Polycom 7.5 User manual
Polycom 7.5 is a powerful and versatile video conferencing solution that offers a wide range of features to help you connect with colleagues, customers, and partners around the world. With its advanced capabilities, Polycom 7.5 is perfect for businesses of all sizes that need to communicate effectively and efficiently.
Some of the key features of Polycom 7.5 include:
- Universal transcoding: Polycom 7.5 can convert video and audio formats in real time, so you can connect with anyone, regardless of their equipment.
- Dynamic continuous presence: Polycom 7.5 allows you to see who is available for a video conference at any time, so you can start a meeting with just one click.
- Multiple switching modes: Polycom 7.5 offers a variety of switching modes to give you the flexibility to manage your video conferences the way you want.
- IVR-enabled conferencing: Polycom 7.5 supports IVR (interactive voice response), so you can automate the process of joining and managing video conferences.
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MGC Manager
User’s Guide Vol. I
Version 7.5
Copyright © 2006 Polycom, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Catalog No. DOC2064F
Version 7.5
Proprietary and Confidential
The information contained herein is the sole intellectual property of Polycom, Inc. No distribution, reproduction or unauthorized use of these materials is permitted without the expressed written consent of Polycom, Inc. Information contained herein is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment of any type on the part of Polycom, Inc. Polycom and Accord are registered trademarks of Polycom, Inc.
Notice
While reasonable effort was made to ensure that the information in this document was complete and accurate at the time of printing, Polycom, Inc., cannot assume responsibility for any errors. Changes and/or corrections to the information contained in this document may be incorporated into future issues.
Regulatory Notices
United States Federal Communication
Commission (FCC)
Canadian Department of Communications (EC)
Part 15: Class A Statement. This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Test limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment.
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio-frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manuals, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference, in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his or her own expense.
Part 68: Network Registration Number. This equipment is registered with the FCC in accordance with Part 68 of the FCC Rules. This equipment is identified by the FCC registration number.
If requested, the FCC registration Number and REN must be provided to the telephone company.
Any repairs to this equipment must be carried out by
Polycom Inc., or our designated agent. This stipulation is required by the FCC and applies during and after the warranty period.
Polycom Inc., declares that the MGC-50 and
MGC-100 with NET-2/4/8 cards are in conformity with the following relevant harmonized standards:
EN 60950: 1992 Including Amendments 1,2,3 & 4
EN 55022: 1994
EN 50082: 1997
Following the provisions of the Council Directive
1999/EC on radio and telecommunication terminal equipment and the recognition of its conformity.
Notice: The Industry Canada label identifies certified equipment. This certification means that the equipment meets telecommunication network protective, operational and safety requirements as prescribed in the appropriate Terminal Equipment
Technical Requirements document(s). The
Department does not guarantee the equipment will operate to the user's satisfaction.
Before installing this equipment, users should ensure that it is permissible to be connected to the facilities of the local telecommunications company. The equipment must also be installed using an acceptable method of connection. The customer should be aware that compliance with the above conditions may not prevent degradation of service in some situations.
Repairs to certified equipment malfunctions, may give the telecommunications company causes to request the user to disconnect the equipment.
Users should ensure for their own protection that the electrical ground connections of the power utility, telephone lines and internal metallic water pipe system, if present, are connected together. This precaution may be particularly important in rural areas.
Caution: Users should not attempt to make such connections themselves, but should contact the appropriate electric inspection authority, or electrician, as appropriate.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Table of Contents
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
System Requirements ...........................................................................1-1
About the MGC Manager User’s Guides .............................................1-2
MGC Manager Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
MCU Management ...............................................................................2-2
MGC System Main Features ................................................................2-3
Universal Transcoding .................................................................2-3
Dynamic Continuous Presence .....................................................2-4
Multiple Switching Modes ...........................................................2-6
IVR-Enabled Conferencing ..........................................................2-6
Entry Queue ..................................................................................2-8
Video+ Features ...........................................................................2-9
Encryption ....................................................................................2-9
Conferencing Capabilities and Options .............................................2-10
Conference Reservations Features .............................................2-10
Conference Setup Features .........................................................2-10
Conference Management and Monitoring Features ...................2-11
MGC Unit Advantages ......................................................................2-12
Connectivity ...............................................................................2-12
Scalable Architecture .................................................................2-12
Reliability ...................................................................................2-12
Maintenance ...............................................................................2-13
MGC Manager Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Starting the MGC Manager Application ..............................................3-1
The MGC Manager Main Window ......................................................3-2
Additional Windows .....................................................................3-4
Participants Queue Window ..................................................3-6
MGC Manager Window View Modes .................................................3-7
i
Table of Contents
Selecting the View Mode ............................................................. 3-7
Showing and Hiding the Toolbars ............................................... 3-9
Showing and Hiding the Status Bar ........................................... 3-10
Showing and Hiding the Memory Indicators ............................. 3-10
Resizing the Window Panes ...................................................... 3-11
Multiple Window Display ......................................................... 3-12
The MGC Manager Main Menu ........................................................ 3-13
The MGC Manager Toolbars ............................................................ 3-14
Main Toolbar ............................................................................. 3-14
Conference Toolbar ................................................................... 3-15
Participant Toolbar .................................................................... 3-16
Participants Queue Toolbar ....................................................... 3-18
Participant Queue Filter Toolbar ............................................... 3-18
Q&A Toolbar ............................................................................. 3-19
Connecting to an MCU ..................................................................... 3-21
Using Default Templates to Start a Conference ................................ 3-25
Reservation Templates ............................................................... 3-25
Default Reservation Templates .................................................. 3-25
Viewing Conference Lists ................................................................. 3-28
Disconnecting an MCU ..................................................................... 3-30
Automating the Login Process .......................................................... 3-31
Templates Database ........................................................................... 3-33
Loading the User Defined Default Set to the MGC
Manager Application ......................................................................... 3-36
Commands Shortcut Keys ................................................................. 3-38
Setting Up Conferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
About Conferences .............................................................................. 4-2
Conference Scheduling Methods ......................................................... 4-3
Scheduled Conferences ................................................................ 4-3
On Going Conferences .......................................................... 4-3
Reservations .......................................................................... 4-3
On-Demand (Reservation-less) Conferencing ............................. 4-4
Ad Hoc Conferencing ............................................................ 4-4
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MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Meeting Rooms ......................................................................4-4
Conference Types ................................................................................4-6
Participant Connection to Conference .................................................4-8
Participant Roles ...........................................................................4-8
Participant Connection Types ......................................................4-9
Conference Access for Dial-in Participants ...............................4-10
Entry Queue Access .............................................................4-11
Conference IVR Access .......................................................4-14
Direct Dialing and Access ...................................................4-15
Conference Access for Dial-Out Participants ............................4-16
Attended and Unattended Conferences ......................................4-17
Operator Attended Conference ............................................4-17
Unattended Conference ........................................................4-19
Conference Media Types ...................................................................4-20
Audio Only Conferences ............................................................4-20
Video Conferences .....................................................................4-21
Video Session Types ............................................................4-21
Video Conference Parameters ..............................................4-23
Highest Common Mechanism .............................................4-24
Additional Video Conference Types ...................................4-25
Conference Types by Media ................................................4-30
Conference Media Type According to MCU Configuration ......4-31
Configuration Guidelines .....................................................4-33
Defining On Going Conferences .......................................................4-34
Preparatory Tasks .......................................................................4-34
Defining a New Audio Only Conference ...................................4-34
Defining a New Video Conference ............................................4-35
Conference General Parameters ...........................................4-37
Conference Settings .............................................................4-44
Defining Advanced Conference Settings .............................4-53
Defining Advanced Media Settings .....................................4-57
Participants ...........................................................................4-65
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Table of Contents
Video Sources ..................................................................... 4-71
Resource Force .................................................................... 4-82
Meet Me Per Conference ..................................................... 4-84
Recording ............................................................................ 4-84
Completing the Conference Definition ............................... 4-86
Resolving Scheduling Conflicts .......................................... 4-86
Connecting to an On Going Conference ........................................... 4-89
Defined ISDN Participants Dial-in ............................................ 4-89
Defined H.323 Participants Dial-in ........................................... 4-90
Simple Dial-In Settings (No Gatekeeper) ........................... 4-90
Simple Dial-In Settings (With Gatekeeper) ........................ 4-91
Advanced Dial-In ................................................................ 4-92
SIP Connections ......................................................................... 4-94
Dial-in Scenario—SIP Environment ................................... 4-94
Direct Dial-in Scenario—SIP Environment ........................ 4-96
Dial-out Scenario—SIP Environment ................................. 4-96
Mixed Environments Conference Scenario ......................... 4-97
Starting an On Going Conference from a Reservation Template ..... 4-98
Defining Participant Properties ....................................................... 4-101
ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant Definition ................... 4-102
IP (H.323 and SIP) Participant Definition ............................... 4-114
Quality of Service for IP Participants ............................... 4-125
Monitoring Conferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
General Monitoring ............................................................................. 5-2
Using the Main Window Panes for Monitoring .......................... 5-3
Listing Conference Properties ............................................... 5-4
Viewing On Going Conference Status .................................. 5-4
Listing On Going Conference Participants in the Status Pane .... 5-7
Listing On Going Conference Participants in the Monitoring
MGC Manager Icons ................................................................. 5-10
Additional Participant Statuses ........................................... 5-19
Participant’s Audio Status ................................................... 5-20
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MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Participant’s Video Status ....................................................5-22
Monitor Filter .............................................................................5-23
Monitoring All Conferences .......................................................5-25
Secure Conference Mode ...........................................................5-26
Secure Conference Icons ......................................................5-27
Dynamic Highest Common Mechanism (in Video Switching) ..5-28
Audio Tones ...............................................................................5-29
Noisy Line Detection and Automatic Muting ............................5-30
Viewing the Participants Queue .................................................5-31
Viewing Site Names in Video ....................................................5-33
Conference Level Monitoring ............................................................5-34
Participant Level Monitoring .............................................................5-39
Displaying Participant Properties ...............................................5-39
Monitoring ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1_CAS Participants ..................5-40
Connecting Auto-Detect Participants ..................................5-56
Monitoring IP Participants .........................................................5-57
Monitoring Gateway Sessions ...........................................................5-79
Operations Performed During On Going Conferences . . . . 6-1
Participant Level Operations ................................................................6-5
Making Dial-Out Connections .....................................................6-5
Changing the Participant Connection Type (Dial-In/Dial-Out) ...6-6
Changing the Participant's Line Rate Before Connection ............6-7
Disconnecting and Reconnecting Participants ...........................6-10
Changing the Properties of a Disconnected Participant .............6-12
Downspeeding ............................................................................6-13
Naming Undefined Dial-in Participants .....................................6-13
Moving Participants Between Conferences ...............................6-15
Designating an Exclusive Speaker .............................................6-18
Changing a Participant’s Status to Conference Chairperson ......6-19
Designating a VIP Participant ....................................................6-21
Modifying a Participant’s User Defined Properties ...................6-22
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Table of Contents
Adjusting the Broadcasting and Listening Volume ................... 6-24
Muting/Unmuting Participant’s Audio or Video ....................... 6-25
Blocking/Unblocking Audio ...................................................... 6-29
Enabling/Disabling Auto Gain Control (AGC) ......................... 6-31
Video Management Operations ......................................................... 6-33
Controlling Video Layout .......................................................... 6-33
Changing Video Layout for the Participant ........................ 6-33
Changing the Video Layout for a Continuous Presence
Session ................................................................................. 6-36
Setting the Auto Video Layout ............................................ 6-37
Modifying Video Layouts in Lecture Mode Settings .......... 6-38
Video Forcing ............................................................................ 6-38
Video Forcing on the Conference Level ............................. 6-39
Video Forcing on the Participant Level .............................. 6-42
Conference Level Operations ............................................................ 6-44
Adding New Participants to a Conference ................................. 6-44
Muting Dial-In Participants Upon Connection .......................... 6-54
Muting Audio for a Conference ................................................. 6-56
Locking/Unlocking a Conference .............................................. 6-58
Changing the Conference and Chairperson Password ............... 6-63
Changing the Conference Duration ........................................... 6-64
Extending a Conference Manually ...................................... 6-64
Terminating a Conference Manually ................................... 6-66
Enabling the End of Conference Reminder ............................... 6-67
Changing the Conference Billing Code ..................................... 6-68
Changing the Conference User Defined Parameters ................. 6-69
Adding Remarks During an On Going Conference ................... 6-70
Broadcasting Annex D Still Video Image (Slide) ..................... 6-72
Printing Conference Data .......................................................... 6-75
Managing Question-and-Answer Sessions ................................ 6-81
Controlling Q&A Queues with the Toolbar ........................ 6-81
Adding Questioners to Q&A Queues .................................. 6-82
Changing a Participant’s Position in the Q&A Queue ........ 6-83
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MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Allowing Participant Questions ...........................................6-84
Ending Participant Questions ...............................................6-86
Removing Participants from the Q&A Queue .....................6-87
Clearing Q&A Queues .........................................................6-87
Managing Voting Sessions .........................................................6-88
Conducting a Voting Session ...............................................6-88
Using DTMF Codes During a Conference ........................................6-95
Changing the Conference or Chairperson Password ................6-100
Managing Secure Mode Conferences .......................................6-101
Operations Performed During On Going Gateway Sessions ...........6-103
Meet Me per Conferences and Meeting Rooms . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Defining a Meet Me Conference ..........................................................7-2
Defining Conference Dial In Numbers ..................................7-6
Connecting to a Meet Me Conference ........................................7-10
Dialing Into the Conference in the H.323 Environment ......7-11
Monitoring Meet Me Conferences .............................................7-12
Meeting Rooms ..................................................................................7-14
Defining a New Meeting Room .................................................7-15
Managing Meeting Rooms .................................................................7-22
Listing Meeting Rooms ..............................................................7-22
Meeting Room Icons ..................................................................7-23
Meeting Room Right-Click Functions .................................7-24
Entry Queues, Operator Conferences, and Attended
Conferencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Entry Queue Access .............................................................................8-3
Dialing in to the Entry Queue .......................................................8-4
Routing from the Entry Queue to the Conference ........................8-4
Conference Numeric ID Routing ...........................................8-5
Password Routing ..................................................................8-5
Conference Entry ..........................................................................8-6
Defining a New Entry Queue ...............................................................8-7
Listing Entry Queues ..................................................................8-17
Connecting to the Entry Queue ..................................................8-19
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Table of Contents
ISDN Participants ................................................................ 8-19
H.323 Participant ................................................................. 8-19
SIP Participants ................................................................... 8-21
Enabling Entry Queue Access for Conferences ................................ 8-22
Using an Existing Entry Queue to Define a Target Conference ....... 8-24
Operator Conferences ........................................................................ 8-28
Operator Functions Requiring an Active Operator Conference 8-28
Defining an On Going Operator Conference ............................. 8-30
Defining an Operator Reservation ............................................. 8-35
Starting an Operator Conference from a Reservation Template 8-36
Attended Conferencing ...................................................................... 8-38
The Participant’s Queue Window .............................................. 8-39
Listing Participants in the Participants Queue Window ............ 8-40
Using Participants Queue Filters ......................................... 8-42
The Attended Participants Dialog Box ...................................... 8-47
Attended Participants Management ................................................... 8-59
Performing Operations using the Right-Click Menu ................. 8-61
Moving a Participant to the Operator Conference .............. 8-61
Moving a Participant to the Home Conference ................... 8-62
Placing a Participant On Hold ............................................. 8-65
Performing Operations using the Participants Queue Toolbar .. 8-66
Performing Operations using Shortcut Keys ............................. 8-67
Moving a Participant Interactively ............................................ 8-68
Moving a Participant to the Operator Conference by
Double-Clicking the Participant’s Icon ..................................... 8-68
Moving Multiple Participants to the Home Conference ............ 8-69
Conference Reservations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1
Defining a New Reservation ............................................................... 9-3
Completing the Reservation Definition ................................. 9-7
Listing the Current Reservations ......................................................... 9-8
Reservations Icons ....................................................................... 9-8
Deleting a Reservation ...................................................................... 9-10
Rescheduling Reservations ............................................................... 9-11
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MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Scheduling a Conference Reservation from a Reservation Template
Recurrent Reservations ......................................................................9-17
Defining the Reservation Recurrence Properties .......................9-17
Deleting Recurring Reservations from the Reservations List ....9-22
Lecture and Presentation Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Lecture Mode Definition ............................................................10-2
Lecture Mode Monitoring ..........................................................10-5
Presentation Mode .............................................................................10-9
Setting the Presentation Mode for a Conference ......................10-10
Presentation Mode Monitoring .................................................10-12
Enabling the Presentation Mode during an On Going
Conference ................................................................................10-13
Lecture Show Definition ..........................................................10-14
Lecture Show Monitoring ........................................................10-16
Click&View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Enabling the Click&View Application ..............................................11-2
Enabling the Click&View Application for a Conference ..........11-8
Using the Click&View Application ................................................11-11
Click&View Menu Options .............................................................11-13
Conference Layout (Chairperson Only) Options .....................11-15
Personal Layout Options ..........................................................11-18
Returning to the Conference Layout ........................................11-22
Getting Help .............................................................................11-23
Returning to the Previous Screen .............................................11-24
Requesting Operator Assistance ...............................................11-25
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Appendix B: Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
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Table of Contents x
1
Before You Begin
The MGC Manager application is designed to set up and monitor multipoint video conferences, and to perform system configuration activities for the
MGC Multipoint Control Units (MCUs) to which it connects. MGC
Manager is consists of a user-provided PC workstation, equipped with a
Windows 98
®
, Windows NT
®
, Windows 2000
®
or Windows XP
®
operating system, and of the MGC Manager software. The PC can connect to the
MGC unit via LAN, Internet, dial-up modem or RS-232 interface.
