We4IT LCTY 2013 - Infra-Man - Deep Dive into IBM Sametime - Advanced Video Technology

© 2013 IBM Corporation

ID 407

Seeing is Believing:Advanced Video Technology for IBM Sametime

Pat Galvin IBM Sametime® ArchitectBhavuk Srivastava IBM Sametime® Architect

2 © 2013 IBM Corporation

Please note:

IBM’s statements regarding its plans, directions, and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice at IBM’s sole discretion. Information regarding potential future products is intended to outline our general product direction and it should not be relied on in making a purchasing decision. The information mentioned regarding potential future products is not a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code or functionality. Information about potential future products may not be incorporated into any contract. The development, release, and timing of any future features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion.

Performance is based on measurements and projections using standard IBM benchmarks in a controlled environment. The actual throughput or performance that any user will experience will vary depending upon many factors, including considerations such as the amount of multiprogramming in the user's job stream, the I/O configuration, the storage configuration, and the workload processed. Therefore, no assurance can be given that an individual user will achieve results similar to those stated here.


Agenda

Video in Sametime Today─ A brief look at what we have

Challenges─ Changing landscape (devices, networks, user expectations)─ Pain points and lessons learned from the field

Concrete Solutions─ Building blocks─ Meeting the challenges

Q & A


Agenda




Q & A


Sametime 8.5.2 – Multimedia Architecture

SametimeAudio / Video Bridge

Meeting Server

Community Server

SIP Proxy / RegistrarConference Manager

TelephonyApplication Server

TelephonyControl Server

Partner Audio Bridge

Partner Video Bridge

Sametime Proxy

SIP Edge Server

TURN ServerTCSPI

HTTP Reverse Proxy

Sametime Unified Telephony

Media Manager

Firewall Traversal

DMZ

Enterprise Telephony

HTTPVirtual Places (VP)SIPMedia (RTP)API

Voice / Video ComponentSametime Dependency

3rd Party Component


Sametime 8.5.2 Video – Baseline for Comparison

SIP-based Signaling H.264 AVC Video Encoding Voice-activated Switching MCU Desktop Only (Windows®, Mac, Linux®) Third-Party Product Integration

─ “User Oriented” integration via TCSPI adapters─ “Device Oriented” integration via SUT Lite (direct dial)─ Continuous presence available only through partner


Agenda




Q & A


Challenge #1 – Video Everywhere

All Devices / Platforms─ Desktop – Windows, Mac, Linux─ Browsers – IE, Firefox, Safari, Chrome─ Mobile – iOS, Android, Others as needed

All Networks─ LAN, WAN, Broadband─ Private, VPN, Public─ Adaptive, to deal with poor network conditions

All deployments─ On-premise, private cloud, public cloud


Challenge #2 – Continuous Presence

See everyone in the meeting continuously─ Not just the active speaker

Flexible─ Different clients can have different views─ Based on device capabilities, network conditions, or user preference

Scalable and Affordable─ Support many simultaneous conferences per server─ Software only, with full support for virtualization


Challenge #3 – Interoperability

Support direct connections to other SIP-based video endpoints─ Rooms systems, desktop systems, soft clients

Support bridging to PSTN devices─ Connect via SIP/PSTN gateway─ Permit dialing to or from devices such as cell phones, land lines, etc.

Backward compatibility with previous Sametime releases─ New clients with old servers─ Old clients with new servers─ Mixtures of clients in the same session─ Any reasonable combination


Challenge #4 – Geographical Distribution

Servers deployed to different geographies to support local users

Support automatic cascading of MCUs with no user intervention

─ Reduce local latency─ Optimize WAN traffic

Permit capacity overflow to remote geographies to handle load during peak hours

─ Most efficient use of deployed resources

All governed by policy


Challenge #5 – Mission Critical

Support failover within a geography─ N+1 clustering to provide cost-efficient fault tolerance

Support failover across geographies─ Further cost reductions by permitting failover to remote systems during non-peak hours

Support disaster recovery scenarios─ Entire data center can be lost, with load shifting automatically to surviving data center


Agenda




Q & A


SVC enables the efficient encoding of video that can be realized at different resolutions, frame rates, quality

A video image is organized into layers; clients choose how many layers to receive and process.

This approach can save bandwidth because clients can request fewer layers when necessary.

SVC is more robust since transmission can gracefully degrade to lower frame rates / resolutions when experiencing packet loss.

Continuous Presence is effectively built-in, since each client can request video from multiple participants (at reduced quality, if necessary), and then format the view locally; no need for expensive hardware video MCUs.

