. This chapter instructs how to invite from the following Emblaze-VCON applications: xPoint vPoint HD/Web Point HD5000/4000 HD3000/2000/1000/600 Other H.323 videoconferencing applications

Inviting from vPoint/vPoint HD
To invite and join other contacts into an ad-hoc conference Enter an additional contact's user number (E.164) or address into the Manual Dialer's address box. Click Invite.

-or1 2

Open the Dialer and locate the contact that you want to invite. Right-click the contact and then click Invite.
The session is now a multipoint conference. The parties video is displayed in Continuous Presence (multiple users video on screen at all times) or Voice-Activated Switching (speakers video only on screen), in accordance with the MCU/VCB Service configuration.
Inviting from HD3000/2000/1000/600
Press any of the number keys on the remote control. The Manual Dial dialog box and SoftKey menu open. Press the red MXM CALL CONTROL Softkey.
In the MXM Call Control box, enter the directory number of the party that you want to invite. To browse entries from the Phone Book, press the right and left arrow keys on the remote control. Press the green INVITE SoftKey.
Press the green Softkey to transfer the videoconference to the entered address Enter the address of the additional p arty for transferring the conference
The HD device dials the number. After several seconds, the additional party is added to the session, which is now a multipoint conference with VCB management. The parties video is displayed in Voice-Activated Switching.
Inviting from HD5000/4000
To invite and join other parties into an ad-hoc videoconference
Click the Telephony Services button to open the Telephony Services menu. Click Invite User. In the Dial Plan Number box, enter an additional party's user number.
-orClick the Online Directory button and choose a name from the Online Directory Dialer. Click the Dial button.
After several seconds, the additional party is added to the session, which is now a multipoint conference. The parties video is displayed in Continuous Presence (multiple users video on screen at all times) or Voice-Activated Switching (speakers video only on screen), in accordance with the Emblaze-VCON VCB ver. 7.0 User Guide 48
7 Ad-Hoc Conferencing MCU/VCB Service configuration.
Inviting from Other H.323 Videoconferencing Applications
In VCONs MediaConnect 6000 and other H.323 videoconferencing applications, you must enter a code in order to invite other users to an adhoc videoconference. If you do not know the code, ask the system administrator. To invite and join other parties into an ad-hoc videoconference
During an ongoing point-to-point videoconference, open your applications Dialing utility. Dial *77 (or an administrator-defined value) followed by the [additional users directory number]. For example, dial *77751 to invite end point 751 into the videoconference. After dialing, an Incoming Call message may appear. Accept the call. The session is now a multipoint conference. The parties video is displayed in Continuous Presence (multiple users video on screen at all times) or Voice-Activated Switching (speakers video only on screen), in accordance with the MCU/VCB Service configuration.

8 Recording Management

RECORDING MANAGEMENT
Recoding and the recording files are managed from the Archive tab under the VCB tab. The Administrator can rename, play and delete one or all the files. The recorded files are shown in the list only when the recording has ended. The default file name represents the service number and the service index in brackets. You can enable/disable recording as follows:
Go to VCB->Services->Media->Recording Options
Use the Conference Moderator application
The file list is sorted according to dates, starting with Today and backwards according to the days in the previous week, and then 2 Weeks Ago, Previous Month or All. A specific file can be searched also by its file name, or by date range.

All Rename Delete Search

Mark all files Create a unique name for a recorded conference Delete files to free disk space Search for file in the archive according to file name or in a date range
To play a recorded conference, click on the file name. the recording will be played in Media Player. From Media Player, you can also save the file to a local or a shared file server.

9 Public Conference

PUBLIC CONFERENCE
A live conference can be recorded and streamed or streamed only, in WMV format. If a conference is streamed, users who wish to view the conference have to connect to the VCB Home page, open the Stream List, and click on the Show command. A Media Player window will open and will play a live stream of the conference.
You can stream a live conference in one of two ways:
Set up the VCB service before starting the conference (this option is not available while a conference is in progress). Start streaming from the conference control in EVC Moderator. This option can be used while a conference is in progress.
Configuring the VCB service: Go to the VCB tab->Services. Select the desired service. Select the Media tab. Under the Recording Options, click on the Recording State dropdown list and select Streaming.
Streaming from the VCB service Streaming from the conference control in EVC Moderator: Select ECV Moderator from EVC Home Page. Select the Progress tab. In the MCU pane, click on Stream.

