Let’s take a look at the top five ways you can keep your video conferencing installation secure from hacking, thanks in part to the expert advice provided Cisco System’s Tor Halvorsen (@torhalvorsen) and Wainhouse Research’s Ira Weinstein (@wrvideoteam) .

1. Turn Off Auto-Answer.  If your telepresence system includes a feature that will automatically answer any incoming call requests, make sure that it is disabled.  This means that no third party will be able to activate your video and audio equipment without your express permission.
2. Require an Administrative Password.  There’s no way your network admin can be absolutely certain that your company’s video conferencing system’s configuration details haven’t been altered unless all important settings are password protected. You should also consider assigning individual user passwords to each employee who regularly uses telepresence gear inside or outside of the office in order to further control and document access.
3. Enable Encryption.  Do you use your video conferencing system to share files between users during a meeting or conversation? You should make sure that this data is encrypted using the built-in protections offered by telepresence suites.
4. Keep Microphones on Mute.  Similar to disabling ‘auto-answer,’ you can configure your telepresence system to mute all of its microphones until they are physically unmuted by participants on your end of the call.  This can prevent hackers who have breached your company’s security from spying on boardroom or office conversations.
5. Install Telepresence Behind the Firewall.  Video conferencing systems must be safeguarded by a corporate firewall in order to ensure complete protection from intrusion. Firewalls aren’t just for network shares and remote access, as any part of a company’s IT infrastructure that is not guarded by a high level of security instantly becomes the weak link that can be exploited by those with less than honorable intentions.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team

One of the key takeaways when examining the need to create a robust business network capable of supporting a diverse telepresence communications strategy is to take into account the varied demands that will be made on available resources. For example, the Computer Business Review report indicates that as many as 92 percent of Fortune 500 companies are experimenting with the incorporation of tablets such as the iPad into their communications infrastructure. This means that IT managers have to look beyond the establishment of high-bandwidth, wired endpoints within an office environment and also scrutinize how video conferencing can be incorporated into wireless, VPN, and cloud services. Multiple simultaneous telepresence sessions – complete with data sharing – are another concern when planning out the bandwidth available for this type of video communication, and security policies will have to be re-examined as greater numbers of workers begin to use their own personal devices as video conferencing endpoints.

Network organization will also have to take into account the need to provide different levels of video quality across a wider range of devices. Focusing exclusively on enterprise-level high-definition telepresence is simply no longer an option for companies deploying video communications across the entire company. IT managers and strategists will be asked to create a scalable infrastructure that can deliver the appropriate video conferencing resolution to employees accessing a meeting via either a mobile device, a home desktop codec, or a high-definition boardroom setup.

Aside from the certainty that its astronomical growth will continue, predicting the exact direction that corporate video conferencing will take in the future is a difficult task. The best way for a business to prepare itself for emerging communications technologies is to build a fundamentally strong network that offers a scalable and robust foundation for incorporating future expansion. End-to-end telepresence vendors such as Cisco provide this type of regimented and expandable approach to analyzing current network capabilities and strategizing how to best leverage existing bandwidth while still leaving the door open for additional expansion of video communications channels.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team

Most Popular Discussions for January, 2012

2012 got off to a good start in the Videoconferencing Professionals LinkedIn group with the announcement that the 10,000th member had joined mid-way through January. This indicates just how vital the group has become in the video conferencing and telecommunications industry, and it also illustrates the depth of knowledge that is represented by its members.

David Danto, Director of Emerging Technologies at IMCCA (@NJDavidD), posted a link to a controversial New York Times article describing security issues surrounding poorly-implemented video conferencing installations. The article, which has also been discussed on the KBZ Communications blog, generated a number of responses from group members who, for the most part, expressed the hope that readers would understand that the issue had to do with the lack of security precautions taken by IT managers and not any flaws inherent in the technology itself.

Most of the other activity over the course of January focused on specific questions about video conferencing, such as the query posed by Darren Aspinall (sector manager AV/VC at Colebrook Bosson Saunders, @darrenaspinall), regarding the best way to implement a cloud video conferencing system for 25 users dispersed around the world. Pete Woodworth, network analyst at Cal Poly State University, also asked for recommendations for a worthy upgrade over a retail-level high-definition web camera, which garnered a long list of suggestions from group members, ranging from Logitech to Canon units. Moving past the tech perspective, Thomas Aquilone, programs manager at Lockheed Martin (@taquilone), got people talking about how to connect Tandberg and Radvision video conferencing endpoints to Android tablets.