System Requirements
•
•
•
•
•
The MGC Manager application can be installed in an environment that meets the following requirements:
IBM PC compatible computer Pentium II, 400 MHz CPU or higher
Minimum 64 MB RAM (recommended 64 MB)
Windows 98
®
, Windows ME
®
, Windows NT
®
, Windows 2000
®
or
Windows XP
®
operating system
Modem (optional)
Network capabilities - TCP/IP
Prerequisites
•
•
This manual assumes the user has the following knowledge:
Familiarity with Windows 98
®
, Windows NT
®
, Windows 2000
®
, or
Windows XP operating systems and interface
Basic knowledge of video conferencing concepts and terminology
1-1
Chapter 1 - Before You Begin
About the MGC Manager User’s Guides
•
•
•
The MGC Manager User Guides documentation set includes the following volumes:
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume II
MGC Manager User’s Guide - VoicePlus Edition
The content of these volumes is listed below.
The VoicePlus Edition includes information required to use the MGC
VoicePlus (Audio Only) features.
In addition to the User’s Guides, the MGC kit includes:
MGC Administrator’s Guide, MGC Getting Started Guide, MGC-25 Getting
Started Guide, MGC+ Getting Started Guide, MGC Hardware and Installation
Manual and MGC+ Hardware and Installation Manual.
Listed below are chapters and topics included in the volumes of the current user guides.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Chapter 1 - Before You Begin
Provides a general description of MGC unit system requirements and prerequisites. Lists and briefly describes the chapters that comprise the MGC
Manager User’s Guides.
Chapter 2 - MGC Manager Overview
Provides a general description of the MGC unit and its main features.
Chapter 3 - MGC Manager Basics
Contains introductory information about the MGC Manager application and describes the application's main window, menus, and toolbars. Includes stepby-step instructions for connecting to an MCU.
Chapter 4 - Setting up Conferences
Includes a general description of video conference types, functions and parameters. Describes participant roles and parameters. Provides step-by-step instructions for setting up and starting an On Going Conference, as well as instructions for defining new participants.
Chapter 5 - Monitoring Conferences
Describes options available during On Going Conferences for general monitoring, conference level monitoring and participant monitoring.
1-2
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Chapter 6 - Operations Performed During On Going Conferences
A description of operations that can be performed during an On Going
Conference.
Chapter 7 - Meet Me per Conferences and Meeting Rooms
Describes the methods for reservation-less conferencing and how to define
Meet Me conferences. Describes how to monitor On Going Meet Me conferences and how to set up and monitor Meeting Room conferences.
Chapter 8 - Entry Queues, Operator Conferences and Attended
Conferencing
Describes Entry Queues and Operator conferences. Includes step-by-step instructions for setting up Entry Queues and Operator conferences. Lists all the Attended Conferencing options.
Chapter 9 - Conference Reservations
Describes how to define and schedule conference Reservations and recurring conferences.
Chapter 10 - Lecture Mode and Presentation Options
Describes and includes step-by-step instructions for setting up and monitoring
Lecture Mode, Presentation Mode and Lecture Show conferences.
Chapter 11 - Click&View
Describes how to activate and use the Click&View application.
Appendix A - Disconnection Causes
Lists the various disconnection causes according to the Q.931 standard.
Appendix B - Glossary
Lists and describes terms frequently used in the MGC Manager User’s Guides and terms related to video conferencing.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume II
Chapter 1 - Advanced Conference Settings
Describes advanced video conferencing features. Includes step-by-step instructions for setting up large Video Switching conferences, auto detection of participant line rate, LSD – Far End Camera Control (FECC), simple and
Star Cascading conferences, Dual Stream modes, encryption, automatic extension of conference duration and more.
Chapter 2 - IVR and Entry Queue Services
Describes how to define IVR Message Services and Entry Queue Services, how to download voice messages to the Audio+ card and how to check the status of messages in the MCU memory.
1-3
Chapter 1 - Before You Begin
Chapter 3 - Ad Hoc Conferencing and External Database Authentication
Describes Ad Hoc conferencing and external database authentication, including different scenarios and authentication procedures. Includes instructions on how to define Profiles and set up Entry Queues for Ad Hoc conferencing.
Chapter 4 - AV Message Services and Greet and Guide Conferences
Describes the Greet and Guide mode and options. Includes step-by-step instructions for setting up AV Message Services and Greet and Guide conferences, and their monitoring and management.
Chapter 5 - H.243 Conferences
Includes step-by-step instructions for setting up and monitoring Cascading conferences according to H.243. In addition, this chapter describes how to set up and monitor the H.243 Chair Control (a part of the H.243 standard).
Chapter 6 - Using a Database
Describes the database file which must be registered in the ODBC of the operator’s workstation during the installation procedure. Includes a description of the registration procedure for both Access and SQL databases; how to log into the Database Manager application; how to define and modify databases and participant and general system defaults; how to set up permissions and users.
Chapter 7 - Database Templates
Describes how to use the database tables and how to define conference and participant templates.
Chapter 8 - Templates Handling
Describes the operations that can be performed using conference and participant templates.
Chapter 9 - Call Detail Records (CDR) Utility
Includes the information required to view conference details. Describes how to retrieve and archive the conference records, and how to export the records to an external billing program.
Appendix A - CDR File Fields
Lists and briefly describes the CDR utility information fields.
1-4
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
MGC Manager User’s Guide - VoicePlus Edition
Chapter 1 - Overview
Provides a general description of the MGC unit’s main audio features, system requirements and prerequisites.
Chapter 2 - Defining Standard Audio Only Conferences and
Reservations
Includes step-by-step instructions for setting up On Going Audio Only
Conferences and Reservations, and for defining Audio Only participants.
Chapter 3 - Monitoring Audio Only Conferences
Describes the information provided by the MGC Manager when monitoring an On Going Audio Only conference.
Chapter 4 - Operations Performed During On Going Conferences
Describes the operations that can be performed during an On Going Audio
Only conference.
Chapter 5 - Meeting Rooms and Entry Queues
Includes step-by-step instructions for setting up Audio Only Meeting Rooms and Entry Queues.
Chapter 6 - IVR and Entry Queue Services
Provides a general description of IVR and Entry Queue Service usage.
Includes step-by-step instructions for defining new IVR and Entry Queue
Services, downloading the voice message files to the Audio+ card and printing the DTMF codes defined in the IVR Message Service.
Chapter 7 - Attended Conferencing
Describes Operator conferences and Attended Participant Management.
Chapter 8 - Recording
Describes how to record using the ReadiRecorder and the Prairie Systems utility.
1-5
Chapter 1 - Before You Begin
Conventions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
When learning the MGC Manager application, it is important for you to correctly interpret the terms and conventions used in this Guide:
“Choose” or “Double-click” is used when you need to activate a menu command or a command button in the dialog box.
“Select” or “Click” is used to highlight a part of the window, dialog box or menu that you want to be changed with your next action.
“Right-click” is used when you press and release the right mouse button to open a pop-up menu.
“Choose OK” means that you can either click the OK button with the mouse, or press the <Enter> key on the keyboard.
Keyboard keys appear in capital letters, between these two symbols < >.
For example, the Shift key appears as <Shift>.
The plus sign (+) between two key names indicates that you must press and hold down one key while pressing down the second key. For example, “press <Alt>+<P>” means that you press and hold down the
Alt key while you press the P key.
Bold type appearing in the text or in a procedure indicates the word or the character that you should type into a text box. Bold type is also used to indicate the name of a menu item or command that you should select.
Italic type appearing in the text or in a procedure indicates the name of an icon, a menu, a dialog box or a field from which an option should be selected or into which parameters should be entered.
Tips and notes are indicated by an icon and appear in a special format on a gray background. For example:
This is an example of the type of note that you encounter in this User Guide.
1-6
2
MGC Manager Overview
In multipoint video conferencing, several audio and video endpoints can simultaneously participate in a conference, having established communications by connecting to the Multipoint Control Unit (MCU).
The MGC unit can connect the endpoints via ISDN, T1-CAS, IP, ATM and serial connections (MPI), allowing participants from any deployed network to participate in a conference, without the need for external gateways and other equipment.
Figure 2-1 shows a basic multipoint conferencing scheme and connection types.
Figure 2-1: Multipoint Video Conferencing using MGC
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MCU Management
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The MGC unit is controlled by the MGC Manager application installed on a customer-provided computer or server. The application works with the following operating systems: Windows 98 / ME / NT / 2000
R
/ XP
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The operator’s workstation connects to the MGC unit using:
Ethernet LAN (other than the LAN used for conferencing)
TCP/IP Internet
RS-232
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Dial-up modem
Up to 30 local or remote MGC Manager workstations can connect to a single
MGC unit simultaneously. A single operator can control multiple MGC units and conferences. The MGC unit can also be controlled through a Web browser via the MGC WebCommander application. Using the MGC Personal
Scheduler add-on, conferences can be scheduled from the MCU in
Microsoft’s Outlook.
Figure 2-2 illustrates the MGC Manager system components.
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Figure 2-2: MGC Manager - MCU Connection
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
MGC System Main Features
This section briefly describes the main features of the MGC system.
Universal Transcoding
For each endpoint connected to a conference, the MGC's Universal
Transcoding gateway automatically resolves: audio compression, video protocol, video resolution, frame rate, bandwidth, and T.120 transfer rate. The gateway then performs any necessary translations “on the fly”. This capability makes the connection fast and seamless for multipoint calls, and ensures that each endpoint operates at their optimal capability.
Figure 2-3 shows an example of a transcoding scheme.
Figure 2-3: Transcoding performed by the MGC unit
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Dynamic Continuous Presence
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The dynamic Continuous Presence capability of the MGC system enables user friendly viewing flexibility and conference interaction. This type of video session offers multiple viewing options and window layouts for video conferencing.
Continuous Presence for video conferencing is available in three modes:
Classic
Quad Views
• Software
The Continuous Presence Classic mode offers 21 layouts to accommodate
different numbers of participants and conference settings. Figure 2-4 shows
these layouts.
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Figure 2-4: Continuous Presence Classic Mode - Video Layouts
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
The Continuous Presence Quad Views mode offers three additional window layouts for larger conferences with more than 10 participants, for example:
4x4, 2+8, 1+12. Figure 2-5 shows these layouts.
Figure 2-5: Continuous Presence Quad Views - Additional Video Layouts
For conferences with more participants than display windows, the MGC's dynamic video mix capability allows the site mix (which sites can be seen) to be modified throughout the conference. The video layout can be defined during conference definition (reservation stage) or changed during an On
Going Conference, allowing participants to view different screen layouts of other conference participants. These layout options provide greater flexibility when displaying a large number of participants and help maximize the effectiveness of the video conference.
When Continuous Presence Classic or Quad Views conferences are set to
Auto Layout, the MGC system automatically selects the conference layout based on the number of currently connected participants in the conference.
In addition, when video participants are connected or disconnected, the conference video layout automatically adjusts to reflect the changed number of participants. The selected video layout is not affected by the Audio Only participants, when they connect or disconnect to or from the conference.
The Continuous Presence - Software (Software CP) is a software solution for
IP only conferences that resembles Continuous Presence but saves video card resources. In Software CP, only two types of video layouts are available: 2x1 and 2x2, and the Lecture Mode options are disabled.
For system requirements and a detailed description of this feature, refer to the
MGC Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 1, “Advanced Conference
Settings”.
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Multiple Switching Modes
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Switching between video participants can be performed using these features:
Voice activation
Operator-force via the MGC Manager to and/or the MGC
WebCommander
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Selecting certain participant display windows as fixed and others as voice-activated
Lecture Mode and Lecture Show - The lecturer is viewed in full screen by all conference participants, while the audience is “scanned” for the speaker’s view.
Presentation Mode - available in Continuous Presence conferences.
When the speaker’s presentation extends beyond a predefined time, that speaker becomes the lecturer and the conference switches to Lecture
Mode.
You can select multiple switching options at the reservation stage or during the On Going Conference.
IVR-Enabled Conferencing
The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a software module that automates the connection process and lets participants and chairpersons perform various operations during the On Going Conference. By combining the input of the caller with the menu-driven scripts (DTMF codes), participants can call the conference dial-in number and use a touch-tone telephone or the endpoint’s remote control to interact with the conferencing system.
The Entry Queue Service is a subset of the IVR Service, and it can be used in conjunction with IVR for routing dial-in participants. An Entry Queue
Service must be used in Ad Hoc (reservation-less) conferencing. This allows callers to initiate an On Going Conference without prior scheduling, based on conference parameters taken from a Profile that was assigned to the Entry
Queue. This service also enables the system to verify the participant’s right to start an Ad Hoc conference or to join an On Going Conference. Using a set of voice prompts, the system routes the callers from the Entry Queue to the appropriate conference.
