Tag Archives: Cisco TelePresence
2012
Corporate Networks Must Prepare For Increased Video Conferencing Adoption
Video conferencing is poised to be the next crucial test for IT managers at businesses around the world in 2012, according to a report published by the Computer Business Review. With so many companies moving to embrace video conferencing as the go-to communications tool both internally and externally, corporate networks must be made ready for the increased demands in terms of bandwidth and uptime that are a requirement for using this type of technology.
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.
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2012
Top 10 Telepresence Posts of 2011 From The KBZ Communications Blog
It’s the first week of 2012, which means it’s the perfect time to take a look back on some of the most popular posts of the past year from the Telepresence & Video Conferencing Blog. Let’s recap the most commented, read, and shared telepresence posts of 2011 and see what trends and interests dominated the industry over the course of the previous 12 months.
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.
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2011
GIA Report Predicts Strong Global Video Conferencing Growth
A new report on the world video conferencing market has been released by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. The study offers not just an in-depth look at the factors that have lead to the increased adoption of video conferencing technology over the past several years, but also makes several projections concerning where the industry is heading.
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.
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2011
Telepresence and Digital Signage Offer 21st Century Tools for Schools
Is telepresence technology at the leading edge of a fundamental change in how future generations of students will be educated – not just at the grade school level, but also in institutions of higher learning? As the world becomes more oriented towards visual representations of information, the chance for video conferencing and delivery systems to play a formative role in bringing a fresh perspective to learning looms large over the entire industry.
Students at Pymble Ladies College (PLC) offer an interesting example of how administrators and teachers alike are partnering with telepresence providers such as Cisco in order to create a blended curriculum that places a heavy emphasis on participatory, image-based learning. The PLC campus has embraced connectivity as part of an effort to engage children and teenagers (from kindergarten to grade 12) who have grown up in a world where mobile phones and internet messaging and browsing software allow for instant communications and easy access to information, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Pymble Ladies College has deployed an array of technologies – including Cisco MXE and Digital Signage – to enhance its telepresence strategy and create an environment where students feel comfortable interacting with digital video media.
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2011
Cisco TelePresence Offers Medical Personnel A New Emergency Management Tool
Telepresence technology is becoming a more common feature of medical practices around the world, but it can also serve an important health care role outside of the traditional hospital setting. In fact, the benefits of video conferencing technology are beginning to work their way into the emergency recovery plans of medical administrators forced to manage the staggering needs of disasters whose scope sometimes overwhelms the capacity of standard medical deployment.
The recent flooding that has threatened over one hundred thousand Thai citizens offers a glimpse into how video conferencing can help the medical establishment provide a higher level of care to disaster victims. In a flood situation, the rising waters pose more than just a danger to residents who are unable to evacuate in time. Rivers that break their banks also cut off access to food, drinkable water, health care, and other important resources. The disruption in travel and distribution channels can effectively isolate populations from the services and supplies that they need, including emergency medics and rescue personnel.
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2011
Cisco TelePresence Tech Tips: Five Commonly Asked User Questions
Here are five commonly asked questions from Cisco TelePresence system users:
Q) If I am in the control panel screens, is there a quick key to exit out of the menu?
A) Hold down the [X-Cancel] button to clear the menu and display the source full screen. If a change was made in the menu, it will prompt you to save or cancel.
Q) When displaying DuoVideo in a call, can I change the layout?
A) Yes. Press the Layout button on the remote to show layout options for viewing the presentation and video.
Layout button on a Cisco TelePresence remote control
Q) Will the PrecisionHD Extension kit function with the Video Switch?
A) The extension kit will work off the 6000 MXP or the 3000 MXP codecs only going to the Video Switch. The extensions kit would be in line with the 6000 MXP and the 3000 MXP going to the Video Switch only. The extension kit cannot be used between the Precision HD camera and the Video Switch.
Q) Can multiple HD cameras be setup on a 3000/6000 MXP system?
A) Yes, this would require the Cisco TelePresence Video Switch.
Q) Is there a way to switch an MXP for different room settings or configurations?
A) On the Control Panel, Installation page, press Profiles to allow switching between different system settings.
Cisco TelePresence control panel Profiles button
2011
New Solutions Extend Benefits of Video Conferencing to Educational Institutions
Adopting video conferencing technology in a classroom setting involves more than simply purchasing and installing cameras, displays, and codecs. Taking advantage of the benefits of video conferencing when it comes to teaching means choosing a solution that has been specifically designed to be flexible enough to accommodate the needs of modern educators, while still offering a simple interface, advanced customization features, and a variety of different deployment options.
A 2008 fire devastated the Main Building at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, TX. But the eschewing reconstruction gave administrators the opportunity to extensively integrate video conferencing and telepresence into the university’s technology infrastructure.
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2011
KBZ Communications Roundup of GovComm11
At GovComm11, KBZ Communications greeted close to a hundred visitors to its booth over the two-day show period. Many attendees were KBZ partners, either with clients or visiting solo to discover what this inaugural event is all about. GovComm11 attendance was around 1200 for the overall show, which felt much like a mini-InfoComm.
Educational classes hosted a variety of government professionals, and were sponsored by InfoComm and IMCCA. KBZ’s Brian Ricca presented in the IMCCA panel session about Unified Communications and Collaborative conferencing. The session, moderated by IMCCA executive director Carol Zelkin, featured IMCCA Chair Ken Scaturro, Mike Brandolfino of AVI-SPL, KBZ’s Brian Ricca, and Bob Haley of Compunetix, each of whom offered a different perspective on the relationship between UC and collaborative conferencing. KBZ will post a recording of this event on YouTube for those interested in the presentation.
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2011
Cisco TelePresence Tech Tip: Managing Infrastructure Authentication
What is Infrastructure Authentication?
Cisco Border Controllers, Gatekeepers, and VCS Control and Expressway units have a feature called Authentication. This feature controls which units can register to a given infrastructure device through a username/password challenge. The user names and passwords can either be stored locally on the unit, or they can be obtained from an LDAP Directory Server.
Infrastructure to Infrastructure Authentication
Neighbor relationships and traversal zone relationships between infrastructure components can also be authenticated. In the case of the VCS Expressway, traversal relationships must be authenticated.
Authentication and NTP Servers
In order for authentication to work, all units involved must have a synchronized time stamp. These stamps are provided by one or more Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers. Cisco recommends that all units use the same NTP server. However, authentication will work as long as all the NTP servers have identical time stamps. A public NTP server that can be utilized for authentication can be found at the IP address: 129.6.15.28.
Here are some examples of where to find NTP Server settings:
Cisco C Series Codec NTP Server Settings
Cisco MXP Series Codec NTP Server Settings
Cisco Video Communications Server (VCS) NTP Server Settings
If you have further questions about infrastructure authentication, or any other technical topics about Cisco TelePresence, contact the ZCare technical team (888-492-2734, zcare@kbz.com)
About ZCare
ZCare Technical Support is the all-inclusive KBZ service program, offering 24/7 technical support for Cisco TelePresence and video communication systems and equipment. To learn more about ZCare, visit http://www.kbz.com/services/technical-support.aspx
2011
Video Conferencing In Academia Post Sparks Interesting Feedback and Discussion
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Last week’s blog post discussing the advantages of video conferencing in academia triggered a wave of response from this blog’s readership, particularly from members of the Video Conferencing Professionals LinkedIn group. Although the original post focused on areas where video conferencing has penetrated outside of the classroom setting, many of the comments tackled the distance learning concept and the effectiveness of using telepresence as a tool for engaging remote students.
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