Streaming from the conference control in EVC Moderator
Streaming conference window Emblaze-VCON VCB ver. 7.0 User Guide 53

10 SSH Commands

10 SSH COMMANDS
This chapter defines the commands available when you access the VCB unit through a Secure Shell (SSH), Hyperterminal, or similar application connected to the Console port. A Secure Shell application, PuTTY, is included on the CD-ROM supplied in your VCB package. To run the PuTTY program
Insert the VCB C to your computers CD drive. Browse to the Utilities folders putty.exe program. Copy the putty.exe file to your desktop or another location. Double-click the files icon to run the program. In the Host Name box, type the VCB host computers IP address. Click Open. Log in using the following parameters: User Name Password VCBAdmin evc123$

To connect to the VCB

Descriptions of SSH Commands
appupgrade appupgrade <path> Upgrade to a new version of the VCB. Path - location of the install file. For example: appupgrade vcb/install.exe
Command Syntax Description
10 SSH Commands Command Syntax Description Delete all entries from the application, security, and system event log. clearevents
exec exec <command> Execute the specified shell command. Only VCBSupport-level users are allowed to execute this command.
getevents getevents <substring> Display application, security, and system event log. If a substring is specified, only events related to the substring will be listed.
getparam getparam <param> Retrieve the specified parameter.
10 SSH Commands Parameters appver - Display the VCB/MXM application version. dhcp <0-3> - Display DHCP-defined IP configuration of the specified NIC, and if its enabled or disabled. hwserial - The first NICs MAC address. machinename - The name of the node. sshver - Display the SSH Server version. time - Display the current system date and time.
Command Syntax Description Parameters
getvcbadminparam getvcbadminparam <1> <param>. Retrieve the specified VCB Admin parameter. Name and password of the administrator. For example: getvcbadminparam 1 password 1234
getvcbridgeparam getvcbridgeparam <param> Retrieve the specified VCB parameter. To display a list of parameters, type only the command and press <Enter>.

Command Syntax

getvcbsessionparam getvcbsessionparam <service number> <param>.
10 SSH Commands Description Retrieve the specified VCB Session parameter. To display a list of parameters, type only the command and press <Enter>.

healthcheck

Displays system information about the VCBs host computer, such as CPU usage, virtual memory usage.
Lists all SSH commands and their possible syntaxes.
killprocess killprocess <process identity> Aborts the specified process.
listip listip <0-3> Displays the IP address of the specified NIC.
ping ping <hostname or IP address> 57
10 SSH Commands Description Check if a connection to the specified computer is online.
processes processes <substring> Display a list of processes. If a substring is specified, only processes containing the substring will be listed.

restart

Restart the VCB unit.
restartservice restartservice <Service Name> Restarts the specified service.
services services <service substring> Lists the services that start with the substring and displays their status. services VCON will list only VCON services. For example,

VCON VCB AGENT_1

10 SSH Commands Command Syntax Description setgkaddress setgkaddress <IP address> Define an IP address to the associated MXM.
setmcuaddress setmcuaddress <IP address> Define an IP address to this VCB.
setparam setparam <param> Define the specified parameter. dhcp <0-3> - Enable DHCP to define the IP configuration of the specified NIC. ipstatic <0-3><IP address><Subnet><Gateway> - Define a static IP configuration of the specified NIC. machinename - Define the name of the node. time - Set the current system date and time.
setpassword setpassword <user name> Defines the user password. If a user name is specified, the password change applies to that user name only.
10 SSH Commands Command Syntax Description Parameters setvcbadminparam setvcbadminparam <number> <param>. Define the specified VCB Admin parameter. Name and password of the administrator.
setvcbridgeparam setvcbridgeparam <param> Define the specified VCB parameter.
setvcbsessionparam setvcbsessionparam <service number> <param> <value>. Define the specified VCB Session parameter.

Description

shutdown
Shut down the VCB unit and turn its power off.
startservice startservice <Service Name> Starts the specified service.
10 SSH Commands Command Syntax Description stop service stopservice <Service Name> Stops the specified service.

Command Syntax Description Upgrade to a new version of the SSH Server. upgrade