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The IVR service enables the following operations that let operators facilitate and manage conferencing:
Personally guide individual participants to the conference
Monitor all participants who are currently waiting in the Entry Queue and IVR Queue regardless of their conference association
Assist participants in the Entry Queue, IVR queue, or during the conference
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Conduct Voting sessions
Control Question and Answer sessions
Using IVR and DTMF codes, participants and chairpersons can perform various management operations during a conference, for example:
Request personal assistance
Request assistance for conference (Chairperson)
Lock or unlock conferences to dial- in participants (Chairperson)
Adjust the participant’s broadcasting and listening audio volume (All)
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Mute or unmute the participant’s audio channel (All)
Mute all participants except the requesting participant (Chairperson)
Cancel the Exclusive Speaker mode (Chairperson)
Mute “Meet Me” dial-in participants upon their connection to the conference (Chairperson)
Change the conference password (Chairperson)
Place the conference on-hold (Chairperson)
Reinstate an on-hold conference (Chairperson)
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Manage a Question-and-Answer session (Chairperson)
Conduct a Voting session (Chairperson)
Play the Help menu
Enable or disable the Roll Call feature (Chairperson)
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Request a Roll Call and stop the Roll Call names review (Chairperson)
End (manually terminate) the Conference (Chairperson)
The IVR software module requires the installation of the Audio+ card in the
MCU. For a detailed description of the IVR module, refer to the MGC
Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 2.
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Entry Queue
An Entry Queue is a special routing lobby to which one or several dial-in numbers are assigned. When callers dial this number, they access this Entry
Queue where they wait to be routed and connected to the conference. The following Entry Queue options are available:
Unattended Entry Queue
Both video and audio participants (including IP phones) connect to the Entry
Queue and, using voice prompts, are routed to their conference according to the conference numeric ID or password (depending on the MCU configuration) they submit. This process is automatic, unless the participant requires help. Depending on the Entry Queue service configuration, operator assistance may be available to all participants during the connection process.
Attended Entry Queue
Dial-in participants are personally greeted by an operator (in an Operator conference) who accompanies them to their conference.
Ad Hoc-enabled Entry Queue
An On Going Conference is initiated from an Entry Queue that is configured to support Ad Hoc (reservation-less) conferencing. The conference is created according to the Profile assigned to the Ad Hoc-enabled Entry Queue.
For a detailed description of this feature, refer to the MGC Manager User’s
Guide Volume II, Chapter 3, “Ad-Hoc Conferencing and External Database
Authentication”.
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Video+ Features
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The Video+ board supports the following features and enhancements:
Ability to run conferences across Video+ cards without fragmentation
H.264, H.263 and H.261 video protocol for high quality transmission
Conference On Port (COP) mode - Continuous Presence video layouts may be viewed by all participants while using only one video port, increasing the number of participants in a video conference
Click&View application - an endpoint application that lets participants select their personal video layout from their endpoints via DTMF codes
Continuous Presence video layouts for large conferences (10 or more participants)
Improved image quality in Continuous Presence conferences
Improved latency in large Continuous Presence conferences
Choice of a personal video layout for participant
Visual effects for video display (background color, window border color and speaker indication color)
Enhanced video quality through the use of 4CIF video resolution
Full size window for speaker view in asymmetrical Continuous Presence layouts
Encryption
Encryption is available at the MCU conference and participant level, based on
AES 128 Media Encryption and DH 1024 Key Exchange standards.
Encryption is supported in all types of audio and video conferences with
ISDN and IP participants. ISDN and IP encrypted participants require more resources than non-encrypted participants. Whether the participant’s connection to a conference is encrypted or non-encrypted depends on the encryption setting of the conference or the Entry Queue as well as on the participant’s own encryption setting.
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Conferencing Capabilities and Options
Conference Reservations Features
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MGC Manager provides the following options:
Conferences can be reserved and scheduled ahead of time (Reservations) or set up to start immediately (On Going Conferences)
Conference resources are defined and reserved during conference setup
Recurrent conferences can be scheduled in advance (a reservation can include recurrent conferences)
The central reservations database is easily accessed
MGC Manager displays all the defined reservations for multiple MCUs
Reservation-less features: Ad Hoc conferencing and Meeting Rooms
Conference Setup Features
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The following options are available when setting up conferences:
Dial-in for undefined participants
Dial-in with automatic line rate detection for defined participants
Meet Me per Conference
Meeting Rooms
Dial-out (manual or automatic)
Automatic line rate detection for undefined dial-out participants
On-demand conferencing
Entry Queue access (using one dial-in number for all conferences)
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) software module for moderated conference access
Greet and Guide with manual or automatic guidance to conferences
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Conference Management and Monitoring Features
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MGC Manager provides capabilities for management and monitoring of participants and conferences, including the following:
Lecture Mode, Lecture Show or Presentation Mode in Continuous
Presence conferences
Far End Camera Control (FECC/LSD) in video conferences
H.243 Cascading conferences
H.243 Chair Control for video conferences
Streaming of video and data according to endpoint type (Dual Stream)
Management and monitoring of Voting and Q&A sessions
Automatic termination of idle (no participants) conferences
Automatic extension of conference duration
Control of listening and broadcasting audio volume for individual participants
Automatic detection and muting of noisy line participants (SilenceIT)
Auto Gain Control (AGC) noise and audio volume regulation for individual participants
Advanced control and greetings for attended conferences
Conference control via DTMF codes from user’s endpoint or telephone
Entry, exit and end-of-conference alert tones
Media encryption
Modification of certain conference properties
Option to add new participants during conference
Display of all defined reservations for multiple MCUs
Easily accessed Call Detail Records (CDR)
Cut, copy & paste and/or multiple drag & drop of participants
Active display of all system resources
Active display of all conferences and participants from multiple MCUs
Real-time monitoring of each participant’s connection status and properties
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MGC Unit Advantages
The MGC unit provides the following advantages:
Connectivity
Scalable Architecture
You can increase capacities of the MGC unit by adding ports, software modules or other capabilities as needed, with no performance degradation or capacity bottlenecks. All MGC ports are centrally controlled, so each port has universal access to all system resources.
As a result, system management is simplified and resources can be used efficiently and at a lower cost.
Reliability
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To provide the flexibility to set up multi-network conferences or to use the
MGC unit as a multi-network gateway, the MGC unit can be connected with the following telecommunication lines:
ISDN T1 lines
ISDN E1 lines
Leased lines E1/T1
T1-CAS lines
ATM (FVC) 25 & 155 Mbit/s
IP Networks - LAN (H.323 and SIP)
V.35/RS-449/EIA-530
Serial connection (MPI)
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The powerful telecom architecture allows the MGC unit to ensure continuous multipoint service for all calls, even in the most rigorous conferencing environments. The MGC architecture includes:
Automatic resource allocation
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Redundant power supplies (in the MGC-100 & MGC+100 only). The
MGC-100 can be equipped with up to three load-sharing, redundant power supplies. A fully loaded system requires only two power supplies
– the third power supply is available in the event of a failure in one of the units
Front-accessible hardware modules for ease of maintenance (MGC-100/
MGC-50 & MGC+100/MGC+50)
Maintenance
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The MGC unit offers the following advanced maintenance features that minimize downtime and the need for human intervention:
On-line diagnostics that continuously monitor system and network failures
Universal slot architecture that allows all functional modules to fit into any slot (MGC-100/MGC-50 & MGC+100/MGC+50)
Front-accessible modules
Hot-swappable modules (MGC-100/MGC-50 & MGC+100/MGC+50)
Self-configuring modules
LED status lights on the front panel of all modules (MGC-100/MGC-50
& MGC+100/MGC+50), or status indications on the LCD window
(MGC-25)
Notifications to the MGC Manager to ensure fast problem isolation and resolution
Software updates via the Internet or intranet
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MGC Manager Basics
The MGC Manager is a Windows-based, operator controlled interface, installed on a user-provided PC.
Starting the MGC Manager Application
At the end of the MGC Manager software installation, the MGC Manager application folder is added to the Programs menu, under the Start menu.
To start the MGC Manager Application:
1.
Click the Start -> Programs menu.
2.
Click the MGC Manager ver 7.5 folder, and then click the MGC
Manager ver 7.5 icon.
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The MGC Manager main window opens.
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The MGC Manager Main Window
When you open the MGC Manager application, the main window is displayed.
Main Menu
Toolbars
Browser pane
Status pane
Monitor pane
Status bar
Memory
Indicators
Port Indicator
Figure 3-1: MGC Manager Main Window
You can display the Main window and any other window (such as template lists and databases) in various ways. The MGC Manager maintains the last display each time it is opened.
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The MGC Manager main window is divided into the following sections:
Table 3-1: MGC Manager Main Window Details
Window Item
Main Menu bar
Toolbars
Browser pane
Status pane
Monitor pane
Status bar
Description
Displays titles of available menus.
The MGC Manager has several toolbars for performing commonly used tasks. The toolbars are displayed in the default positions, but can be moved (drag and drop) anywhere in the window. The MGC Manager maintains their last positions when the application is closed and restarted.
Displays the MCUs defined in the MGC Manager. Each
MCU tree can be expanded, to display options for setting up and managing conferences and configuring the MCU.
Displays status information for the MCU’s cards, On Going
Conferences, Reservations, Meeting Rooms and conference participants. It provides options for managing conferences and the MCU cards.
Displays details of several conferences and participants simultaneously. Enables you to view the name, type and status of conferences or participants, and provides management options for the monitored items.
Displays the memory utilization indicators and the communication port between the MCU and the MGC
Manager. The P. Mem column displays the usage of RAM, measured by Partition. The R. Mem column displays the usage of RAM, measured by Region. The Frag column displays the largest free consecutive buffer in the region where MCMS is loaded.
The Port column identifies the port to which the MGC
Manager is connected. Port 80 is the default port when the server is set to be accessed from both the local Intranet and the Internet.
Note: These indicators are enabled if the Display MCU
Memory option (File -> Preferences) is selected.
For details, see “Showing and Hiding the Memory
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Additional Windows
The MGC Manager uses several windows to present information. If multiple windows are open at a time and a window is hidden behind another one, it can
be accessed by clicking on the Window menu. For details, see “Multiple
Window Display” on page 3-12. The additional windows display Template
lists. Templates contain conference and participant settings for repeated use when similar properties are needed.
The various template windows can be placed alongside or on top of the main window, allowing you to work simultaneously with the template windows and the main window. There are two categories of templates: database templates and Polycom proprietary templates. Each category is displayed in a separate window.
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Database Template Windows
Microsoft Access or SQL databases can be used to organize conference and participant templates. Conference templates and participant templates are displayed in two separate windows.
Reservations in Database Window
The Reservations in Database window displays the list of currently available Reservation Templates stored in the database. This window is used to initiate On Going conferences or conferences that automatically start at a predetermined time. This window automatically opens the first time the MGC Manager application is started and remains open until it is closed.
Figure 3-2: Reservations in Database Window
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Participants in Database Window
The Participants in Database window displays the list of currently available Participant Templates stored in the database. This window is used to add participant definitions to a Reservation or to an On Going
Conference. You open this window from the Database menu.
Figure 3-3: Participants in Database Window
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Polycom Proprietary Template Windows
Polycom template files are proprietary tools used for organizing templates.
The template files are organized into two types: Reservation templates files and Participant templates files.
Reservation Templates File
The Reservation templates file is a repository of templates that are used to initiate an On Going Conference or a Reservation that will automatically start at a predefined date and time. The Reservation
Templates (ResTemplates) File window opens from the Templates menu.
Figure 3-4: Reservation Templates File Window
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Participant Templates File
The Participant templates file contains all the information required to define a participant in a conference, and is used to add participants to conferences without having to define their parameters individually. The
Participant template (UserTemplates) file opens from the Templates menu.
Figure 3-5: Participant Templates File Window
Participants Queue Window
The Participants Queue window contains a list of the participants who are waiting for an Operator. This window automatically opens the first time you start the MGC Manager, and remains open until you close it.
You can open this window manually by clicking the Participants Queue button on the Main toolbar.
Figure 3-6: Participants Queue Window
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MGC Manager Window View Modes
You can change the view of the MGC Manager Main window by toggling between the horizontal and the vertical view. When switching between the views, you are required to restart the MGC Manager application. The default window layout setting is the Vertical View.
Selecting the View Mode
In Horizontal View, the Browser pane is displayed along the left side of the window, and the Monitor pane is displayed underneath it along the bottom of the window.
Figure 3-7: MGC Manager Main Window - Horizontal View
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In Vertical View, the Browser pane is displayed in full-length along the left side of the window and the Monitor pane is displayed beside it, below the
Status pane.
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Figure 3-8: MGC Manager Main Window - Vertical View
You can resize the Main window panes to display the information as you choose. When the application is restarted, the panes retain the selected layout until you change it again.
For more details, see “Resizing the Window Panes” on page 3-11.
To modify the main window view mode:
1.
On the View menu, click Vertical View (if Horizontal View is displayed) or Horizontal View (if Vertical View is displayed).
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Alternatively, on the toolbar, click the Change View Mode icon .
A warning message is displayed, indicating that the MGC Manager application must be restarted.
2.
Click OK to restart the MGC Manager application.
When you restart the MGC Manager application, you may be required to log on depending on your application settings if a logon record is
created. See “Connecting to an MCU” on page 3-21.
Showing and Hiding the Toolbars
By default, all toolbars are displayed below the main menu. You can show or hide them as needed.
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To show or hide a toolbar:
On the View menu click the name of the toolbar to show or hide.
A check mark is placed next to the toolbar name on the menu to indicate its display, and is removed when the toolbar is hidden.
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Showing and Hiding the Status Bar
The Status bar is displayed along the bottom of the Main window by default.
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To show or hide the Status bar:
On the View menu, click Status Bar. If the Status Bar is not currently displayed, a check mark is placed next to Status Bar on the View menu and the Status Bar is displayed. If the Status Bar is currently displayed, the check mark next to Status Bar on the View menu is removed, and the
Status Bar disappears.
Showing and Hiding the Memory Indicators
The Memory Indicators are displayed in the Status bar at the bottom of the
Main window.
To show or hide the Memory Indicators:
• On the File menu, select Preferences, and then select Display MCU
Memory. If the Memory Indicators are not currently displayed, a check mark is placed next to the Display MCU Memory option and the Memory
Indicators are displayed. If the Memory Indicators are currently displayed, the check mark next to the Display MCU Memory option is removed, and the Memory Indicators disappear.
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Resizing the Window Panes
The Main window is made up of three panes. Each pane can be resized vertically or horizontally by dragging one of its sizing handles either up or down or side to side. This feature allows you to set the pane’s size to best display additional information. It is especially useful when you have a long list of MCUs or when you monitor many conferences and participants.
Dragging the
Monitor pane edge
Figure 3-9: Resizing Window Panes
Dragging the
Browser pane edge
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Multiple Window Display
You can display the application windows in various ways.
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To change the display of multiple windows:
On the Window menu, click Cascade, Tile Horizontally, or Tile
Vertically.
Window
Display
Options
The open windows are displayed in the selected view as, in the Cascade view shown in Figure 3-10:
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Figure 3-10: Application Windows in Cascade View
This display enables you to view multiple windows simultaneously, although only one window can be active at a time.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
The MGC Manager Main Menu
The MGC Manager main menu bar provides the following options:
Table 3-2: MGC Manager Main Menu Options
Menu Name
File
Edit
View
Template
Database
Directory
Options
Window
Help
Description
For creating or clearing a Login Record, downloading the
MCU software, displaying or hiding the MCU Memory
Indicators and exiting the application.
Used to Cut or Copy participants.
Allows you to display or hide the status bar, toolbars and change the Main window View mode.
Allows you to create new conference or participant templates, or open existing templates in Polycom’s proprietary format.
Provides options for logging into the Database Manager module and for handling conference templates and participant templates stored in the database.
Allows you to open Public or Personal LDAP directories, and configure the Directory setting.
For defining the general system parameters and defaults.
For managing the currently opened window(s).
To access help.
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The MGC Manager Toolbars
The MGC Manager uses several toolbars to provide quick access to functions.
