CARNet Video Network Towards a modern multimedia infrastructure

CARNet Video Network Towards a modern multimedia infrastructure 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 1

Few words about us Ø CARNet stated “doing” multimedia in 1994 Ø 2 nd wave came in 1998 with high-bandwidth streaming applications and ATM VC Ø 3 rd wave came in 2000 with CARNet Media on Demand project and Room VC services Ø 4 th wave is emerging – rethinking of entire concept of multimedia and building every piece of the puzzle 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 2

Note on the authors Ø Zvonimir l l l doing multimedia in CARNet since 1996 ATM VC, streaming, solutions development now acting as a research advisor Ø Robert l l l 2003 -05 -21 Zelenika Maček joining our multimedia effort in 2001 development of streaming solutions running around ¾ insane these days CARNet Video Network 3

Multimedia infrastructure ØA synergic total of all hardware, software, knowledge and organizational elements required for development and deployment of multimedia services Ø basically, we got lost in “doing” multimedia, so we got back to basics and started thinking up ALL THAT WE NEED to provide some cool and niffy multimedia stuff 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 4

What stuff ? Ø What IS and what IS NOT multimedia ? Ø What are building BLOCKS of the puzzle ? Ø What ARE we ? Ø How to TALK to network people ? Ø How to understand ART folks ? Ø How to ORGANIZE ourselves ? Ø What do we outsource to PARTNERS ? 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 5

Therefore, the MM infra Ø With the next-generation CARNet network (Gi. Ca – Gigabit CARNet) we envision new multimedia on three identifiable layers: MULTIMEDIA APPLICATIONS MULTIMEDIA SERVICES MULTIMEDIA NETWORK 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 6

Multimedia network Ø KISS: Bandwidth (lots of it) & Multicast Ø CARNet has ATM backbone since 1995 Ø eight years – no multicast (one sad story) Ø New GB backbone comming – Gi. Ca Network Ø With multicast and all those nice and flashy TLA and FFLA (IPv 6, RSVP, etc. ) Ø Multidisciplinary approach is bringing results, multimedia and network people ARE TALKING 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 7

Multimedia services I Ø Those easy to spot (groovy hardware) Ø Archive: 300 GB archive with XML metadata Ø Servers: supporting WM/RM/QT/MPEG Ø Production: several ¾ professional systems Ø VC rooms: H. 323/ATM “TCR” rooms Ø VC infra: H. 323 GW/GK/GDS/MCU/Desktop 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 8

Multimedia services II Ø Not so easy to spot, but still important Ø Consulting: helping other content-creation and application development centers Ø Knowledge base: Archive of various documents about multimedia Ø Training: Through our education program: Edu. Point (MM usage courses) Ø Funding: Giving away free stuff and funds 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 9

Multimedia applications Ø Visible manifestations, eternal quartet Ø Videoconferencing: Desktop to room high-quality systems (various levels) Ø On demand: Archived content provided (education & training, entertainment) Ø CARNet TV: 3 x 24 x 7 broadcast Ø Live coverage: Several webcast tems with all tidbits ready to cover anything 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 10

Multimedia applications (revisited) Ø Creating integrated media interfaces for various types of content l l l integrated multimedia educational content conference live coverage (such as this one) interfacing media archive in various ways Ø Lots of programming and very diverse portfolio of knowledge required Ø Need of strong multidisciplinary team 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 11

Some general conclusions Ø YOU JUST MIGHT BE THINKING Ø Just a bunch of wishful thinking Ø You’re thinking “I could have thought of this” Ø What are these guys actually about? Ø Hot water was invented at last years’ TNC Ø We want our money back ! 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 12

Here they are (the conclusions) Ø Segmenting helps – define the bits and solve them one at the time , no big projects as they drag too much over time Ø Have metrics – however stupid they are (GBs of files, server traffic, # of peole bothering you, % of usage of VC equipment) Ø Have a plan – compare the metrics over time, however unhelpful they seem 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 13

Some more (conclusions) Ø Talk to network people – it’s hard as they don’t get out much, but it helps Ø Talk to content creators – artists are totally unorganized and lost in space & time Ø Expect the failures – things like 2 people watching the live stream or noone looking at some content for months Ø Expect and accept the sleepless nights 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 14

TF-STREAM list clarifications Ø This should stirr things up Ø Why are we using Windows Media? Ø We know we’re sacrificing part of users (GNU/Linux and other unix until WM for linux) Ø We did try virtually everything else: l l 2003 -05 -21 Apple Quick. Time DSS, Real. Media (bit of Helix), Icecast/ogg, Stream. Works MPEG-1 Had some chances with Kassena & Digital Fountain CARNet Video Network 15

Windows Media Series 9 Ø MS is becoming more and more standard (RTSP, SMIL, MP 3 support, XML-a-lot, MPEG-4) Ø Very good codecs (as of version 8) Ø Good tools (encoders, players, editors) Ø Excellent server platform (Server 2003) Ø Strong development tools and platform – Player, Services, Format SDKs Ø Supports any. NET language 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 16

TNC 03 / CUC 2003 Streaming Ø Short description of our effort here Ø 4 encoders covering all sessions Ø Synchronising presentation slides with the streams (live and archived) Ø WMS Series 9 platform, support from WMP 7 Ø Ads and jingles in between sessions Ø Few hour delay for archiving content 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 17

TNC 03 / CUC 2003 Streaming Ø Had some blunders with sound and slides Ø Those responsible have been shot Ø Database is holding by a thread Ø ASP. NET code has hard-coded bits Ø Robert is between ½ and ¾ mad Ø Robert has killed a fox on a way home at 3 AM Ø Zlatko (head of parade) will kill us anyways 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 18

How it works ? next. Slide() Power. Point presentation WMS Encoder WMS slides (JPG) 2003 -05 -21 IIS/WEB ASP. NET CARNet Video Network 19

How it works ? Ø Power. Point saves a slide as a JPEG on the server and notifies the WM Encoder on another computer which inserts the script event into the stream Ø On player side we interpret the script event from the stream and simply pull the slide image from the web server Ø Session information in stored in a database 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 20

Did it work ? Ø Worked fine for most of the time Ø Had few sound blunders and some sessions are missing slides (responsible have been shot) Ø US Federal e. Authentification lecture has garbled sound in the archive due to Homeland Secutriy Ministry action : o) Ø But more-or-less, it’s a success 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 21

Usage statistics (as of 1 hr ago) Ø We had max 62 simultaneous users streaming total of 42 Mbps (streams are max 300 kbps, but WMS does faststart buffering), usually around 40 -50 simultaneous users Ø As of 1 hr ago: 650 distincs IPs transfering total of 61 GB of data (500 hours at top quality) Ø Allready 4 GB of content from archive 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 22

Summary Ø We think we’re doing good multimedia Ø Organizational framework makes sense Ø Technical teams are sometimes insufficient Ø We rely on student researchers a lot Ø Integrated media interfaces (API) Ø Network multimedia has become much more that just video and audio 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 23

Q and A 2003 -05 -21 CARNet Video Network 24