Top Influencer for January, 2012

January’s top influencer title sees a two-way tie between David Danto and Thomas Aquilone. Danto’s post about video conferencing security issues led to some interesting responses from a number of industry leaders, while Aquilone was able to stimulate an impressive list of suggestions to his question about Android video conferencing connectivity.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team

The robots, manufactured by a company called Vgo Communications, are designed to provide a direct link between practitioners at Children’s Hospital Boston and recuperating patients – one that eliminates the need for regular return visits to the facility.

As the video above reveals, the robots feature a five-inch telepresence display where a ‘face’ would normally be found, and this interface works in combination with a high definition camera, microphone, and speaker system in order to help doctors and nurses keep in touch with patients at home. This includes not just direct conversations in order to report on recovery, symptoms, and pain, but also the ability to provide high resolution images of surgical wounds in order to track healing and spot any potential problems as early as possible. The robot is not an autonomous device, but one which is remotely controlled by hospital or clinic staff over the same cellular connection that it uses for communications purposes.

One the most appealing aspects of telepresence robots in a medical setting is the reduced costs associated with the technology. The four-and-a-half foot wheeled robots are priced at roughly $6,000 each, but the savings associated with avoiding hospital visits are a boon to insurance companies and patients. They also reduce the strain on healthcare infrastructure by keeping patients outside of a facility unless absolutely necessary, without sacrificing quality of care. In addition, the recovery of each person monitored by the robots is uninterrupted by the need for regular travel.

Currently the Vgo telepresence robot is still in the pilot stages of deployment, with five of the units being cycled through eight patients so far. An expansion of the test run to five times as many patients is in the cards, and the long term plan is to equip the telepresence devices with the ability to perform a wider range of in-home care tasks. This will provide remote doctors with a more complete picture of patient health. Eventually, the robots could be used to collect blood and urine tests as well as take blood pressure and pulse rates, with that information then sent back to the primary care provider.

Post-operative care is merely one of the potential applications of telepresence robots currently being explored. The ability to connect over a cellular link instead of a broadband internet connection allows these mobile telepresence devices to be used in areas where wi-fi coverage is unreliable, giving them an appreciable amount of mobility. Additional uses for telepresence robots which are currently under consideration include in-home care for the elderly and providing a classroom presence for students who are too ill to attend a traditional school.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team

10. Use of Video Conferencing Surges Toward Widespread Adoption

This post from September was one of the first that we put together charting the growing evidence that video conferencing was about to reach the tipping point in terms of mass adoption. Driving this trend were the lowered costs of telepresence technology, improvements in mobile video conferencing, and increased interest in having employees telecommute at least one day per week across a wide range of different industries.

09. Moving Past Distance Learning – Video Conferencing in Academia

Many people think of video conferencing simply as a way to extend the classroom into the homes of students, but this post described how telepresence is also redefining how researchers interact with each other across institutional and geographical boundaries, as well as changing how administrators manage their faculty obligations. The ability for students and professors to leverage video conferencing to perform remote research interviews also allows for them to shrink the size of their staff and eliminate a chunk of their travel budget.

08. Cisco Video Conferencing Gains End-To-End JITC Certification

The announcement by TANDBERG, now part of Cisco, that its Video Communication Server (VCS) technology had been certified by the Joint Interoperability Test Command drew a lot of attention throughout 2011, despite having been posted to the blog just as 2010 was drawing to a close. The JITC certification was a significant boost to Cisco’s image, given the prestige of being a Department of Defense solutions provider.

07. Mobile Video Conferencing Expands Through Next Generation Smartphones

Impressive sales numbers associated with android handsets, the iPad, the iPhone, and a number of other portable communications devices have fueled a growing demand for mobile video conferencing. This post looked at the track record of this mobile technology and took a shot at projecting where the industry might soon find itself as the mobile telepresence ball keeps rolling forward.

06. Cisco TelePresence Tool For Evaluating Bandwidth Demands

One of the advantages of KBZ Communications being a Cisco partner is the ability to preview and showcase hot new technologies and features offered by the video conferencing industry leader. This post detailed the Cisco Bandwidth Quality Manager 3.2 for Telepresence, which allows IT personnel to better configure their networks for maximum video quality and up-time.

05. Major League Baseball Teams Up With Cisco TelePresence

Major League Baseball has been riding the cutting edge of telepresence adoption, partnering with Cisco to provide in-park solutions for immersive video as well as creating opportunities for members of the media to produce live programming, bringing together television personalities from coast to coast. This post provided a look behind the scenes of how telepresence technology has impacted one of America’s largest professional sports leagues.

04. New Solutions Extend Benefits of Video Conferencing to Educational Institutions

A terrible fire that gutted the Main Building at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio TX turned into a spectacular opportunity to renew the campus’ video communications infrastructure. This post explained how the institution turned a nightmare into a blessing via the integration of next-generation telepresence and video delivery systems into its newest facility.