These are the Main, Conference, Participant, Participants Queue, Participant
Queue Filter and Q & A toolbars.
You can hide/display each toolbar and can move each one anywhere on the
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To move a toolbar to a different location:
Click the edge of the desired toolbar and drag it to the new location
Main Toolbar
The Main toolbar appears as follows:
Table 3-3: MGC Manager Main Toolbar Buttons
Button
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Function
New
Open
Save
Description
Creates a new Participant or Reservation
Template file in the Polycom proprietary format.
Opens an existing Participant or Reservation
Template file.
Saves the changes made to a Participant or
Reservation Template file or to the database.
Not in use.
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Not in use.
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Not in use.
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Table 3-3: MGC Manager Main Toolbar Buttons (Continued)
Button
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Function
Refresh
Description
Refreshes the database to reflect all the changes made to the database User Tables by all the connected workstations.
Not in use.
About
Opens the MGC Manager About window.
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Not in use.
Indications log window
Opens the Indications Log (Event Collector) window that displays the events collected by the system when the Event Indication option is enabled.
Indications
log configuration
Viewing modes
Opens the Indications Configuration window letting you configure the events that the system displays.
Toggle to enable switching between Vertical and
Horizontal display view modes.
Participants
Queue
Opens the Participants Queue in its own window.
Conference Toolbar
The Conference toolbar is enabled when you click an On Going Conference icon.
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The Conference toolbar contains the following buttons:
Table 3-4: Conference Toolbar Buttons
Button Function
Add New
Participant
Description
Adds a new participant to the conference.
Lock/Un-lock
Conference
Locks or unlocks the conference to dial-in participants.
Place/Cancel
Conference on Hold
Places a conference on hold or reinstates a conference that was placed on hold.
Start/stop
Voting
Starts/stops a voting session.
Terminate the
Conference
Terminates the conference.
Starts a recording session.
Start
Recording
Stop
Recording
Stops a recording session.
Participant Toolbar
The Participant toolbar is enabled when a Participant icon is clicked.
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The Participant toolbar contains the following buttons:
Table 3-5: Participant Toolbar Buttons
Button Function
Mute Audio
Description
Mutes the audio channel transmission from the participant to the conference.
Unmute
Audio
Mute Video
Unmutes the audio channel transmission from the participant to the conference.
Stops the video channel transmission from the participant to the conference.
Unmute Video
Restarts the video channel transmission from the participant to the conference.
Block Audio
Blocks the audio channel transmission from the conference to the participant.
Unblock
Audio
Restarts the audio channel transmission from the conference to the participant.
Connects the participant to the conference.
Connect
Participant
Disconnect
Participant
Delete
Participant
Disconnects the participant from the conference.
Deletes the participant from the conference. The conference resources are released for the use of other participants.
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Participants Queue Toolbar
The Participants Queue toolbar is enabled when an Operator conference is running and a Participant icon is selected.
The Participants Queue toolbar contains the following buttons:
Table 3-6: Participants Queue Toolbar Buttons
Button Function Description
Attend Participant
Moves the participant to the Operator conference for operator’s assistance.
Place Participant on
Hold
Places the attended participant on Hold.
The participant hears an IVR message while on hold.
Move to Home
Conference
Moves the participant to the Home
(destination) conference.
Participant Queue Filter Toolbar
The Participant Queue Filter toolbar options enable displaying the list of participants who are waiting to be connected to the conference, according to
selected criteria. For instructions about defining a new filter see Chapter 8,
”Using Participants Queue Filters” on page 8-42.
Table 3-7: Participant Queue Filter Toolbar Buttons
Button Function Description
Participant Queue
Filter List
Lists the Participant Queue filters currently defined in the system.
Participant Queue
Filter
Opens the Participants Queue Filter dialog box where you define a new
Participants Queue Filter.
Delete Filter
Deletes the selected Participant
Queue Filters.
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Q&A Toolbar
The Q&A toolbar is enabled when you click an icon of a participant in an On
Going Conference or the icon of a participant waiting in the Q&A queue.
The Q&A toolbar contains the following buttons:
Table 3-8: Q&A Toolbar Buttons
Button Function
Clear QA
Description
Clears all participants from the Question &
Answer (Q&A) queue.
Next
Questioner
Lets the next participant in the Q&A queue ask questions.
Add
Participant to Q&A
Remove
Participant from Q&A
Ask
Question
Adds a participant to the Q&A queue.
Removes a participant from the Q&A queue.
Lets the participant ask a question, even if he or she is not next in queue.
Stop
Questioner
Stops the current questioner.
Move
Participant to First
Position in
Q&A
Moves the participant to the first place in the
Q&A queue (enabling this participant to become the next questioner).
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Table 3-8: Q&A Toolbar Buttons (Continued)
Button Function Description
Move
Participant to Last
Position in
Q&A
Moves the participant to the last place of the
Q&A queue.
View All/
View Only
Q&A
Participants
Displays only the participants waiting in the
Q&A queue.
Displays all the conference participants.
2/10
Q&A
Parties out of Total
Parties
The number of participants (out of the total) waiting in the Q&A queue.
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Connecting to an MCU
Once an MCU is defined (for details, see the MGC Administrator’s Guide,
Chapter 2), the MGC Manager can be connected to all the defined MCUs simultaneously. This allows you to set up conferences, make reservations, monitor On Going Conferences and perform other activities on several
MCUs.
To connect the MGC Manager to an MCU:
1.
In the Browser pane, expand the MCUs Network list.
A list of MCUs appears below the MCUs Network icon.
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2.
Double-click the MCU icon.
Alternatively, right-click the MCU icon and then click Connect.
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The Logon dialog box opens.
Each time the MGC Manager connects to an MCU, the operator is required to log into the MCU. In an environment with several MCUs, this can become a tedious task. To facilitate the operator login process, the MGC Manager creates a login record that can enable you to automatically log in to the MCU to which you are connecting.
For more
information, see “Automating the Login Process” on page 3-31.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
3.
Enter your Login name and Password, and then click OK.
The connection to the MCU is initiated. The status of the MCU connection appears in parentheses next to the MCU’s name.
Each MCU is initially configured with a default operator whose Login Name and
Password are both POLYCOM. Additional operators can be defined. For details, see the MGC Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 6.
The possible status indicators and their icons are described in Table 3-9.
Table 3-9: MGC Connection Status Icons
Icon
(Gray)
Status indication Description
Disconnected
The MGC Manager is disconnected from the MCU.
Connecting
Connection in progress.
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Table 3-9: MGC Connection Status Icons (Continued)
Icon Status indication Description
Normal
Startup
The connection is OK and the MCU is in the Normal state. When connected
(Normal status), a green LED in the MCU icon is lit.
The connection is OK and the MCU is starting up.
Resetting
The MCU is resetting.
Low Memory
Bad Connection
Major
Minor
The system has used up all its memory resources. Disconnect all running conferences and reset the MCU.
The connection between the MGC
Manager and the MCU is lost due to LAN problems.
A major error occurred, such as a card was removed from the MCU. The exclamation point on the icon initially appears in red and blinks. After the Fault file is viewed to identify the error, the exclamation point color changes to yellow. Consult your system administrator.
A minor error occurred. The exclamation point on the icon initially appears in red and blinks. After the Fault file is viewed to identify the error, the exclamation point color changes to yellow. Consult your system administrator.
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Using Default Templates to Start a Conference
Reservation Templates
A Reservation template includes the conference parameters, such as the conference media (audio, video), video session, line rate, video protocol and other video parameters, IVR and more. The reservation may include the conference participant parameters.
Default Reservation Templates
•
•
•
•
•
Five default Reservation templates are installed with the MGC Manager:
Default-Audio: Audio Only with Default IVR service
Default_COP: Conference On Port at 384 Kbps
Default_Video: Continuous Presence Conference at 384 Kbps
SW CP: Software Continuous Presence (H.323 only) at 384 Kbps
Video-Switch: Video Switching at 384 Kbps
In order to run a Default_Video or Default_COP conference, the Video+ card and the MGC Manager version 5.6 or later must be installed in your system.
When you first start the MGC Manager application, the Reservations in
Database window automatically opens listing the Default group on the
Groups tree.
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Figure 3-11 shows the default Reservations in Database window.
Figure 3-11: Reservations in Database Window
You can push or drag the Main window sizing handle to make the window smaller and display the Reservations in Database window beside or beneath the
Main window.
The MGC Manager automatically displays the Reservations in Database window when starting the MGC Manager application every time the application opens, unless you close Reservations Database window. It will not automatically reopen unless you manually open it and leave it open. You can access the Reservations Database window by clicking Reservations in
AccordDB from the Window menu.
Using the default Reservation templates, you can schedule a conference to start immediately (On Going Conference), or to start automatically at a predefined date and time (Reservation).
To start an On Going Conference from a default Reservation template:
1.
Connect to an MCU.
If the Reservations in Database window is hidden behind other windows, display it on top of the MGC Manager Main window: On the
Window menu, click Reservations in <database name>.
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The Reservations in Database window is displayed.
2.
Right-click the icon of the Reservation template you want to use to start the conference, and then click Start Immediately.
If there are several MCUs connected to the same MGC Manager, you also need to select the MCU to host the conference.
An On Going Conference is created and added to the list of On Going
Conferences. You can monitor the status of the conference and its participants as described in Chapter 5 of this guide.
For more information on Database templates and Groups, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 7, “Database Templates”.
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Viewing Conference Lists
Each MCU has three conference lists assigned to it. All conferences that are currently running are detailed in the On Going Conferences list. All conference reservations defined on the MCU are stored in the Reservations list. “Passive” conferences, which are activated when the first participant connects to the conference, are listed under Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues &
SIP Factories.
Before performing the following procedures, connect to the MCU whose conference lists you want to display.
To view an MCU’s list of On Going Conferences:
1.
In the Browser pane, expand the MCU tree to display its options.
2.
Double-click the On Going Conferences icon, or click the plus [+] icon next to the On Going Conferences icon.
All currently running conferences are listed below the On Going
Conferences icon. Each conference is identified by an icon and a name.
On first entry, or if no conferences are running, the On Going
Conferences list is empty.
To view an MCU’s list of reserved conferences:
1.
In the Browser pane, expand the MCU tree to display its options.
2.
Double-click the Reservations icon, or click the plus [+] icon next to the
Reservations icon.
A list of reserved conferences is displayed below the Reservations icon.
Each reservation is identified by an icon and a name. For recurrent
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reservations, the name is followed by a number identifying the reservation occurrence.
To view an MCU’s list of Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues and SIP
Factories:
1.
In the Browser pane, expand the MCU tree to display its options.
2.
Double-click the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues & SIP Factories icon, or click the plus [+] icon next to the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues and SIP
Factories icon.
A list of Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues and SIP Factories is displayed below the Meeting Rooms icon. Each Meeting Room, Entry Queue or
SIP Factory is identified by an icon and a name.
If no Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues or SIP factories were defined, the list is empty.
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Disconnecting an MCU
To disconnect the MGC Manager from an MCU:
1.
In the Browser pane, right-click the MCU icon and then click
Disconnect.
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A dialog box appears prompting you to confirm the disconnection.
2.
Click OK to disconnect.
The MCU status indicator disappears from the Browser pane, and the
MCU icon is disabled.
Disconnecting the MGC Manager from an MCU does not change any MCU settings - it merely terminates your access to the MCU, so you cannot view or affect its contents.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Automating the Login Process
Each time the MGC Manager connects to an MCU, the operator is required to log in to the MCU. This becomes tedious when the operator connects and disconnects from several MCUs regularly.
The Create Login Record option allows you to define your Login Name and
Password. The definition remains in place until the Clear Login Record option is selected. Using the Login Record, you will not be asked to enter your Login Name and Password each time you connect to an MCU.
The Clear Login Record option deletes the last login record. The next time you connect to an MCU you will be required to enter your name and password
The same Login Record is used for all MCUs. If you have different login names and/or passwords on different MCUs, you may need to use the Clear Login
Record option before attempting a connection using your own login name and password.
To create a login record:
1.
On the File menu, click Preferences, and then click Create Login
Record.
The Logon dialog box appears.
2.
Type your Login name and Password, and then click OK.
You will not be prompted to supply your user Login Name and Password whenever you connect to an MCU until you clear the Login Record.
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•
To clear a login record:
You may need to disable your login record in order to maintain site security, for instance, when you go home after a day’s work.
In the File menu, click Preferences, and then click Clear Login Record.
The Login Record is cleared. You will now be prompted to supply your
Login Name and Password whenever you connect to an MCU unless you create a new Login Record.
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Templates Database
The MGC Database allows you access to Conference and Participant templates stored in the database. These templates are used to schedule conferences and add participants to conferences without having to define their parameters repeatedly. By default, you are automatically logged into the database. This enables you to access these templates. However, if you logged out, you need to log in again.
To log in to a database:
1.
On the DataBase menu, click Login.
The Database Login dialog box opens.
The Login Name field displays the login name that was previously used.
The first time you log in (or whenever the registry is empty), the login used to log into Windows will be automatically referenced when accessing the database.
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2.
If required, type your Login Name.
The following default login names and passwords are defined in the database:
Table 3-10: Database Default Login Names and Passwords
User Name
POLYCOM
ACCORD admin1 oper1 user1 user2
Part1
Password
POLYCOM
ACCORD
123
123
123
123
123
Permission Type
Administrator
Administrator
Administrator
Operator
Moderator
Moderator (Monitoring only)
Participant
These users differ in the functions they are allowed to perform (applies mainly to the Database Manager and the WebCommander applications but not to MGC Manager functionality), the Groups to which they are assigned and the information they can access. For a description of the default permissions, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 6, “Logging into the Database Manager”.
3.
In the Password field, enter your password.
4.
Select the Create Login Record check box to define your login name and password for the session.
The Create Login Record option allows you to automate the Login process. The name and password you enter here become the default login and you will not be asked to enter them each time you connect to a database.
5.
Click OK.
The Database Login dialog box closes.
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6.
On the Database menu, click either Open D.B Reservation Template or
Open D.B Participant Template, and then select the database you want to work with. (The system lists all databases you are entitled to work with according to your database Login Name and Password.)
The window of the selected database opens.
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Loading the User Defined Default Set to the MGC
Manager Application
User Defined fields in the Conference Properties and Participant Properties dialog boxes allow you to add general information about the conference or the participant. These fields are also included in the CDR file, which is used for reporting and billing purposes. You can define the titles of the User Defined fields in the MGC Database Manager -> User Defined Defaults. For more details, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 6, “Defining
User Defined Defaults”.
To view/hide the User Defined fields in the Conference and Participant
Properties dialog boxes and to load their titles you need load the Defaults to the MGC Manager.
•
To load the Database Manager Global Defaults to the MGC Manager:
In the MGC Manager window, on the Database menu, click Load
Defaults from DB and then click Load Global Defaults to load the
Defaults.
The Global Defaults set is now loaded and active in the MGC Manager and a check mark appears next to the Load Global Defaults option in the
Load Defaults from Database menu.
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To load the Database Manager Private Defaults to the MGC Manager:
1.
In the MGC Manager window, on the Database menu, click Load
Defaults from DB, and then click Load Private Defaults to load the
Defaults.
The Database Login window opens.
2.
Enter your Login Name and Password and click OK.
The Defaults set assigned to the user who is logged in is now loaded and active in the MGC Manager, and a check mark appears next to the Load
Private Defaults option in the Load Defaults from Database menu.
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Commands Shortcut Keys
Shortcut keys can be configured to quickly accomplish tasks you perform frequently. For example, pressing <CTRL> + <D> terminates an On Going
Conference. For more details, see the MGC Administrator’s Guide,
Chapter 5.