* An example of layering

Building Block #1 – H.264 SVC


More about SVC Layering SVC layers are constructed across three

dimensions:

Temporal● Frames rate, e.g. 30 fps, 15 fps, etc.

Spatial● Resolution, e.g. QCIF (176×144), VGA (640x480),

HD (1920x1080).

Quality● The fidelity of compression; how close the reconstructed

frame is to the original input.

Clients choose the layers they want. For example:● HD room station will choose full size, quality & frame rate.● Mobile device will choose smaller frame, possibly lower

frame rate.


Building Block #2 – Native Clients for All Platforms

Windows, Mac, Linux IExplorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome IOS, Android, Others


Building Block #3 – SVC Video MCU

Software only Avoids media transcoding, whenever possible

─ Works by adaptively routing appropriate SVC layers to clients Supports Scalable Audio Coding

─ Layered audio, mixed at client Provides interoperability with previous generation standards-based endpoints

─ Mixed audio─ H.264 AVC video


SVC Routing

When all endpoints are SVC-enabled, there is no need for media transcoding

Provides for a rich and flexible user experience

Highly scalable, with optimized network use


Building Block #4 – Intelligent Video Distribution

Manage a pool of SVC MCUs, within or across geographies Balance load across the MCUs based on policy, load, and user proximity Intelligently cascade MCUs to achieve optimum use of expensive WAN

connections Cluster for scalability and reliability Multiple clusters can further distribute load, and provide for disaster recovery


Video ManagerVideo Manager

Video Subsystem – Clusters and Pools

Two new component types─ Video Managers (VMGR)─ Video Multipoint Control Units (VMCU)

VMGR instances can be deployed in Clusters─ Scalability and reliability─ Fronted by a Load Balancer─ Conference assigned to specific node at run-time─ Can failover to alternate node when necessary─ Disaster recovery is achieved by deploying two

clusters in different geographies VMCU instances are managed in Pools

─ Pools can span any number of VMCUs across any number of geographies

─ A Pool is managed by a VMGR (single or cluster) Sites for Clusters and Pools can be different

Video Manager

VMCU Pool

Video MCU Video MCU

Site 1 Site 2

Video ManagerVideo ManagerVideo Manager


Automatic Video MCU Cascading Cascading refers to the use of two or more

VMCUs in the same conference Automatic cascading can enhance:

─ Scalability – If a VMCU in use reaches capacity, another can be engaged

─ Localization – Users automatically connect to the closest available VMCU

Localization ensures the best possible experience

─ Lower latency within a given geography─ Optimization of expensive WAN connections

These two modes of cascading can be enabled/disabled independently


VMCU Pool

Video MCU Video MCU

Site 1 Site 2



Enhanced Voice / Video Architecture (Planned)

Meeting Server

Community Server

SIP Proxy / RegistrarConference Manager

TelephonyApplication Server

TelephonyControl Server

Sametime Proxy

SIP Edge Server

TURN ServerTCSPI

HTTP Reverse Proxy

Sametime Unified Telephony

Media Manager

Firewall Traversal

DMZ

Enterprise Telephony

HTTPVirtual Places (VP)SIPMedia (RTP)API

Voice / Video ComponentSametime Dependency

3rd Party Component

Video Manager

VMCU Pool

Video MCU Video MCU

Site 1

Site 2


Sample Worldwide Deployment

Video MCU

Site 1

Video MCU

Site 3

Video Manager

Video MCU

Site 2


Questions?

25 © 2013 IBM Corporation

Legal disclaimer

© IBM Corporation 2013. All Rights Reserved.The information contained in this publication is provided for informational purposes only. While efforts were made to verify the completeness and accuracy of the information contained in this publication, it is provided AS IS without warranty of any kind, express or implied. In addition, this information is based on IBM’s current product plans and strategy, which are subject to change by IBM without notice. IBM shall not be responsible for any damages arising out of the use of, or otherwise related to, this publication or any other materials. Nothing contained in this publication is intended to, nor shall have the effect of, creating any warranties or representations from IBM or its suppliers or licensors, or altering the terms and conditions of the applicable license agreement governing the use of IBM software.References in this presentation to IBM products, programs, or services do not imply that they will be available in all countries in which IBM operates. Product release dates and/or capabilities referenced in this presentation may change at any time at IBM’s sole discretion based on market opportunities or other factors, and are not intended to be a commitment to future product or feature availability in any way. Nothing contained in these materials is intended to, nor shall have the effect of, stating or implying that any activities undertaken by you will result in any specific sales, revenue growth or other results.Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States, other countries, or both. Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.