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Technical Recommendations and How To Instructions for UGA Enterprise Video Conferencing
7/14/06

Purpose:

This document will serve as a technical and instructional outline for ensuring quality of service (QoS) for video traffic on and off campus. This document includes technical recommendations from EITS, Peachnet, and Foundry.

In 2005, a UGA video conferencing committee was formed with a goal of developing recommendations for campus to ensure QoS for video traffic on and off campus. Working with Peachnet, Foundry, and UGA’s College of Environmental Sciences, the committee researched and tested several different vendors’ equipment. It was decided that Tandberg and Polycom were the vendors with the best offerings in the commercial IP video conferencing arena.

The committee’s video conferencing recommendations are included in this document, along with systematic instructions on how to set up, and conduct, a video conference using the two recommended vendors.

Technical Recommendations:

The video conferencing unit you are attempting to use on the campus network should support the following standards:

Connectivity

It is highly recommended, in situations where one or more sites have limited bandwidth, that the site with the highest available bandwidth originate all multipoint call sessions

Firewalls

Use H.323 aware firewalls
Source and destination information must be included in configuration
Avoid NAT’ing through firewalls

H.standards

H.323- required
H.235- recommended
H.261- required
H.263+ - required
H.263++ - required
H.264- recommended, highly for non-Athens Campus applications (older Polycom 4000 units can purchase upgrade)

NOTE— The H.standards list above was compiled by referencing Gartner’s web site--www.gartner.com. You can view the video conferencing information by going to your UGA portal account and logging in with your UGA MyID credentials. Once you have logged into your account click the My References link, then click on the Gartner Research—The document is titled Video Conferencing: A short list of vendors (29 December 2004).

Network Equipment Standards

Basis for Recommendations

The recommended networking equipment was identified based on a short list of QoS related criteria. All recommendations will be given in terms of Foundry Networks equipment. Foundry Networks is UGA’s preferred network equipment vendor and NOI’s only “guaranteed supportable” network platform eligible for UGA QoS Initiative services.

Weighted Queuing Mechanism (minimum of four queues)
DSCP to CoS translation (preferably customizable)
ACL interactability with DSCP mappings
802.1p capable – Reference the following 802.1p section for details:

Ethernet Prioritization (802.1p)

Data for timing-sensitive Internet applications such as video conferencing and Voice over IP (VoIP) needs to be prioritized along every network path from the sending device to the receiving one (end-to-end prioritization). Prioritization at the router level is typically accomplished through the DiffServ marking of IP packets (or datagrams) and placing those packets in high-priority queues within the router. Devices running timing-sensitive applications usually connect to wired Ethernet networks, and all of the Ethernet switches between the device and a router need to be configured to support 802.1p prioritization.

When 802.1p prioritization is configured on Ethernet switches (which also activates 802.1Q virtual LANs [VLANs]), the Ethernet packets (or frames) have four bytes added that are not normally present. Two bytes contain “tag” information, one byte contains VLAN data and the other has VLAN data and a three-bit 802.1p priority field having values in the range from zero to seven (0-7), with seven having the highest priority. Some Ethernet switches have four 802.1p priority queues:

6-7 = highest priority
4-5 = second-highest priority
2-3 = second-lowest priority
0-1 = lowest priority

Other Ethernet switches have eight separate priority queues, one for each 802.1p value.

To support 802.1p prioritization, each Ethernet switch between the end device and a router must be configured to recognize 802.1p/Q tagged frames. The uplink ports connecting Ethernet switches together must be configured to retain 802.1p/Q tag information. These ports are also usually configured to support multiple VLANs through them (referred to as VLAN trunking). It is recommended that ports into which VoIP devices connect be configured to be on the same 802.1Q VLAN and that the 802.1p value be set to seven (7). For video conferencing devices, the port should be configured to set the 802.1p value to five (5), and the 802.1Q VLAN can be different. The ports of all other non-timing-sensitive devices should have their 802.1p values set to zero (0) and are usually placed in the default 802.1Q VLAN. In addition, the port on a switch connecting to a router interface should not be configured for 802.1p/Q unless the router supports these protocols. The following diagram characterizes a properly configured Ethernet network with 802.1p prioritization.

NOTE—If your switching equipment does not meet these standards, contact EITS-NOC for consultation before setting up your video conference session.

Network Equipment Recommendations

The following is a compiled list of recommendations for centrally maintainable network equipment to be used in conjunction with UGA and Peachnet quality of service initiatives. All of the units recommended are currently deployed within the UGA networking infrastructure. Each grouping will undergo additional testing to create a standardized configuration. The Network Operations Center will deploy these standardized configurations as needed throughout the UGA network.

The recommendations are divided into two groups: Highly Recommended and Recommended. The Highly Recommended group has additional features that reach beyond the listed criteria.