The following table lists the default shortcut keys available in the MGC
Manager application.
Table 3-11: Command Shortcut Keys
Shortcut Keys
<Alt> + <C>
<Ctrl> + <N>
<Ctrl> + <O>
<Ctrl> + <S>
<Ctrl> + <C>
<Ctrl> + <X>
<Ctrl> + <V>
Function
Clears the participants listed in the Q&A queue.
Creates a new Participant or Reservation Template file.
Opens a Participant or Reservation Template file.
Saves a Participant or Reservation Template file, or saves changes to the database.
Copies the On Going Conference, Reservation, Entry
Queue or Meeting Room properties to the clipboard or copies the participant’s properties to the clipboard.
Copies the conference or participant properties to the clipboard while deleting the original item.
Pastes participant properties from the clipboard into an On
Going Conference, Reservation, Conference Template
(template file or database) or Participant Template
(template file or database).
Pastes Conference properties from the clipboard to On
Going Conferences list, Reservations list, Entry Queue list,
Meeting Room list or Reservations database.
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Table 3-11: Command Shortcut Keys (Continued)
Shortcut Keys Function
<Ctrl> + <P>
<Ctrl> + <R>
<Ctrl> + <T>
<Ctrl> + <M>
<Ctrl> + <U>
<Ctrl> + <I>
<Ctrl> + <A>
Pastes participant properties from the clipboard into an On
Going Conference, Reservation or Conference Template, while opening the Participant Properties dialog box for modification of the participant’s settings.
Pastes conference properties from the clipboard to On
Going Conferences list, Reservations list, Entry Queue list,
Meeting Room list or Reservations database or Template file, while opening the Conference Properties dialog box for modification of the conference settings.
Connects/reconnects a participant to an On Going
Conference.
Disconnects a participant from the On Going Conference.
Mutes a participant audio channel.
Unmutes a participant audio channel.
Sets a participant’s Connection Type to dial
in.
Sets a participant’s Connection Type to dial
out.
Accesses the relevant Help topic.
<Shift> + <F1> or
<F1>
<F2>
<F3>
<F4>
<F5>
<F6>
<F8>
Moves a participant to the Operator conference for assistance.
Moves a participant from the Operator conference to the destination (Home) conference.
In the Attended Participant dialog box, the operator can place a participant on hold.
In the Attended Participant dialog box, the operator can move a participant to a selected conference.
In the Attended Participant dialog box, places a participant next in line for operator attention.
Adds a new participant to an On Going Conference,
Reservation or Meeting Room.
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Table 3-11: Command Shortcut Keys (Continued)
Shortcut Keys
<F9>
<F10>
<F11>
<F12>
<Del>
Function
Refreshes the database.
Temporarily moves the Operator to the conference for short announcements and assistance. (Operator Join)
Ends the Operator’s temporary connection to the conference and returns to the Operator conference. (End
Operator Join)
Moves the next participant in line from the Participants
Queue to the Operator conference for assistance.
Terminates an On Going Conference, or deletes a
Reservation, Meeting Room, Participant or any template.
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4
Setting Up Conferences
•
•
•
•
•
Defining new conferences is one of the major tasks to perform in the MGC
Manager. The system allows you to flexibly set up any type of Audio Only or video conference. This chapter describes the process of defining Standard
On Going video conferences. For information about Audio Only conferences, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition,
Chapter 2, “Defining Standard Audio Only Conferences and Reservations”.
•
This chapter presents:
A detailed overview that describes the available types, options and parameters of the conferences supported by the MGC unit
Participant roles, connection types, access and definition parameters
A step-by-step description of the On Going video conference definition using basic options
A description of the On Going video conference definition using advanced video options
A step-by-step description of participant definition and options according to the connection protocol (ISDN, H.323, SIP, ATM, T1-
CAS, and MPI)
Monitoring and resolving of scheduling conflicts
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About Conferences
•
MGC Manager provides several methods to set up and schedule different kinds of conferences to suit many different needs. The following scheduling methods are available:
On Going Conferences - for setting up conferences that start immediately.
•
•
Reservations - for scheduled and recurrent conferencing.
On-demand Conferences - Meeting Rooms and Ad-hoc enabled Entry
Queues for unscheduled or on-demand conferencing.
Each method is represented in the MCU tree by an appropriate entry or icon.
When you define a conference, you select the appropriate conference type.
The following conference types are available:
•
•
Standard - a scheduled On Going Conference or Reservation that runs once and is deleted from the system once it ends.
Meeting Room - a conference that is defined once and used many times for unscheduled or on-demand conferencing.
•
Operator Conference - a conference managed by a designated operator and used to assist participants.
For each conference you specify whether participants connect to the conferencing system by dialing in to the conference or by having the conferencing system (MCU) dial out to the participant. For dial-in connections, you have to define whether a single dial-in number will be used for all dial-in connections or a different dial-in number will be assigned to each conference or each participant.
In addition to the dialing method, you must define whether the conference is accessed by means of an Entry Queue, a conference Interactive Voice
Response (IVR), or by accessing the conference directly, and whether the conferencing service level is Operator Attended or Unattended.
When defining a conference, you select the media resources (Audio Only or
Video & Audio), the parameters which determine the quality of the transmission over these media, and the operations that can be performed during the conference.
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Conference Scheduling Methods
The system supports both scheduled and on-demand conferences. Reservation
Templates containing conference parameters can be used to schedule conferences saving the need to repeatedly define new similar conferences
(with the same parameters). Different templates can be defined for specific conference settings.
Scheduled Conferences
Scheduled conferences are arranged ahead of time and are assigned a telephone number and password for dial-in participants. You can schedule via the MGC Manager application or using the browser based WebCommander application, or via Microsoft Outlook using the MGC Personal Scheduler
Add-on.
•
•
•
On Going Conferences
An On Going Conference is a conference that starts immediately or when the scheduled reservation date and time is reached. An On Going Conference can be started in one of the following ways:
By applying the On Going Conferences — New Conference definition
From a Reservation Template (immediately)
When the starting date and time scheduled in a Reservation is reached
•
Reservations
Reservations are conferences scheduled to start in the future. Reservations are defined using the same parameters as On Going Conferences with the addition of the conference start date and time. You can schedule Reservations in using of the following methods:
From Reservations — New Reservation definition
•
Scheduled from a Reservation Template
For a detailed description, see Chapter 9, “Conference Reservations”.
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On-Demand (Reservation-less) Conferencing
•
•
Reservation-less conferencing enables participants to immediately start and connect to an On Going Conference from their endpoint, with no advanced scheduling. The MGC Manager offers two methods for Reservation-less conferencing:
Ad Hoc Conferencing
Meeting Rooms
Ad Hoc Conferencing
In Ad Hoc conferencing, participants connect to an Ad Hoc-enabled Entry
Queue. An Entry Queue is a special routing lobby to which one or several dial-in numbers are assigned. The participants are prompted for the destination conference Numeric ID. If no conference with a matching
Numeric ID is running, but the participant is authorized to create a conference, the system creates a new Ad Hoc On Going Conference. The new conference is created according to the conference parameters defined in a
Profile assigned to the Entry Queue. All other participants connect directly to the newly created conference.
In this method, the conference Profile is created once and is used repeatedly to create numerous conferences.
This conferencing method is often used to globally enable all employees in an organization to start On Going Conferences from their endpoints, without having to define the conference parameters for each employee and for each conference.
When external database authentication is configured for the Entry Queue and for the conference, the MCU verifies with the external database whether a conference with a specific Numeric ID may be started. This is the method used with Windows Messenger to initiate multipoint Video or Audio Ad Hoc conferences.
Meeting Rooms
Meeting Rooms are unscheduled conferences that are created once and can be activated as many times as required. A Meeting Room remains in passive mode until the first participant connects to it and activates the conference.
The conference owner who initiates the Meeting Room conference must let the participants know the start date and time, dial-in number and the Numeric
ID of the conference so the can enter the conference. No prior scheduling of the conference is required. When the conference ends, the conference reverts
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from the active On Going mode to the passive Meeting Room mode until the next activation. It remains in the MCU memory and in the Meeting Rooms list and can be modified between activations.
This conferencing method requires that you define a Meeting Room for each employee in your organization. This task may not be recommended or may be impractical, for example when an organization has many employees (a large number of potential meeting organizers). In addition, you may overload the
MCU memory when saving a large number of Meeting Rooms. There is also a limit of 2000 reservations on the MCU.
Meeting Rooms can be defined only if the appropriate Customer Permission defined in the “system.cfg” is installed in the MGC Manager application. For more details, refer to the MGC Administrator’s Guide Chapter 5, “Edit
“system.cfg”, CUSTOMER_PERMISSION.”
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Conference Types
•
•
•
The conference types available on the MGC Manager enable you to create conferences according to specific requirements and configurations. The following conference types are available:
Standard - A standard conference includes all the audio and video parameters. This type of conference is scheduled once, and when the conference ends, it is deleted from the MCU. You can schedule a recurring reservation with the same parameters for each reservation in the series. Once defined, each of the reservations is treated as a single, unique reservation that can be modified (except for its name) or deleted from the MCU automatically when it ends or manually by the operator.
For a detailed description of regular and recurring Reservations, see
Chapter 9.
Meeting Room - A Meeting Room is a conference without resource allocation or starting date and time, that is defined once, but can be activated many times. A Meeting Room remains in a passive state between activations until the first participant connects to it and activates the conference. When activated, it operates as a Standard On Going
Conference. This is one of the reservation-less methods used in the system for on-demand conferencing. For a detailed description, see
Chapter 7.
Operator - An Operator conference is a side conference that enables the operator to assist participants, without disturbing the On Going
Conferences or being heard by other participants. The operator can move participants from an Entry Queue, conference IVR queue, Participants
Queue, Welcome Queue (Greet and Guide), or an On Going Conference to a private, one-on-one conversation in the Operator conference. An
Operator conference can have up to two participants only: the operator and a participant. For a detailed description, see Chapter 8.
Both Standard and Meeting Room conferences have the same conference parameters. The difference between them is the method by which they are scheduled and started, and what happens to the conference once it ends.
For a description of various Lecture options that can be selected for Standard
and Meeting Room conferences, see Chapter 10, “Lecture and Presentation
Options”. Advanced video settings for both Standard and Meeting Rooms
conferences are described in the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 1, Advanced Conference Settings”.
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Entry Queue
An Entry Queue is a special routing lobby to which one or several dial-in numbers are assigned. A different Entry Queue may be defined for Video and for Audio Only participants, or the same Video Entry Queue can be used by all participants provided that the audio algorithm is set to G.711 (telephone standard).
When Audio Only participants connect to the Entry Queue, they interact with the system using touch-tone signals (DTMF codes) on their telephone device and are guided to the conference via the audio prompts menu.
When video participants connect to the Entry Queue, they hear the same voice prompts as the Audio Only participants and they also view a video slide. Video participants interact with the system using their DTMF input device - usually the endpoint’s remote control. Both audio and video participants join the conference when they enter the appropriate conference
Numeric ID or password, depending on the MCU configuration. The Entry
Queue remains in a passive state when no participants are in the queue, but is automatically activated when a participant dials the Entry Queue number.
• The Entry Queue routing method (either using the conference numeric ID or password) is set by a flag in the system.cfg. For more details on the system configuration file, see the MGC Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 5, “Edit system.cfg”.
•
To use the Entry Queue without using video resources for video connections, set the Entry Queue to Video Switching and define the target video conference with the same video settings as the Entry Queue.
For a detailed description of Entry Queue related procedures, see Chapter 8,
“Entry Queues, Operator Conferences, and Attended Conferencing”.
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Participant Connection to Conference
Conference participants can have different functions: a standard participant, a chairperson, or an operator.
Participant connection to a conference is determined by the connection type
(dial-in or dial-out), conference access mode (Entry Queue, Meeting Room or
Meet-Me Per Conference) and conference service level (Attended or
Unattended).
Participant Roles
•
•
•
Standard participant - takes part in the conference, performing operations via the telephone or via the endpoint’s remote control using touch-tone signals (DTMF codes). Participants can control their broadcasting and listening volume, mute or unmute their line, request operator’s assistance, invite new participants to the conference, vote and ask questions. The functions that participants can perform are defined in the DTMF table of the IVR Service assigned to the conference.
Chairperson - takes part in the conference but is also the meeting’s organizer. The chairperson interacts with other participants in the same conference, and can control the conference using a Web browser or via
DTMF codes. Chairpersons perform all the functions of the standard participant but have additional privileges. They can start a voting session, mute and unmute participants, invite participants to join in the conference, designate himself/herself as the conference speaker while muting all other participants and place the conference on hold. These functions can be performed via DTMF codes and the Web browser. Other functions, such as connecting and disconnecting participants, placing participants on hold, controlling the Question and Answer queue, and more, can be performed only via the Web browser. Functions that can be performed using the DTMF codes, are determined in the IVR Service.
Operator - can perform all the chairperson’s functions and additional operator-specific functions. The operator can control and monitor all On
Going Conferences simultaneously as well as perform general configuration and maintenance operations, but does not have to participate in a conference in order to control it. During On Going
Conferences, the operator can move participants from one conference to another, assist participants who need help, terminate the conference
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before its scheduled time and join the conference. Operators perform all activities via the MGC Manager or the MGC WebCommander.
In conferences without an active IVR Service, no operations can be performed during the On Going Conference by participants or chairpersons.
Participant Connection Types
Conference participants can call the conference (dial-in) or be called by the system (dial-out) at the conference start or during the On Going Conference.
The method which participants use to connect to the conference influences the definition of the conference and the required caller information.
A conference can include only dial-in participants, only dial-out participants or both dial-in and dial-out participants.
Dial-out Participant
In a conference that includes only dial-out participants, each participant can be called individually by the conferencing system and connected directly to the conference. The connection process can be initiated manually or automatically. In the manual mode, the operator or meeting organizer instructs the conferencing system to call the participant. In the automatic mode the system calls the participants one after the other. Alternatively, an automatic dial-out mode (blast dial-out) can be performed by the system. In this mode, the system calls all the participants and connects them to the conference. In the manual or automatic mode, the meeting organizer/operator defines the participant parameters - mainly his/her name and telephone number. Usually, dial-out participants connect directly to the conference without interaction with the IVR system.
Dial-in Participant
In a conference that includes dial-in participants, the participants can be defined in advance and they are identified by their Calling Line Identifier
(CLI) number (ISDN) or IP address/alias (IP) once they connect to the conference. The conference can include “anonymous”, undefined participants. These participants were not defined by the operator/meeting organizer prior to the conference start and are connected to the conference if they have dialed the conference dial-in number and have entered the appropriate password (if one was assigned to the conference). Conferences that include “undefined” dial-in participants must be defined as Meet Me Per
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Conference, Meeting Room or a standard conference that is accessed via an
Entry Queue.
Conference Access for Dial-in Participants
A conference can be accessed by dial-in participants via an Entry Queue, a conference IVR queue or directly.
Conference IVR
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is an application that allows callers to communicate with the conferencing system over the DTMF input device such as a telephone (for audio participants) or the endpoint’s remote control (for video participants). IVR automates the connection process and the various requests during the On Going Conference.
Both IVR Service and Entry Queue Service can be used for attended and unattended conferences.
To enable the participants and chairperson to perform operations during the conference an IVR Service must be assigned to the conference.
Different IVR Services can be created, allowing customization of the menudriven scripts and voice prompts to meet specific needs. IVR Services are assigned at the conference level; different conferences may use different IVR
Services, or the same IVR Service can be used for all conferences.