03. Video Conferencing and the Court System

Courtrooms around the world are adopting video conferencing at a rate that is almost comparable with that of private industry. This well-read post discussed how telepresence can help to protect the safety of prisoners, witnesses, and court personnel, as well as ease the burden of travel associated with lengthy court cases.

02. Top Three Telepresence Trends Headed into 2012 – Online Chat

2011 marked our very first KBZ Communications Online Chat, where industry experts got together to discuss the Top Three Telepresence Trends Headed into 2012. Mobility, hardware and software, and interoperability were the top picks from our online poll about the future of telepresence, and conversation about each of these topics was lively and informative throughout the chat session.

01. Telepresence Tech Tip – VCS Expressway and the Dual Network Interface Option

Our most popular post of the past year offered a detailed technical reference to users of the TANDBERG Video Communications Server (VCS) curious about what circumstances require the use of the Dual Network Interface option when deploying with Expressway. The post grabbed the attention of hundreds of VCS administrators seeking the expert counsel of the KBZ ZCare staff.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team

Another post that attracted attention in December included a debate concerning alternatives to multipoint control units and a controversial open letter to a Wainhouse Research senior analyst posted by Anaïs Gragueb, a social media specialist at Vidyo (@vidyo). Milton Chen, CEO of VSee Labs, Inc. (@VSee), brought his PhD thesis to the discussion in order to clarify certain aspects of system design, and David Maldow, analyst and associate editor at Telepresence Options, asked several pointed questions on the same subject. As always, the technical expertise of the group was mined via specific discussions about packet loss, video freeze, and virtualization.

Top Influencer for December, 2011

The top influencer in the Videoconferencing Professionals LinkedIn group for the month of December is Cari Zoch, who managed to engage members with an interesting glimpse at the future of video conferencing through her poll.  Milton Chen runs a close second thanks to his willingness to share his academic background regarding the theory and design of video conferencing and communications systems.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team

1. Digital Signage

Digital video communications – and digital signage in particular – have gained a significant foothold in advertising and campus communications (both academic and corporate). Projections for digital signage market share are through the roof, with industry spending predicted to reach $5.2 billion by 2016. The next 12 months figure to factor into that impressive growth rate in an important way.

2. Mobile Video Conferencing

Mobility is the buzzword on everyone’s lips as strong tablet sales and rapid smart phone adoption raise eyebrows on the consumer front. The business world has also moved to take advantage of the freedom offered by mobile video conferencing, equipping home-based employees and traveling workers alike with the equipment and infrastructure support necessary to take advantage of mobile telepresence. Look for this dual-pronged commercial and corporate mobile attack to converge in 2012 as the number of video communications-ready portable devices reaches critical mass.

3. Interoperability / Open Standards

Interoperability between major video conferencing players and their respective technologies is increasingly touted as the next step in unifying the industry behind a single standard and improving the overall telepresence landscape for professionals and retail consumers alike. Some groups are pushing for the adoption of an open standard that would be accessible to all developers, but most recent interoperability breakthroughs have been driven by partnerships and acquisitions as market leaders consolidate their positions and improve their technological base by pursuing co-development of new products (including software codecs as opposed to hardware systems).

4. Cloud Services

Cloud-based video conferencing promises to eliminate the need for end users to purchase and use expensive hardware endpoints in order to participate in live video communications. Moving telepresence infrastructure to the cloud also allows for real-time throttling of video quality based on available bandwidth for each user, as well as the ability to provide service to extra-network endpoints without the need for heavy investment. The cloud is poised to facilitate the next stage of video conferencing penetration.

5. The Rise of the Educational Market

Educational institutions – colleges, universities, and high schools – have the kind of planning capacity, funding, and communications needs required to integrate several of the above trends into a cohesive video communications strategy. Digital signage connects students to the pulse of campus life, a comprehensive mobile video deployment provides remote access to both live lectures and pre-recorded video lessons, and a cloud video conferencing infrastructure help to make it all accessible using devices already owned by the majority of students. The educational market has shown no signs of slowing, and 2012 will introduce a new generation of young people to the benefits of telepresence technology.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team

The numbers being trumpeted with regard to future digital signage expansion are certainly impressive. The Economist predicts an 8.3 percent global growth for out of home advertising in 2011, with digital signage spending doubling to $5.2 billion by 2016, while companies such as Intel project 22 million digital signs populating the media landscape by the year 2015 – a revised figure that is six million signs greater than the company’s original estimate. Independent think tanks such as ABI Research claim similar numbers, stating that the worldwide digital signage market will swell to $4.5 billion within the same period as The Economist’s projection, a figure which some media companies predict will be arrived at even sooner.