Highly Recommended

RX Series
SuperX Series
FES-X Series
FWS-X Series

Recommended

FES Series

Unit Specific Qualifiers/Standards

Stand Alone unit (not software only) – Required: This requirement is based on the fact that multipurpose machines, such as desktop computers with attached cameras, introduce unknown factors into the IP videoconferencing process. In an instructional grade level IP videoconferencing environment, these unknown factors can drastically delay the troubleshooting and repair process causing an unacceptably long loss of service.
Maintenance – Required: This requirement is to ensure that, if any recommended IP videoconferencing unit is performing poorly or failing, there is an in place support contract with a local (Athens or Atlanta area) vendor or manufacturer for troubleshooting, repair assistance, or other problem resolution.

Instructions for configuring video conferencing units to ensure QoS:

Registration

On campus:

You must register your video conferencing unit with EITS before QoS can be assigned to your video conferencing traffic. Please have your DNL email the following information to Helpdesk@uga.edu

Statically Assigned IP address
Building name
Room number
Maintainer and DNL name as well as email addresses and phone numbers
If known, switch IP, wall plate port, and switch port IDs

NOTE—Upon submission of this information, a site visit may need to be conducted in order to ensure end-to-end QoS compatibility.

Off Campus:

You must register your video conferencing unit with OIIT before QoS can be assigned to your video conferencing traffic. Please gather the information below but have your DNL email only the IP address information to Helpdesk@usg.edu.

Statically Assigned IP address
Building name
Room number
Maintainer and DNL name as well as email addresses and phone numbers
If known, switch IP, wall plate port, and switch port IDs

NOTE—Upon submission of this information, a site visit may need to be conducted in order to ensure end-to-end QoS compatibility.

Configuration Instructions

Tandberg Units

UGA recommends models: 770 MPX, 880 MPX, 990 MPX, 2000 MPX, 3000 MPX, 6000 MPX, 7000 MPX, 8000 MPX

Make sure you know the IP address, subnet mask, and gateway for the VC unit you are using (please contact your network administrator for this information).
Start by powering up the video conferencing unit—you will be presented with a menu bar at the bottom of the screen.
Select the control panel icon to begin the configuration process.
Select administrator settings within the control panel menu.
Select the network icon within the administrator settings menu.
Select LAN settings.
Select IP settings.
Under IP assignments choose the static setting.
Enter your IP address, subnet mask, and gateway that you have received from your network administrator. At this point, you can also select Ethernet speed and duplex—but we recommend working with your network administrator to determine your network’s optimal setting.
Once this information is entered, you will need to save your settings and a reboot is recommended at this time.
Once rebooted, return to the LAN Settings menu by selecting: control panel-> administrator settings-> network-> LAN Settings.
Select H.323 Settings
Under call setup menu select Direct.
Select Auto under Gatekeeper Discovery menu.
Leave Gatekeeper and Call Manager IP as default.
Select advanced H.323 settings—leave all settings to default except QoS type, select diffserv.
Scroll to and select diffserv video.
Set audio, video, and signaling fields to 34, leave data setting at 0, and save.
Return to main menu.
If necessary, contact your network administrator for advanced settings.
Proceed to make a call menu.
Enter IP address of the remote unit you wish to connect to.
Enjoy the conference.

NOTE—It is not necessary to configure the unit each time a call is placed. Once a configuration has been saved, you can repeatedly place calls by following the last three configuration changes.

Polycom Units

UGA recommends models: VSX 5000, VSX 6000, VSX 7000, VSX 8000

Make sure you know the IP address, subnet mask, and gateway for the VC unit you are using (please contact your network administrator for this information).
Start by powering up the video conferencing unit—you will be presented with a menu page.
Highlight and select system info.
Highlight and select admin. setup.
Highlight and select LAN/H.323.
Highlight and select LAN/Intranet.
Highlight and select LAN/Intranet again.
Select DHCP off, then highlight IP address, and enter IP info. you received from your network administrator (including DNS server, default gateway, and subnet mask).
Scroll down, highlight and select menu icon— at this point, you will be prompted to reset and save changes— select yes.
System will restart and you will return to the original menu page.
Repeat steps 3-5 and select QoS icon.
Scroll to type of service field and select diffserv.
Under type of service value, enter 34 for video and audio.
Scroll down and select menu.
Continue to select menu icon until you are back to the original menu page.
If necessary, contact your network administrator for advanced settings.
Highlight and select video call.
Enter IP address of the remote unit you wish to connect to and push the call button to initiate the conference.
Enjoy the conference.

NOTE— It is not necessary to configure the unit each time a call is placed. Once a configuration has been saved, you can repeatedly place calls by following the last three configuration changes.

If you have followed the technical recommendations and configuration instructions referenced in this document, and you still have questions, or problems, contact your network administrator or the EITS helpdesk (706-542-3106) for additional assistance.