In IVR-enabled conferences, the caller enters the conference IVR queue as part of the connection process. This ensures that only authorized callers join the conference. Participants can request the operator’s help while waiting in the conference IVR queue or during the On Going Conference. The IVR
Service also enables the participants and the conference chairperson to perform various operations via their touch tone telephone keypad during the
On Going Conference.
Entry Queue
Entry Queue is a call routing method in which all participants dial the same dial-in number and then they are routed to the appropriate conference according to the conference password or conference numeric ID (depending on the system’s configuration) they enter. Callers are guided to the conference using menu-driven scripts that are part of the Entry Queue Service. The user inputs touch-tone signals in response to voice prompts.
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The Entry Queue Service is a subset of the IVR Service and behaves in the same way.
IVR enabled conferences and conferences accessed via the Entry Queue require the installation of the Audio+ card in the MCU.
Entry Queue Access
When the Entry Queue Access option is designated for an Audio Only or
Video conference, the participants connecting to that conference follow a two-stage process:
1.
Participants connect to an Entry Queue, where they are routed to their conference in one of two ways:
—
According to the Numeric ID (NID) or conference password they enter (depending on the MCU configuration) or
—
Wait for the Operator’s assistance. The Entry Queue Service is set to
Attended mode (On Hold for Operator Assistance)
2.
Participants are moved to the conference and connect to the conference in one of the following ways:
—
—
Directly, without any additional operation from the participant’s endpoint
By entering the conference IVR queue where participant is prompted for an entry password and/or chairperson password
(depending on the IVR Service configuration). Once the participant provides correct information, they are admitted to the conference
—
Wait for the Operator’s assistance. The IVR Service assigned to the conference is set to attended mode (On Hold for Operator
Assistance)
Using an Entry Queue minimizes the number of dial-in numbers that are required for the MGC unit to handle conferences and dial-in participants. In addition, it enables service providers to advertise their services with one or two telephone numbers that can be used for all the conferences (for example,
1-800-POLYCOM).
Entry Queues are defined separately in the MGC Manager application. For each Audio Only or Video conference you define, you select whether it is accessed via an Entry Queue and/or by IVR Service or directly.
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In addition, an IVR Service may be assigned to the conferences accessed from the Entry Queue.
MCU
Conference1
Numeric ID: 1234
Password: 34567
IP Endpoint
92
51
22
2
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
9251222
92
51
22
2
Network
1234
1234
1300
Numeric ID: 1222
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
IP Network Service
Prefix - 925
Conference2
Numeric ID: 1300
Password: 71356
Figure 4-1: Conference Access via Entry Queue using Numeric ID and Conference
IVR
In Figure 4-1, one or several dial-in numbers are allocated to an Entry Queue.
In addition, a numeric ID is assigned to each conference and a conference password and chairperson password may be defined. The dial-in number
(which is usually the same for all participants regardless of the conference they attend), and the appropriate conference numeric IDs are communicated to conference participants. When participants dial-in using the number communicated to them, they connect to the Entry Queue where they are requested to enter the appropriate conference Numeric ID. According to this conference ID, participants are routed to the appropriate conference.
When an IVR Service is assigned to the conference, participants are guided to the conference by voice prompts and are requested to enter the required
(conference/chairperson) password. They can also be prompted for additional information such as their billing code.
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In Figure 4-2, one or several dial-in numbers are allocated to an Entry Queue.
In addition, a password is assigned to each conference. The dial-in number
(which is usually the same for all participants regardless of the conference they attend), and the appropriate conference password are communicated to conference participants.
MCU
Conference1
Numeric ID: 1234
Password: 34567
Chairperson: 89900
IP Endpoint
92
51
22
2
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
9251222
Network
92
51
22
2
Numeric ID: 1222
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
IP Network Service
Prefix - 925
Conference2
Numeric ID: 1300
Password: 71356
Figure 4-2: Conference Access via Entry Queue using Conference Password and
Conference IVR
When participants dial-in using the number communicated to them, they connect to the Entry Queue where they are requested to enter the appropriate conference password. According to this password, participants are routed to the appropriate conference.
When an IVR Service is assigned to the conference, participants are guided to the conference by voice prompts and are requested to enter the required chairperson password or wait to be automatically connected to the conference. They can also be prompted for additional information such as their billing code.
When no IVR Service is assigned to the conference, participants are moved directly from the Entry Queue to the conference.
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Participants can be moved from the Entry Queue to the conference if Entry
Queue access is selected for the conference.
Video conferences that are accessed from an Entry Queue must have the same video, audio and line rate settings as defined for the Entry Queue used for accessing these conferences.
Conference IVR Access
Participants dial the conference dial-in numbers and are connected to the IVR queue of the conference, where they have to enter the conference password and other personal information, using touch-tone codes as input to menu driven scripts and voice prompts that are part of the IVR Service. Once the correct information is entered, the participants connect to the conference.
MCU
IP Endpoint
92
51
22
2
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
9251222
Network
92
51
22
3
Conference1
Numeric ID: 1222
Password: 34567
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
IP Network Service
Prefix - 925
Conference2
Numeric ID: 1223
Password: 71356
Figure 4-3: Conference Access via IVR Queue
In Figure 4-3, a dial-in number is assigned to each conference. In addition, an
IVR Service is also assigned to the conference. Callers dial in directly to the conference. Once they reach the conference, they enter the conference IVR queue where they are requested to enter the conference password, the
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chairperson password (only for the meeting chairperson) and other information using the remote control or the telephone touch-tone keypads.
•
The system can automatically allocate the conference and chairperson passwords (depending on the MCU configuration). For more information on system configuration, see the MGC Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 5, “Edit
system.cfg”.
• Dial-out participants (operator dial-out or system dial-out) connecting to the conference can also enter the IVR queue, if the IVR Service assigned to the conference is configured to prompt dial-out participants for conference password.
•
•
Direct Dialing and Access
Different methods can be used for dialing directly into the conference:
Using the MCU dial-in number and defining the participants prior to the conference start. The MCU dial-in number is communicated to the participants. Upon connection to the MCU, they are routed to the appropriate conference according to their CLI number.
Meet Me Per Conference - Assigning a dial-in number to each conference and defining the conference as Meet Me, allowing undefined participants to connect to the conference.
In this mode, no IVR service is assigned to the conference and the participant connection process is automatic.
The meeting organizer/operator assigns a dial-in phone number to each conference designated as Meet Me Per Conference. The conference dial-in number is given to all the conference participants who use it to directly connect to the conference. Using this mode, any participant who dials the conference number can connect to the conference until all the MCU resources are utilized or the maximum number of participants is reached.
The Meet Me Per Conference is the basis for Meeting Rooms definition.
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MCU
IP Endpoint
92
51
22
2
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
9251222
Network
92
51
22
3
Conference1
Numeric ID: 1222
Dial-in number: 9251222
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
IP Network Service
Prefix - 925
Conference2
Numeric ID: 1223
Dial-in number: 9251223
Figure 4-4: Direct Conference Access
As shown in Figure 4-4, the dial-in number assigned to conference1 is
9251222 and the dial-in number assigned to conference2 is 9251223. For IP dialing in, the IP Network Service Prefix was defined according to the ISDN number prefix, and the conference numeric ID was defined to match the
ISDN number allocated to the conference. Participants who dial 9251222 are connected to conference1 and are allowed into the conference if they were defined prior to the conference start or if the Allow Undefined Participants option is enabled for the conference.
For a detailed description of Meet-Me per Conference and Meeting Rooms
In all conferences with “undefined” dial-in participants, the conference or Entry
Queue ISDN dial-in number may be automatically assigned by the MCU. The number is taken from the dial-in numbers defined in the ISDN Network Service.
Conference Access for Dial-Out Participants
In Video or Audio Only conferences with no IVR Service, dial-out participants are connected directly to the conference. In IVR-enabled Audio
Only and Video conferences or in conferences designated as Entry Queue
Access, dial-out participants enter the Entry Queue and/or IVR queue where
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the participant may be requested to enter the conference password or any digit to confirm the connection.
Attended and Unattended Conferences
Audio Only and Video conferences can be managed by an operator or run unattended in which case the participants manage the conference themselves with the meeting organizer optionally having additional privileges.
In IVR-enabled conferences, the participants or meeting organizer can control certain aspects of the conference. Operator assistance is available upon request.
If the Entry Queue Service assigned to the Entry Queue used for conference access is set to attended mode (On Hold for Operator Assistance), when the participants connect to the Entry Queue, they are automatically moved to the
Participants Queue where they wait for the operator to connect them to the conference.
In the same way, an IVR Service can be configured to attended mode, hence all participants connecting to the conference are automatically moved to the
Participants Queue, where they wait for the operator to connect them to the conference.
Usually, the attended mode is configured either at the Entry Queue level or at the conference level.
All conferences can be set as unattended or attended. The initial setting is done in the definition of the Entry Queue Service and the IVR Service, by using the On
Hold for Operator Assistance option in the Welcome Message dialog box.
Operator Attended Conference
An Operator Attended conference is a service designed usually for large conferences. In many attended conferences, the name and the telephone numbers of each dial-out participant are given to the operator at the time the reservation is made. Using the enhanced tools for attended participant conferences, the operator or coordinator assembles the conference call, making sure all invited participants are on hand, then sees to it that the conference proceeds according to plan. Usually, the operator dials out to connect participants and greets the participants when connected. However, the names and numbers of the dial-out participants can also be defined by the
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meeting organizer via the WebCommander application (through the
WebCommander site).
In Audio Only and Video conferences that are accessed from an Entry Queue or have an assigned IVR Service, the operator can assist dial-in participants by greeting and guiding them to the appropriate conference, or by helping them join the conference if they have failed to enter the required information
(password).
Once the conference has begun, operator assistance continues to be available upon request, by telephone keypad or other DTMF input device (e.g. remote control). During a conference, the operator can also manage Question-and-
Answer and voting sessions, connect and disconnect participants, mute/ unmute participants, start a lecturing session, place the conference on hold and lock/unlock the conference to dial-in participants.
However, an On Going conference can also be managed by participants or by the chairperson without the operator’s assistance. Actions that can be performed by the participants or the chairperson, are defined in the IVR
Service that is assigned to that conference. This type of conferencing requires the installation of the Audio+ card in the MCU.
Participants Queue
The Participants Queue is a list of all participants waiting for the operator’s assistance or who are on hold - in all conferences, regardless of the conference they belong to. The Participants Queue is mainly intended for attended conferences. Using special toolbars, command buttons and options provided in the MCG Manager Participants Queue window, the operator can easily move the listed participants from the Participants Queue to their destination (On Going) conference.
Greet and Guide conference (Welcome Queue)
Greet and Guide Video conferences (with an AV Message Service assigned to them) can either run unattended, or may be managed by an operator.
However, because no IVR Service is available, the participants or the meeting organizer cannot control the conference from their endpoint.
For a detailed description, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide Volume II,
Chapter 2, “AV Message Services and Greet and Guide Conferences”.
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Unattended Conference
An unattended conference is usually a reservation-less conference that is started by participants who dial-in and enter a password. This type of conference is set up once, to be activated by the participants when required.
Although an operator is not needed for this conference, one can be on hand. In an unattended conference, it is the conference chairperson who controls all features and functions of the conference either via the touch-tone telephone, a
DTMF input device such as a remote control or via the Internet. Conference participants can perform simple operations (such as muting or unmuting their line or modifying their volume) from their touch-tone telephone or DTMF input device. Actions that can be performed by the participants or the chairperson, are defined in the IVR Service that is assigned to that conference. This type of configuration requires the installation of the Audio+ card in the MCU.
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Conference Media Types
Conferences can be of two media categories: Audio Only and Video and
Audio.
Audio Only Conferences
Audio Only conferences include only Audio participants and allow the use of
VoicePlus capabilities. In an Audio Only conference, participants can connect to the conference using different network connections: PSTN/ISDN or T1-
CAS lines, cellular phones, or VoIP (H.323 or SIP). Audio only participants can connect to conferences using VTX 1000 endpoints. VTX 1000 users connect to conferences as audio only participants, while enjoying the same wide band, high quality audio used by video participants.
VoicePlus offers special features such as the IVR Service, chairperson “dialout” inviting participants to join the On Going Conference, chairperson and participant control of the conference via touch-tone commands (DTMF codes), the management of voting and Question and Answer sessions, and many more. Touch-tone commands, MGC Manager and Web controls are the tools that are used to manage both Audio Only conferences and participants while voice prompts are used to guide participants to the appropriate conference. The prompts can be customized to enable multi-lingual support.
In Audio Only conference setup, only the functions, operations and icons relevant to this type of conference are displayed in the MGC Manager, while functions and operations relevant to video conferences are hidden and disabled.
For detailed information about the various Audio Only conference types, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition, Chapter 2, Defining
Standard Audio Only Conferences and Reservations”.
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Video Conferences
Video Conferences can include both Video and Audio as well as Audio Only participants. In a video session, participants can connect to the conference using different network connections: ISDN, IP (H.323 and SIP), ATM and
MPI (serial connection). One conference is defined for all the interface types.
ATM, ISDN and IP usage is configured per participant, though the line rate for all participants is defined per conference, taking into account the line rate range and capacity available for each network and endpoint.
Video Session Types
The video session type determines the video display options (full screen or split screen with all participants viewed simultaneously) and the method in which the video session is processed by the MCU (whether all participants connect using the same line rate and video parameters without using video resources, or each one uses the endpoint's capabilities).
Video Switching
A conference in which all participants see the same picture (video). The current speaker is displayed in full screen on all the participants' endpoints, while the speaker sees the previous speaker. Switching between participants is voice-activated; whenever a participant starts to speak, he or she becomes the conference speaker and is viewed on all screens. Since this conference type does not use video card resources, all participants in the conference must use the same line rate and video parameters such as video protocol, frame rate, annexes and interlaced video mode.
In Video Switching conferences, the Highest Common Mechanism can be enabled for the video parameters. This allows the system to select the best video parameters that can be supported by all the endpoints currently connected to the system, and to dynamically change them when a new endpoint joins or leaves the conference.
Transcoding
A conference in which participants can use different line rates and video, audio and data formats while maintaining the highest video and audio capabilities that they can achieve with their endpoints. As in Video Switching sessions, the current speaker is displayed in full screen on all the participants' endpoints and switching between participants is voice-activated. Because each video participant is connected using the highest possible video quality, this conference type requires appropriate video card resources for processing
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inputs from the different endpoints. Transcoding is performed on the following parameters: line rate, restricted/non-restricted, audio algorithm, video format, video frame rate, aggregation mode (Bonding/H.221) and different data rates.
Continuous Presence (CP)
A conference in which several participants can be viewed simultaneously. In this type of session, each connected endpoint uses its highest video, audio and data capabilities. This session type also enables special video layouts to be selected for viewing the conference participants. The following categories of video layout options are available: Classic, Quad Views and Software.
In Classic Continuous Presence conferences there are 21 basic layout options available to display participants. Each participant uses a different video port on the video card. This method enables such features as full Transcoding per participant, Personal Layout (selection of Continuous Presence layout per participant) and maintenance of overall video and audio quality for the conference - even when participants with lower capabilities connect.
However, in the Continuous Presence-Classic video session, the number of participants in a conference is limited by the type of video cards installed in the MCU and by the total number of ports.
In Continuous Presence-Quad Views sessions, additional layouts intended for large conferences (10+ participants) are available for selection. This mode is available only with the Video+ card.
