MAGPI, the Mid-Atlantic GigaPop located at the University of Pennsylvania, is hosting a series of K20 Virtual Forums that focus on four specific disciplines: Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Math and Science, Heath Care and Medicine. These monthly forums are held virtually through the Internet2 Commons.

The most recent virtual forum, focused on math and science, took place on July 6, 2006. The forum included a presentation by Internet2 Faculty Fellow, Dr. Martin Swany, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at the University of Delaware. Dr. Swany discussed his work with the Internet2 HOPI (Hybrid Optical Packet Infrastructure) project. He was joined by two other presenters, Dr. Andre Post-Zwicker of the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab who discussed the use of advanced telecommunications technologies to connect students across the K20 community to "real science," and Peter Michaud from the Gemini Observatory in Hilo, Hawaii, who discussed the use of Internet2 videoconferencing in the planning and execution of observations. Additional details and presentations can be found on the Math & Science Virtual Forum website.

The next Virtual Forum takes place August 3, 2006, and is focused on Arts and Humanities. For more information and to see a schedule of upcoming forums, please refer to the MAGPI K20 Network Opportunities website.

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Collaboration SIG

Internet2's advanced networks have enabled the research and education community to hold distributed working groups, classes, meetings, and events. World-wide events, like Megaconference and its spin-offs have pushed the limits of videoconferencing for years. Yet, not everyone is using real-time communication tools to collaborate remotely. An Internet2 Special Interest Group (SIG) focused on Collaboration has formed to address the question: Why aren't advanced real-time collaboration tools being used more widely?

The SIG is exploring remote collaboration, including the tools that make it possible and how to increase their adoption. The group is addressing questions around the successful use of collaboration tools by gathering case studies of projects that have used the tools to bridge distances in teaching, project planning, and other activities. Equally informative are projects that illustrate the barriers to collaboration that users may encounter. As they investigate advanced technologies for experimentation and pilot use, they are looking to build a community of users and increase adoption of advanced collaboration tools. If you would like more information about this SIG, please visit the WIKI page, or contact SIG Chair Gurcharan S. Khanna.

Another collaboration-related initiative currently underway includes follow up from the Collaboranza event the Internet2 Commons hosted in May, such as the Collaboranza Wiki. A number of Internet2's Corporate Members provided users with hands-on trials of different videoconferencing tools, along with expert help from tool developers and company representatives. Users, in turn, were able to share their feedback on the tools directly with the companies that develop them. That information has been recorded in the Wiki, and a forum has been created for ongoing discussion and evaluations of real-time collaboration tools. more...

On 18 May 2006 students and educators from over 200 schools from countries around the world will participate in the third annual Megaconference Jr. global event. Megaconference Jr. is a project designed to give students in elementary/primary and secondary schools worldwide the opportunity to communicate, collaborate and contribute to each other's learning in real time, using advanced multi-point videoconferencing technology. Presenters will design and conduct videoconference-based presentations and activities focused on academic and cultural issues. Participants can address questions to presenters and collaborate with geographically diverse peers in collaborative learning activities, thus building international cultural awareness. Megaconference Jr. organizers were among the winners of Internet2's first IDEA Awards, presented in April 2006. The IDEA awards recognize leading innovators who have created and deployed advanced network applications that enable transformational progress in research, teaching, and learning.

Sites anywhere in the world are also encouraged to watch the Megaconference Jr. live stream, chat with other viewers, and ask questions of the live presenters. The event runs from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. (EDT). The 12-hour duration makes it possible for schools from many time zones to participate during their regular school hours.

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The Internet2 Commons promotes and facilitates remote collaboration between rooms, laboratories and campuses. Partnering with the development community, the Internet2 Commons offers tool suites that integrate presence, instant messaging, chat, voice, video, data and application sharing. In May 2006, the Internet2 Commons sponsored Collaboranza!--a special one-week opportunity for the Internet2 community to explore a handful of the leading collaboration tool-suites. Participants had the chance to try out each product for free with other educators and researchers from May 8-12, 2006. A concurrent H.323 videoconference ran from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT through the duration of the event, in order for participants to test which of the products were truly capable of inter-operating through an H.323 bridge. Lessons learned and evaluations were gathered to help potential adopters with their decision-making, and to help developers improve their products. A discussion forum was available on the Collaboranza Wiki.

The following Real Time Collaboration Tool Suites were available for testing:

• EVO: Scalable autonomous and self-adaptive global collaboration system providing an efficient real-time infrastructure, rich collaboration features and integrated network diagnostics. Works with video clients such as H.323, Access Grid, Mbone, and soon SIP.
• inSORS: Multimedia conferencing & collaboration software, based on Access Grid technology, utilizes high speed network access to provide lab-to-lab, multiple window, high performance data sharing and video presence.
• Marratech: Free Windows, Linux or Mac OS X low-bandwidth, desktop collaboration client. H.264 support is available.
• Microsoft Research ConferenceXP: Advanced desktop or room-based collaboration tool offering high quality video and scalability. Uses the model of virtual collaboration spaces and exploits multicast and is IPv6-ready.
• Radvision Click to Meet: Highly scalable desktop solution for delivering voice, video and data collaboration. Quick and easy to use.