What is driving this explosive growth? Alex Romanov, CEO of iSIGN Media, lists the dramatically lower costs now associated with digital signage technology, as well as the potential for media campaigns to engage potential customers with video, sound, and in the future even three-dimensional images as two of the primary reasons. Digital Signage Today also points to the fact that companies are attracted to the low maintenance and high durability associated with digital signage, and that 82 percent of U.S. states now allow the use of video billboards, providing better market penetration.

Nearly all experts are in agreement that in order to facilitate the continued success of digital signage – particularly as a replacement for traditional billboards – standardized systems for rolling out media campaigns will become key. This is particularly true when it comes to managing campaigns that make extensive use of specifically targeted advertising linked to the time of day, recent news, media or sporting events, or even the implementation of interactive ads which can interface with mobile phones and other devices. Major technological players such as Cisco, which offers its Cisco Digital Media Suite and Cisco Media Experience Engine products in the digital signage realm, will be increasingly relied upon to provide the hardware and software required to take full advantage of the potential offered by this form of advertising.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team

The GIA report makes several interesting claims with regards to the factors that have driven a surging interest in video conferencing at both the small business and enterprise level. According to the report’s authors, a key reason for 2010’s spike in video communications sales was a “pent up” desire to implement new cost- and travel-saving plans following their emergence from the previous year’s recession. An increased focus on the advantages of harnessing a mobile workforce also dovetailed with the proliferation of Apple’s FaceTime as well as Skype’s video conferencing software, giving companies the ability to experiment with mobile video conferencing on a low budget before committing to more capable systems from industry leaders such as Cisco.

The currently favorable attitude at the corporate level concerning video conferencing use is projected by the GIA to continue, with the market expanding to $14 billion over the next five years. Global Industry Analysts points towards industry giants working to improve interoperability between existing video conferencing platforms, as well as a further emphasis on improving options for mobile communications as two of the most important contributors to future growth. A dramatic rise in video streaming quality is also expected to push small and medium-sized businesses more heavily into the realm of telepresence, which offers high-definition communications that can largely replace in-person meetings. Interestingly, the report also makes allowances for the development of as-yet unseen video applications that will garner enough attention in the coming years to further push the adoption of this technology across an even wider user base.

There is no question that there remains an enormous amount of room for growth in the video conferencing sector. Rapidly expanding economies in the Asia-Pacific region – where the GIA report noted an almost nine percent compound annual growth rate during the course of its study – will increasingly turn towards video conferencing as an integral aspect of corporate communications. Even in the United States, which ranks as the most active adopter of video conferencing and telepresence technology in the world, the business community is still only on the cusp of taking full advantage of what this type of communications strategy can offer.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team

Video conferencing technology is helping to usher in an unprecedented level of safety in the penal and judicial systems. One of the key advantages of telepresence is its ability to provide a communication experience that is akin to participants being in the same room together, regardless of the distance between them. This unique feature is helping to protect the health and security of prisoners, administrators, and law enforcement officers across the country in a number of important ways.

Transporting inmates from one part of a facility to another can be a risky proposition even under tightly controlled circumstances, but introducing an outside element to a jail or prison population (as happens during visits from family members or friends) adds greater volatility to the situation. Some county jails have begun to replace the thick glass barriers that separate inmates from their visitors with video conferencing systems that allow for just as much personal communication between the parties involved while significantly dialing down risk.

Not only are the logistics of prisoner transport greatly simplified by this type of communications system, but it also allows detention facilities to schedule a greater number of visitation periods than under a traditional, escorted visit system. Incarcerated individuals are able to connect with their families on a more regular basis thanks to this technological innovation, as well as receive better support from public and private defenders throughout the course of their trial. This makes for a calmer and more content prison population – an effect that has been observed at facilities such as the Weber County Jail in Ogden, Utah.

The use of telepresence has also been demonstrated to increase the number of visitors that prisoners receive, as these types of systems do not require individuals to undergo invasive, time-consuming full body searches and other inconveniences in order to communicate with their loved ones. Some non-profit groups have even begun to organize video visitation sessions at remote sites that are connected with prisons in order to encourage inmates to forge stronger connections with a life outside of jail.

Video conferencing systems can also be used in order reduce the risks of a prisoner escaping or assaulting a guard while traveling to court for an arraignment or to testify in a case. High risk prisoners are additionally protected from potential violence from other inmates while en route to testify through the use of secure telepresence installations that are directly connected with a courtroom.

With the costs of prisoner transportation rising – both in terms of financial expenditures for salaries, fuel, and training, as well as the potential for violence – the use of video conferencing within the penal system is likely to continue to grow over the coming years.

Benjamin Hunting
KBZ Communications Blogging Team