In Software Continuous Presence conferences, only two types of video layout formats are available for selection: 2x1 and 2x2. If the conference includes fewer than 5 participants, one of the layout windows is grayed out. Software
CP is a software solution for IP Only conferences that use fewer video card resources by combining four incoming QCIF streams with fixed video bitrate from four different participants into one outgoing CIF stream.
For a detailed description of CP conferences, see the MGC Manager User's
Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1, “Advanced Settings”.
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•
•
•
Video Conference Parameters
The basic parameters that define the quality of a video conference are:
Line Rate - The transfer rate of video and audio streams. The higher the line rate, the better video quality that can be viewed. In Video Switching conferences, all conference participants must connect using the same line rate, therefore the participant with the lowest line rate connection determines the line rate for the conference.
For more information, see “Conference Settings” on page 4-44.
Audio Algorithm - The audio compression algorithm determines the quality of the conference audio. Several algorithms are available for selection.
For more information, see “Conference Settings” on page 4-44.
Video protocol, video format, frame rate, annexes, and interlaced
video mode - These parameters define the quality of the video images.
Setting the video protocol to H.263 results in a better image quality than using H.261, and H.264 protocol provides better compression of video images in line rates lower than 384 Kbps. However, not all endpoints support H.263, or H.264, therefore in a Video Switching session which requires that all participants use the same video protocol, video format and frame rate, it is the endpoint that supports the lowest video quality that dictates the video settings for the conference.
For more information, see “Conference Settings” on page 4-44.
• Video Sources - In Continuous Presence conferences you can select the layout of the video windows and force participants to specific windows in the layout. In addition, visual effects for the displayed video windows
(such as frames, frame color and background color) can be selected.
Visual effects are available only for conferences running on the Video+ card.
For more information, see “Video Sources” on page 4-71.
Additional video settings can be configured for video conferences to allow greater customization and options during video conferences.
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•
•
•
Highest Common Mechanism
In Video Switching conferences, the Highest Common mechanism enables the MCU to select the optimal video parameters for the conference according to the highest video capabilities that are common to all the endpoints participating in the conference.
The selected common video is dynamically adjusted with each participant connection to or disconnection from the conference. The Highest Common mechanism is available with both H.320 and H.323 endpoints, but is not available with SIP endpoints.
The Highest Common mechanism improves the connectivity between endpoints, eliminates Secondary connections, and facilitates Entry Queue
Access and participant’s moves during conferences.
The Highest Common mechanism is enabled in the Conference Properties -
Settings dialog box by setting the basic video parameters to Auto.
•
•
The Highest Common mechanism in Video Switching conferences supports:
Video Protocol (including H.263 and H.264)
Video Format
Frame Rate
H.263 Annexes (N, F, T and I)
ProMotion (NTSC or PAL Interlaced Video)
•
The Highest Common mechanism does not support the following options:
Cascading conferences. The Highest Common mechanism is disabled in
Cascading conferences. When defining a Cascading conference, all the cascaded conferences must be set to the same video protocol.
• H.264*/H.264L video protocols. Only the standard H.264 video protocol is supported with the Highest Common mechanism.
Dual Stream Mode - People & Content V0 and Visual Concert PC & FX.
•
For a detailed description of Cascading conference options, see “Defining
Cascading Conferences” in the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 1, “Advanced Conference Settings”.
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Additional Video Conference Types
Video conference settings can include additional features, for example to increase the number of participants in a single conference or to allow application sharing during the conference.
Conference On Port (COP)
In a Conference On Port, all participants use a single video port for the conference. This enables the selection of a video layout for the conference but all the participants, including the speaker, view the same layout and the same participants. Personal layout selection is not available in COP and the video quality is determined by the highest common video parameters and by the video line rate.
In order to maintain a minimum video quality for a Conference On Port, there is a minimum threshold line rate that participants must support in order to connect with video. This minimum threshold line rate is determined according to the conference Line Rate. For example, in a conference defined with a Line Rate of 768 Kbps, a participant with a line rate of 128 Kbps will connect as Secondary (Audio Only), in order to preserve the video quality of the conference.
The minimum line rates necessary to connect to a Conference On Port are
listed in Table 4-1. Participants attempting to connect at rates below the
minimum threshold are connected as Secondary (Audio Only).
Table 4-1: Conference On Port Line Rate - Minimum Thresholds
Defined Conference
Line Rate (in Kbps)
Minimum Participant Line Rate Necessary for
Video Connection (in Kbps)
128
256
384
512
768
1920
Participants will connect with video if a video session can be established.
128
128
256
384
768
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Conference On Port setting is suitable for large Continuous Presence conferences (up to 128 participants for a single video card) for which you do not have enough available video resources or if several Continuous Presence conferences are running on the MCU at the same time and you do not have enough video resources to run all of them simultaneously.
Conference On Port guidelines:
•
Limited to 128 participants with a single video card
•
Available only with the Video+ card
•
Lecture Show function is disabled
•
Not available with Cascading conferences
•
Dual Stream Mode
In this mode, the endpoint sends two separate video streams: video and data.
The video streams are treated differently by the endpoint, and may be shown on separate screens. Depending on the endpoints that send and receive the video streams, the following dual stream modes are available:
H.239/People+Content
•
•
People and Content V0
Polycom Visual Concert (PC/FX)
•
Duo Video
For a detailed description of Dual Stream Mode video conferences, see the
MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1, “Advanced Conference
Settings”.
Lecture Mode
Lecture Mode allows you to designate one participant as the lecturer. The lecturer is the only one seen by all the other participants throughout the conference, in full screen. Lecture Mode enables automatic switching between the conference participants in the speaker window, allowing the conference speaker to see all the other conference participants (one participant after the other or all of them in a Continuous Presence layout).
For a detailed description of Lecture options that can be set in a video
conference, see Chapter 10, “Lecture and Presentation Options”.
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Cascading
Cascading enables users to run conferences that are distributed among two or more conferences and MCUs. A participant who dials from one MCU to another establishes the link between the conferences.
The conferences that are part of a cascading conference may be run:
•
• on the same MCU, to overcome the maximum number of participants per conference on separate MCUs, to utilize additional resources or connect participants to their local MCU
In addition, you can enable H.239 People+Content dual stream mode conferences with H.323 cascading.
The Highest Common mechanism is disabled in Cascading conferences. When defining a Cascading conference, all the cascaded conferences must be set to the same video protocol.
For a detailed description of Cascading conference options, see “Defining
Cascading Conferences” in the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 1, “Advanced Conference Settings”.
For information about H.243 and MIH Cascading conferencing, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 5.
H.243 Chair Control
Chair Control enables an endpoint to control the conference and other conference participants. This (Chairperson) endpoint that has control over the conference, can perform the following operations:
•
•
Disconnect participants
Video Force – select the endpoint to be seen by other participants. Only one participant can be selected – this participant is displayed in the top left window
•
Terminate the conference
For information about H.243 Chair Control conferences, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 5, “H.243 Chair Control”.
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LSD (Low Speed Data) - FECC (Far End Camera Control)
Using certain video cameras and their accompanying software, a participant can control a far-end camera.
For a detailed description of the LSD and FECC options for video conferences, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 1
“Advanced Conference Settings”.
Greet and Guide Conference
Greet and Guide settings are used with an attended conference that has an AV
Message Service assigned to it, to enable the operator to move participants from one stage to another during their connection to the conference. An AV
Message Service is a set of audio messages (two per Message Service) and a video slide assigned to a conference. This set is activated when a participant connects to an attended conference to which the set is assigned.
Greet and Guide conferences are run on the standard Audio card. If an
Audio +card is installed in your MCU, you can use the IVR-enabled conferencing.
•
•
The two types of the Greet and Guide - Attended conference are:
Welcome (No Wait) conference
The participant is greeted by a video slide and the audio message when connecting to the conference. After a predefined period, the participant automatically connects to the conference without the operator’s assistance.
Attended (Wait) conference
The participant is greeted by the video slide and by the audio message, and then waits for the operator’s assistance in the Participants Queue.
For more details see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 2, “AV Message Services and Greet and Guide Conferences”.
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T.120 Conference
The MGC Manager enables you to define conferences using the T.120 standard that contains a series of protocols and specifications for application sharing in multi point data communications. The following options are available, depending on the participant equipment and software:
•
Application sharing allowing two or more conference participants to work on the same document/application even if only one participant has the application. In application sharing, one participant launches the application and it runs simultaneously on all the other computers.
File transfer to all conference participants.
•
• Chat or “Whiteboard” in which participants communicate with each other by writing.
In all these modes, the participants can view and hear each other.
For more information on advanced video settings, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1, “Advanced Conference Settings”.
Media Encryption
Encryption is available at the conference and participant level, based on AES
128 Media Encryption and DH 102 Key Exchange standards.
For detailed information on encryption, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide
Volume II, Chapter 1, “Media Encryption”.
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Conference Types by Media
Table 4-2 details the conference and session types according to Audio and
Video media options.
Table 4-2: Conference Types by Media
Media Conf Type
Audio
Network
Standard and
Meeting
Room
All:
ISDN, ATM,
MPI, T1- CAS,
IP
Video
Session Type Availability
Audio Only Available for ISDN and IP.
Requires an MGC unit equipped with an Audio+ card.
Audio Only
Audio Only Operator
IP only
All:
ISDN, ATM,
MPI, T1- CAS,
IP
IP only
Standard and
Meeting
Room
All:
ISDN, ATM,
MPI, T1- CAS,
IP
Operator
IP only
Audio Only
•
Video
Switching
•
Transcoding
•
Continuous
Presence
—
Classic
—
Quad
Views
•
Video
Switching
•
Transcoding
•
Continuous
Presence
—
Classic
—
Quad
Views
—
Software
Transcoding All:
ISDN, ATM,
MPI, T1- CAS,
IP
IP only Transcoding
Video conferences connect T1-CAS endpoints as Audio
Only.
Software CP is available for IP only conferences.
Video conferences connect T1-CAS endpoints as Audio
Only.
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MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Conference Media Type According to MCU Configuration
The functional modules installed in the MCU determine the conferences that can be run by the MCU.
Table 4-3 lists the currently available conference types and functionalities as
applicable to specific MCU configurations.
Table 4-3: Conference Types According to MCU Configuration
MCU Configuration
Available
Conference
Types
Audio Only
•
Audio+
•
Net-2/4/8 ISDN card
•
IP card (optional)
Functionality
•
Audio+
•
Net-2/4/8 ISDN card
•
Net-2/4/8 T1-CAS card (optional)
•
IP card (optional)
Audio Only
•
Enables Standard/Meeting Rooms/
Meet Me Per Conference Audio Only conferences
•
IVR enabled features
•
Entry Queues
•
Enables ISDN and PSTN participants
•
Enables VoIP (H.323) participants if an IP card is installed (SIP participants require installation of an
IP+ card)
•
Enables Standard/Meeting Rooms/
Meet Me Per Conference Audio Only conferences
•
Enables IVR features
•
Entry Queues
•
Enables ISDN,T1-CAS and PSTN participants
•
Enables VoIP (H.323) participants if an IP card is installed
(SIP participants require installation of an IP+ card)
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Table 4-3: Conference Types According to MCU Configuration (Continued)
MCU Configuration
Available
Conference
Types
•
•
•
•
•
•
Audio+
•
Video+
•
Net-2/4/8 ISDN card
•
IP card
•
MUX card
•
•
•
•
•
Audio
Video
Net-2/4/8 ISDN card
IP card
MUX card
Audio+
Video+
Net-2/4/8 ISDN card
IP+ card
MUX+ card
Functionality
Video and Audio
•
Enables Standard/Meeting Rooms/
Meet Me Per Conference Video conferences
•
Enables ISDN and PSTN participants
•
Enables VoIP (H.323) participants
(SIP participants require installation of an IP+ card)
•
No IVR-enabled features
•
No Entry Queues
•
No Video+ capabilities
•
No encryption capabilities
Audio Only
Video and Audio
•
Enables Standard/Meeting Rooms/
Meet Me Per Conference Video conferences
•
Enables VoIP (H.323) participants
(SIP participants require installation of an IP+ card)
•
IVR-enabled features
•
Audio Only and Video Entry Queues
•
COP conferences
•
Video+ capabilities
•
No encryption capabilities
Audio Only
Video and Audio
•
Enables Standard/Meeting Rooms/
Meet Me Per Conference Video conferences
•
Enables VoIP (H.323) participants
•
Enables SIP participants
•
IVR-enabled features
•
Audio Only and Video Entry Queues
•
COP conferences
•
Video+ Capabilities
•
Encryption capabilities
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MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Configuration Guidelines
IVR-enabled Video conferences and Entry Queue Access conferences require the installation of the Audio+ card in the MCU.
Video Continuous Presence conferences are routed to the Standard Video card. The operator can change this selection manually when setting up the conference, in the Conference Properties - Resource Force dialog
box. See “To modify the automatic card selection by the MCU:” on page 4-83.
Video Continuous Presence conferences set to Quad Views and COP conferences with or without any visual effects, and Continuous Presence conferences with visual effects, are all routed to the Video+ card.
Video conferences that run on MCUs that include both the Standard
Audio and the Audio+ cards, use the Standard Audio card by default unless an IVR service is assigned to the conference. In that case, the conference is run on the Audio+ card.
Running Video Switching conferences on the Standard Audio card limits the maximum number of participants in a conference to 16 (12 video and
4 audio-only). The operator can increase the number of participants up to
30, by setting the Audio Bridge component of the standard Audio card to
1/30 in the “system.cfg”. For more details, see the MGC Manager User’s
Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1, “Advanced Conference Settings”.
Audio Only conferences are automatically routed to the Audio+ card, to enable the IVR functionality.
With the Audio+ card, up to 100 participants at 128 Kbps can connect to one Video Switching conference, without special configuration.
The Audio+ 12/24, 24/48 and 48/96 cards support T1-CAS participants.
Video conferences that run on MCUs with a Video+ card, have additional features such as Quad Views, Visual Effects, and activation of the Click&View application on the participant endpoint’s screen.
Operator conferences can run on both Standard Audio and Audio+ cards depending on the type of conference that is managed by the operator.
IVR-enabled conferences use the Audio+ card while AV (Welcome/
Attended) conferences use the Standard Audio card. The Operator conference should be set according to the installed card capabilities.
Encrypted conferences require MUX+ cards.
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Chapter 4 - Setting Up Conferences
Defining On Going Conferences
You can reserve a conference in advance or request to start a conference as soon as possible. A conference can be attended or unattended.
An On Going Conference is a conference that starts immediately or when the scheduled reservation date and time is reached and the conference is automatically activated.
•
Defining new Meet Me per Conferences and Meeting Rooms is described in
• Defining new Entry Queues and Operator conferences is described in
•
Defining new Reservations is described in Chapter 9.
Preparatory Tasks
Before you start setting up a new conference, it is recommended to check the dial-in numbers defined in the ISDN Network Service, the IP Service Prefix defined in the IP Network Service (for H.323 dial in) and the participants’ endpoint connection parameters (dial number and video capabilities).
Defining a New Audio Only Conference
For the description of the Audio Only conferences definition, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition, Chapter 2, “Defining Standard
Audio Only Conferences and Reservations”.
If the Audio Look and Feel mode is set for the system, the conference properties and defaults are automatically set to Audio Only and the video parameters are hidden. The Audio Look and Feel mode is set in the MGC Manager Options menu. For more details, refer to the MGC Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 5.
If Audio Look and Feel is not set for the conference, selecting Audio Only in the
Media
box causes the conference properties to display only audio related parameters and hide the video properties as in Audio Look and Feel mode.
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MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Defining a New Video Conference
The following procedure describes how to define a new video conference that starts immediately.