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The International Business Center in the University of Pittsburgh's Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business organized a real-time, multi-point videoconference with Michael S. Dell, founder and chairman of the Board of Directors of Dell computers on 12 April. Dell addressed Master of Business Administration students from his office in Austin, Texas via videoconference. Seventeen other institutions with Centers for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) were able to take part in the conference through Internet2's advanced high performance network which connects all of the participant Internet2 member universities. The Internet2 Commons H.323 Videoconferencing Service provided the technology for this multi-site event.

The event began with Dell sharing his experience of and insights into international business. After his remarks, Dell fielded questions from Pitt students, as well as students interacting live via videoconference from Duke University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Indiana University, Michigan State University, Ohio State University, Purdue University, Temple University, Thunderbird-The American Graduate School of International Management, and the universities of Colorado at Denver, Connecticut, Hawaii at Manoa, Kansas, Memphis, Michigan, South Carolina, and Washington.

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Internet2 members OARNET, the Ohio State University (OSU), the World Bank and Internet2 Commons staff worked together to deliver a three hour Internet2 Commons Site Coordinator videoconference training course to 43 individuals in seven African countries. Individuals from Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Senegal, and the Ivory Coast received virtual instruction from OSU staff Megan Troyer and Bob Dixon, with technical support by Gabe Moulton, also at OSU. The training itself was conducted via high-quality video conferencing, with participants joining in-country via the World Bank's Global Distance Learning Network (GDLN) centers. Thanks to the World Bank's connectivity to Internet2's Abilene, Ohio State was able to directly link with the African GDLN centers on the World Bank's VSAT network.

The course covered the basics of videoconferencing, including an overview of the components of an H.323 network, guidance on setting up equipment, instruction for participating in a conference, and appropriate videoconference etiquette. Both trainers and trainees alike learned from the experience, sharing information about technical and societal challenges. Given the success of this initial training, a second is being planned in French. According to Dixon, "The audience was very serious, of varying knowledge levels and backgrounds (managers and technicians), and asked many questions. The course went very well, and was much appreciated."

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Register Now: Site Coordinator Training January 26, 2006

Want to learn about H.323 videoconferencing? Or would you like to share what you know with others who support videoconferencing at a variety of institutions? Gather online with Internet2 Commons experts for interactive presentations on the components of an H.323 network, MCUs, Gatekeepers, firewalls, environmental considerations, and an overview of emerging Data Collaboration applications. Attendees of all skill levels find this a valuable opportunity to learn how to deploy and support videoconferencing on their campuses. Those who successfully complete this virtual course will be certified as Internet2 Commons Site Coordinators. To find out more or to sign up, visit the Commons training web site.

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Everyone in the world is invited to experience Megaconference VII on December 1, 2005. From the comfort of your own office, classroom, or conference room, you can tour a Christmas Market in Switzerland, look through a telescope in Australia, or hobnob with scientists in Egypt. This year's theme—Increasing Empathy Through Video Conferencing—focuses on improving understanding between individuals and cultures using videoconferencing tools. Presenters and audience members will gather from around the world using advanced networks and H.323 or SIP videoconferencing technology to discuss current projects and developments in order to further the use of videoconferencing in education and research.

This annual event, the largest, worldwide Internet videoconference, includes presentations by end-users who will discuss and demonstrate how groups use videoconferencing in real-world applications. All presentations will be fully interactive, engaging multiple sites and the audience. In addition to formal presentations, each Megaconference has fun and informal events like the Roll Call, where participants get a moment of fame to say hello to the world in their own unique and creative way. The Megaconference Cafe provides a forum for informal conversation between participants, and throughout the day there are several opportunities to win door prizes, donated by Internet2 corporate members Marratech, RADVISION, Polycom, and Codian.

The Megaconference is sponsored by the Internet2 Commons, and supported by many organizations, manufacturers, and vendors. Registration for interactive participation in the Megaconference is closed. However, anyone can watch the day-long Megaconference simulcast, courtesy of the Internet2 Commons, by visiting our streaming page from 8:00 am-11 pm EST (UTC -5) on December 1.

