Interactive Video on Enterprise Networks

Abstract

Historically, interactive video has been reserved for circuit-switched networks (e.g., ISDN) using the H.320 standard protocol for video signaling, encoding, decoding and media synchronization. Due to the high costs and complexity of bringing ISDN to individual users or facilities in certain regions of the world, the desire to leverage an expanding IP infrastructure, and to take advantage of the new management features in the latest interactive video servers, many network managers are planning to deploy multimedia over IP. Network architects recognize that multimedia over IP implementation details will vary from site to site, depending on a combination of internal business requirements and the unique conditions in a network at the time multimedia communications support goes in. This chapter will assist those who seek to introduce interactive video to their corporate IP network users as a first step towards network convergence. It will give the reader the benefit of lessons learned in past tests and trials, on howto deploy a network with state of the art technologies, capabilities that match user needs and the ability to evolve over time as user needs change.