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The Internet2 Commons is deploying a new service pilot that will provide Internet2 members with access to a variety of real-time communications (RTC) tools. Providers of RTC services from across the Internet2 member community are invited to participate and offer their services through the pilot to Internet2 members. Jonathan Tyman, Program Manager for the Internet2 Commons, explained, "The mission of the Internet2 Commons is to promote and facilitate remote collaboration throughout the Internet2 research and education community. This new pilot will allow us to extend our service offerings to the desktop with real-time collaboration suites." Internet2 corporate member Wave Three Software was selected as the first participant in the pilot. Tyman continued, "Wave Three was selected because they offer a suite of standards-based, multi-platform products with proven interoperability, as they demonstrated to our member community during the Fall 2004 Internet2 Member Meeting." Bob Randall, the CEO of Wave Three Software added, "We are extremely pleased to partner with Internet2 Commons to deliver Session Communications Services. We believe our voice, video and data collaboration tools within the Internet2 environment will move communications to the next level by dramatically enhancing personal relationships and collaboration throughout the research and education community." More information, including the ability to try the Session Communications Services, can be accessed at the Commons RTC Pilot webpage. Internet2 corporate members, as well as university and affiliate members, are welcome to participate as service providers in the pilot. Please contact Jonathan Tyman for more information <tyman@internet2.edu>.

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What do schoolchildren in Berrien County, Michigan and scientists at the Supercomputing and Networking Center in Poznan, Poland have in common? They'll all be participating in the Megaconference worldwide videoconferencing event on 9 December 2004 (8:00 am to midnight EST, UTC -5). Participants from around the globe will join this interactive conference via videoconference over advanced networks, which will be streamed live for viewing by anyone with an Internet connection. Now in its sixth year, the Megaconference has been a hallmark event for learning about cutting-edge uses of videoconferencing. This year's program focuses on the theme "Let's Talk: Global Communications, Innovation, and Participatory Videoconferencing." Megaconference also pushes the state of the art in videoconferencing, allowing both H.323 and SIP software participants for the first time, with more than 300 sites and an estimated audience of more than 3,000 people worldwide, not counting those who watch the simulcast streams.

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Internet2 Commons Hosts Training and Demonstrations

In late September, the Internet2 Commons will present an H.323 workshop and will also host demonstrations of the latest collaboration technologies, all at the Fall 2004 Internet2 Member Meeting, taking place in Austin, Texas on September 27-30.

Save the date: Training September 27.
Gather with other H.323 implementers for an introduction to H.323, its complexities and supporting technologies. Experts from Internet2 member institutions will cover topics on network diagnostics and troubleshooting, SIP and H.350, MCUs, Gatekeepers, and a review of Data Collaboration applications and considerations. Many attendees new and not-so-new to H.323 find this a valuable opportunity to meet others deploying and supporting videoconferencing on their campuses. To find out more or to sign up, visit the Commons training web site.

Collaboration in the Demo Room
Throughout the Fall Member Meeting, Internet2 university and corporate members will demonstrate videoconferencing and collaboration applications. Demonstrations at the Internet2 Commons booth and others will include technologies that support remote collaboration: the H.323 multipoint videoconferencing service; the LoCI distributed store and forward infrastructure; corporate sponsors RADVISION, Polycom, First Virtual, Tandberg, and VBrick; corporate partner Microsoft Research; and corporate members WaveThree Software and VCON. Visit the demo area at the Fall Member Meeting, and find out more.

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The Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), a consortium of 12 research universities, piloted a course in nursing informatics for four participating institutions: University of Iowa, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Indiana University, and University of Michigan. This innovative course used the Internet2 Commons H.323 Videoconferencing Service to deliver live, interactive lectures to students. The course was supplemented by an on-demand video archive and combined web-based conferencing, web-based course management, and traditional teaching/learning strategies to support the acquisition of knowledge and skills essential for nursing informatics researchers. The four participating universities shared the hosting of the web-based class sessions and used CIC's CourseShare administrative system—a system that allows students at CIC member institutions to register and pay tuition, receive grades and credit for specialized inter-institutional courses all at their home campuses. Connie Delaney, professor at the College of Nursing at the University of Iowa, stressed, "This collaboration provides creative strategies that leverage the scarcity of nursing informatics faculty and at the same time offer students participation in a wealth of research projects and innovations across multiple institutions."

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Subscribe now to the Internet2 Commons multipoint videoconferencing service, and you'll receive unlimited use through the end of September. Three months of unlimited use will give you plenty of time to configure your endpoints and try out the many display, bit rate, streaming, and archiving options available. It's a great way to get comfortable with the advantages of multipoint videoconferencing. This offer is limited to applications received during the month of July. The mission of the Internet2 Commons is to promote and facilitate remote collaboration throughout the Internet2 research and education community. Apply today to start the subscription process!

July 05, 2004

RADVISION, an Internet2 corporate sponsor, is an active participant in the development and deployment of next generation IP-based communications architectures (including SIP and H.323) for the Internet2 community. Through corporate sponsorship, RADVISION is engaged with Internet2 members at many levels. In research and development, RADVISION collaborated with the Internet2 Middleware Initiative Video Working Group (VidMid) and the Video Development Initiative (ViDe) to develop the H.350 standard. H.350 makes video and voice over IP (VoIP) information available globally and helps with user device configuration, as well as providing a convenient repository for authentication credentials--resulting in a more secure and integrated environment for video and VoIP conferencing. RADVISION is the first company to release products based on the H.350 standard. Adi Regev, senior director of sales engineering at RADVISION, explained "Before H.350, universities were like isolated islands with no convenient way of finding each other for videoconferencing. H.350 allows you to search for and find a user's video or VoIP address just like you'd find an email address or telephone number. Because the H.350 architecture is scalable to 100, 1000, or even 5000 endpoints, it opens the door to more videoconferencing users."

RADVISION also plays a key role in the Internet2 Commons. RADVISION regularly provides the latest network technologies to the Internet2 Commons for use in testing and offering video services to the Internet2 membership. For example, the Commons Management Team is now testing RADVISION's IMfirst, a tool for voice, video, and datasharing. RADVISION also provides technical support and equipment for activities such as the Megaconference, an annual worldwide conference via H.323 video technologies.

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Polycom, an Internet2 corporate sponsor since 2001, provides advanced collaboration technologies for the Internet2 community. By providing a multipoint control unit (MCU) to the Internet2 Commons, Polycom makes possible a wide variety of multi-site classes, meetings, and conferences for Internet2 members. Polycom is also actively engaged in the Internet2 K20 Initiative, providing technology in support of several distance-learning projects. The company continues to advance the state of the art in conferencing by now supporting Session Initiation Protocol (SIP); an advanced H.264 codec offering greater than DVD-quality video at half the bandwidth; and developing new collaboration tools for simultaneous application sharing, instant messaging, voice, and video. For more information on their research and education activities within the Internet2 community, visit our applications' showcase

February 23, 2004

Internet2® launched the first videoconferencing service from the Internet2 Commons making group collaboration through videoconferencing as simple as traditional phone conferencing. The H.323 video and audio standards for Internet Protocol-based communications allow various vendor endpoints to seamlessly and compatibly connect to one another. “The affordable cost and easily deployable technology of the Internet2 Commons makes it the videoconferencing service of choice for the higher education community,” adds Tyler Johnson, Telecom Systems Analyst of the University of North Carolina.”

Internet2 Commons subscribers can easily reserve videoconferencing ports for time-sensitive meetings such as remote research collaborations and regularly scheduled distance learning classes.

October 06, 2003

H.350 standard was ratified by International Telecommunications Union making videoconferencing with colleagues, family and friends via the Internet easier and less expensive. It provides a uniform way for storing and finding information related to video and voice over Internet Protocol in enterprise directories. The new H.350 standard is the result of a joint effort between the Internet2 Middleware group and the Video Development Initiative (ViDe). An example directory service based on H.350 is available through ViDeNet at https://videnet.unc.edu/vide-dod/ for searching and making IP calls around the world.

September 08, 2003

Internet2 Detective version 3.0, a small easy to install and use application that reveals your computer's networking abilities, is now available. Incorporating improvements suggested by feedback from the Internet2 community, this version of the Detective enables you to determine:

Internet2 Commons Site Coordinator Training will be offered on March 26 and 27, in conjunction with the SURA/ViDe Digital Video Workshop. Registration for the training is separate from the Workshop.

Recognized leaders in the field – Bob Dixon, Doug Pearson, Susan Bowers, and Tim Poe – will instruct participants in all aspects of H.323 videoconferencing, networking, configuration, and troubleshooting. Become a certified Commons Site Coordinator. Support videoconferencing for your group or campus! Find out more about the training here: March 26-27 2003 Site Coordinator Training

March 10, 2003

The Video Conferencing Point of Contact and the MCU Databases are now on-line! The databases are open to all universities and research facilities especially members of Internet2. Whether you are looking for someone to schedule an event, provide technical assistance or help establish an H.320(ISDN) or H.323(IP) video connection, it is often very useful to know who to contact at the far end. The Point of Contact (POC) database provides a directory of event schedulers, and video conferencing technical support personnel at each institution. The Multipoint Conferencing Unit (MCU) and Bridge database will help you find a site, large or small, capable of hosting your multi-point conference.

September 16, 2002

As part of the Internet2 Commons initiative, Internet2 is deploying VRVS servers, known as reflectors, to provide better performance for existing VRVS users and to facilitate access by new users.  VRVS reflectors allow participants to connect to Access Grid network, enabling collaboration with users in Access Grid meeting rooms or "virtual spaces". The VRVS reflectors are also H.323 compatible with no limitations to the number of ports that connect to the MCU (Multipoint Conferencing Unit). A more detailed description of these services is available here.

September 10, 2001