To define a new On Going video conference:
1.
Connect to an MCU and expand its options tree. For details, see
Chapter 3, “MGC Manager Basics”.
2.
Right-click the On Going Conferences icon, and then click New
Conference.
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Chapter 4 - Setting Up Conferences
The Conference Properties - General dialog box opens.
4-36
•
•
•
•
The conference properties are logically grouped in the following tabs:
General—lets you define the basic conference parameters, such as name, duration, password and type of access. Here you also define the conference type, media, network and type of video session.
Settings—lets you define the conference video options, such as COP,
FECC, Encryption, cascading and more, as well as the media technical parameters, such as line rate, audio algorithms, and video options.
Participants—lets you set options for participant connections, and add participants from the Participants database/templates, or define new participants.
Video Sources—lets you select the preferred video display and layout when the video session is Continuous Presence (not applicable with other types of video session) and to enable the Lecture Mode (not applicable with Continuous Presence-Software).
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
•
•
•
Resource Force—lets you view and select the Audio and Video resources to run the conference according to the available MCU resources. If your
MCU contains both standard Audio and Audio+ cards and standard
Video and/or Video+ cards, you can select the Audio card type and/or the
Video card type to run the conference.
Recording—lets you define recording options for the current conference.
Meet Me per Conference—lets you define Meeting Rooms and Meet Me
Per Conference reservation templates. Enabled only when the Meet Me
Per Conf option is selected in the General properties.
Conference General Parameters
The options in Properties-General tab allow the setup of different types of conferences according to their general properties. Selections made in this dialog box affect the other On Going Conference parameters, and enable other tabs.
To define the conference General parameters:
3.
Define the following parameters:
Table 4-4: Conference Properties - General
Field/Option
Name
Duration
Billing
MCU
Description
(Mandatory) Enter a unique conference name, using up to
80 characters.
Note: If the same name is already used by another conference, Meeting Room, Entry Queue, or Reservation in the same or partially overlapping time frame, the MGC
Manager displays an error message requesting you to enter a different name.
Define the duration of the conference using the format
HH:MM (default 2:00, maximum 99:59).
For example, to define a duration of 30 minutes, enter
0:30. For duration of 90 minutes, enter 01:30.
Enter the conference billing code. The billing code can be assigned to the conference by your reservation system or it can be allocated by the conference chairperson or contact person.
Displays the name of the MCU to which you are currently connected (read-only).
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Chapter 4 - Setting Up Conferences
Table 4-4: Conference Properties - General (Continued)
Field/Option
Conf. Entry
Password
Web/Chairperson
Password
Numeric ID
Description
Enter a numeric password that participants will use to access the conference. If left blank, the MCU automatically assigns a password to the conference once the conference definition is completed (provided the MCU is configured to automatically assign passwords).
For more details about the MCU configuration, see the
MGC Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 5, “Edit system.cfg”.
Note: This field is applicable only to IVR-enabled conferences which are configured to prompt for the entry password, or to conferences accessed from an Entry
Queue that use passwords as the routing method.
Enter a numeric password that participants will use to identify themselves as the conference chairperson. This password is only required in IVR-enabled conferences that are configured to prompt for the chairperson password.
Note: In Standard Video conferences, this password is only required for accessing the conference properties from the WebCommander application.
Each conference must be assigned a unique identification number. Numeric IDs (NID) are required for routing purposes when accessing the conference from the Entry
Queue (when the selected routing method is numeric ID) and for dialing to the conference from an H.323 endpoint, as part of the dialing string. NID can be assigned manually or automatically.
To manually assign the NID, enter a number in the length
(the number of digits) defined in the appropriate flag in the
“system.cfg” file. If the Numeric ID is already in use in another Entry Queue or conference, an error message will be displayed.
If you do not assign the Numeric ID, the MCU automatically assigns one after the completion of the conference definition when the conference is saved on the
MCU.
Note: If the MCU is configured to support only automatic assignment of Numeric IDs, then this field is disabled and the system automatically assigns a Numeric ID after you save the conference on the MCU.
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Table 4-4: Conference Properties - General (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Entry Queue
Access
Select this option to force participants to access the conference via an Entry Queue. Once the participants are connected to the Entry Queue, they enter the correct conference Numeric ID or password (depending on the
MCU configuration) to join the conference.
When this option is selected:
• ISDN participants dial the EQ dial-in number
• H.323 participants dial the IP Network Service Prefix and the Entry Queue Numeric ID
•
SIP participants enter the Entry Queue URI
See “Defining Participant Properties” on page 4-101.
Meet Me Per Conf
Select this option to enable the Meet Me Per Conference conference. The Meet Me Per Conf tab appears.
Meet Me Per conference allows “undefined” participants to connect to a conference by dialing a pre-defined dial-in number. “Undefined” participants are not defined prior to the conference start.
Note: If the Entry Queue Access conference is set as Meet
Me Per Conf, a separate dial-in number is assigned to the conference, which participants can use to connect to the conference directly (not via an Entry Queue). If you do not require the direct dialing to the conference and to save dial-in numbers, select either the Meet Me Per Conf option or the Entry Queue Access option.
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Chapter 4 - Setting Up Conferences
Table 4-4: Conference Properties - General (Continued)
Field/Option
User Defined 1-3
Description
The User Defined fields enable you to enter general information for the conference, such as the company name, the contact person name, the contact person’s
E-mail or telephone number, or any other required information.
Note:
• The User Defined fields are displayed only if the Show
User Defined Fields in Conference Parameters option is selected in the Database Manager -> Defaults
->User Defined Defaults.
•
The titles of the User Defined fields can be modified in the Database Manager -> Defaults -> User Defined
Defaults and loaded to the MGC Manager application.
For details of defining the titles see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 6, “Defining User
Defined Defaults”. For a description on how to load the user defined default titles,
User Defined Default Set to the MGC Manager
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MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Table 4-4: Conference Properties - General (Continued)
Field/Option
Conference Type
Media
Supported
Network
Description
Select the type of conference you are defining:
• Standard - Select this option if you are defining an
On Going Conference that is scheduled or intended to start immediately, and when started, allocates the required MCU resources. When this conference ends it is deleted from the MCU.
• Meeting Room - Select this option to define a new
Meeting Room. A Meeting Room is a passive conference that is reserved without resource allocation and is automatically activated when the first participant
dials in and joins the conference. For more details see
Chapter 7, “Meet Me per Conferences and Meeting
• Operator - Select this option to define an Operator conference, to enable the attended conferencing mode, and to enable the operator’s assistance for
Entry Queues and IVR-enabled conferences as well as
Greet and Guide Video conferences. For more details
see Chapter 8, “Entry Queues, Operator Conferences, and Attended Conferencing”.
See also “Conference Types” on page 4-6.
Select Audio to define an Audio Only conference with
VoicePlus capabilities such as IVR Service, Roll Call etc.
For a detailed description, refer to the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition.
Select Video, Audio for video conferences that can include
Audio Only participants in addition to video participants.
Select the network to be used by participants to connect to this conference.
•
IP - Select this option if only IP participants will connect to the conference. In addition to Classic and Quad
Views, the Software option is enabled in the Video
Session > Continuous Presence list.
• IP / ISDN / ATM / MPI - Select this option to let participants join this conference using all types of network connections. For mixed networks, two types of
Continuous Presence modes are enabled: Classic and
Quad Views.
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Chapter 4 - Setting Up Conferences
Table 4-4: Conference Properties - General (Continued)
Field/Option
Video Session
Description
Select the Video Session type for the conference:
• Video Switching - Select this option to set a conference in which all the participants use the same line rate and video and audio parameters, by setting the communication parameters to the common capabilities. Whenever a participant starts to speak, the participant is displayed in full screen on all endpoint screens. Up to 16 or 30 participants (if at least one
Audio Bridge is set to 1/30) can take part in a Video
Switching conference using the standard Audio card.
Up to 100 participants at 128 Kbps can take part in a conference running on the Audio+ card. This conference type does not use the MCU video resources.
In Video Switching conferences, the highest common mechanism is enabled for the video parameters, allowing the system to select the best video parameters that can be supported by all the endpoints currently connected to the system, and dynamically change them when a new endpoint joins or leaves the conference.
•
Transcoding - Select this option to set a conference in which participants use different line rates, video, audio and data parameters, up to the maximum line rate defined for the conference, thus maintaining the best video and audio capability that each participant endpoint can achieve with the current conference settings. As in a Video Switching session, the current speaker is displayed on all screens and switching between participants is audio activated.
•
Continuous Presence - Select this option to set a conference in which several participants can be viewed simultaneously. In this type of conference, each participant endpoint’s capabilities are used, to maintain the highest possible video, audio and data quality according to the conference settings. If the number of participants is less than or equal to the number of participants displayed, each participant can see all the other participants.
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Table 4-4: Conference Properties - General (Continued)
Field/Option
Video Session
(cont.)
Remarks
Remarks History
Description
The following Continuous Presence options are available:
— Classic - participants can be displayed in up to 9 video windows. 21 video layouts are available in this mode. Can be used with all types of Video card.
—
Quad Views - offers 8 different video layouts, including layouts that are suitable for very large conferences. This mode should be selected when the conference includes 10 participants or more.
An MCU with installed Video+ card is required.
—
Software (SWCP) - a software solution that resembles the Continuous Presence functionality, but does not use video card resources. Offers only two video layouts: 2x1 and 2x2. Implemented in IP only conferences.
Continuous Presence conferences can also be defined as Conference On Port (COP), to save video resources.
For more details, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide
Volume II, Chapter 1 “Advanced Conference Settings”.
For more details on Video Session options, see “Video
Using up to 300 characters you can enter text such as any useful information, to be viewed by other operators or the conference chairperson (via the WebCommander application). Remarks entered at the reservation stage
(conference setup) are included with conference properties and in the records that are saved to the CDR file. During an On Going conference, you can add a new entry and save it using the Update Remark button.
Note: For more information on CDR files, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Appendix A.
Displays all remarks that were entered and/or updated for this conference by operators and were saved to the CDR file. This field can be read during the conference but not at the reservation stage. Entries are shown in ascending order (latest entry showing at top of list).
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Chapter 4 - Setting Up Conferences
Conference Settings
4.
Click the Settings tab to define the conference technical parameters.
The Properties - Settings dialog box opens.
4-44
Parameters in the Conference Properties - Settings dialog box are grouped in two main areas: General Settings and Media Settings. By default only the Basic settings are displayed when you first open the dialog box. You can click the Advanced >> button to view and modify
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
the additional settings. The Advanced options remain on display, until closed by clicking the <<Basic button.
In most conference definitions you do not need to modify the Advanced parameters because the MGC Manager uses the optimal parameters (Highest
Common), based on the Video Session type, conference line rate and the endpoint’s capabilities.
However, if you do want to force the use of a specific video parameter, such as the H.264 video protocol, or to use various conferencing options such as FECC or COP, click the Advanced button.
Advanced settings are described in detail in the MGC Manager User’s Guide,
Volume II, Chapter 1, “Advanced Conference Settings”.
For more information on Highest Common mechanism, see “Highest Common
All the fields in the Settings dialog box display the default values defined in the MGC Database Manager - Conference Defaults according to the conference type selected in the Properties - General dialog box.
For more details on the Conference Defaults definition, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 6, “Defining Conference
Defaults”.
To define the conference media and additional settings:
5.
Define the following parameters:
Table 4-5: Conference Properties - Settings Parameters
Option/Field
Restricted
Description
Select this option if all participants use restricted lines whose line rate for each channel is 56 Kbps instead of
64 Kbps. If only some of the participants use restricted lines, do not select this option. Instead, select the restricted option when setting the parameters of the relevant participants and set the conference video session type to Transcoding.
Note: This option is relevant only to ISDN lines, therefore it is disabled for IP only conferences.
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Chapter 4 - Setting Up Conferences
Table 4-5: Conference Properties - Settings Parameters (Continued)
Option/Field
Line Rate
Description
Select the conference transmission rate according to the type of video session you selected.
The highest transmission rate in Transcoding and
Continuous Presence sessions is 1920 Kbps (E1). At such a rate, the number of IP participants supported by the IP network card is reduced by half, for example, from 12 to 6 participants.
The H.264 video protocol is supported at line rates of up to 384 Kbps.
For a Video Switching conference, select the highest line rate common to all participants. For example, if two participants can connect at a transfer rate of 384 Kbps and one participant can connect at a rate of 128 Kbps, set the line rate to 2B or 128 Kbps.
In a conference with participants from mixed networks
(ISDN and IP), the line rate defined for ISDN participants is also used for IP participants.
For Transcoding and Continuous Presence
conferences, define the maximum rate for the conference. The actual line rate for individual connection is defined at the participant level. If the participant’s Line Rate is set to Auto, the endpoint connects to the conference using the highest line rate possible by the endpoint up to the line rate defined for the conference (in this field). In such a case, set the conference line rate to the highest transmission rate that can be used by the participants in the conference.
For Software Continuous Presence conferences, the line rate is set at the conference level and represents the transmission rate from the MCU to the endpoint (combined video rate and audio rate). For more details regarding the line rate settings for
Software CP conferences, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1, “Software
Continuous Presence Settings”.
For Conference On Port conferences, select the estimated highest transmission rate common to all participants. The Conference On Port method forces all conference participants use the same video parameters.
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Table 4-5: Conference Properties - Settings Parameters (Continued)
Option/Field Description
Line Rate (cont.)
For example, if two participants connect at a rate of
384 Kbps and one participant connects at a rate of
128 Kbps, all participants will connect, but the video quality will be that of the 128 Kbps participant for all participants. In order to maintain a minimum video quality for a Conference On Port, there is a minimum threshold line rate that participants must support in order to connect with video. This minimum threshold line rate is determined according to the conference
Line Rate. For more details, see “Conference On Port
Notes:
• A high line rate transmission is enabled with the
Standard Video card version 1.43 and higher, or with the Video+ card.
• The MGC unit can automatically detect the line rate of incoming ISDN/IP calls of participants defined as Auto Detect and connect the participant according to their capabilities, without prior setting of the endpoint’s line rate during the conference setup. In such a case, the conference line rate is the maximum rate for the participant connection.
• The line rate of a conference with ATM participants can be either 2B, or 256 Kbps and up to 1152
Kbps, including H0 (depending on the participant's endpoint capabilities).
Video Rate
In/Out
Applicable to Software Continuous Presence only.
Displays the ratio between the incoming video rate of a single endpoint and the video rate of the outgoing stream (4 times the incoming video rate of a single endpoint). For more details, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 1, “Software
Continuous Presence Settings”.
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Chapter 4 - Setting Up Conferences
Table 4-5: Conference Properties - Settings Parameters (Continued)
Option/Field
Message
Service Type
Description
In conferences with Message Services, participants are greeted upon their connection to the MCU and are guided to their destination conferences either by an operator (attended conferences) or by menu prompts and voice messages (unattended conferences). In addition, IVR Message Services enable participants to control their connection to the conference, and chairpersons to control the conference and perform various operations. Select the type of Message
Service for the conference:
•
None - (default) Select this option to indicate a standard conference, without any services.
• Welcome (No Wait) - Select this option for a
Greet and Guide conference in which the participants are greeted by a Welcome video slide and an audio message and, after a pre-defined period, are automatically connected to the appropriate conference. For more details, see the
MGC Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 4.
• Attended (Wait) - Select this option for a Greet and Guide conference in which participants are greeted by a Welcome video slide and an audio message, and then are assisted by the operator who connects them to the appropriate conference.
For more details, see the MGC Manager User’s
Guide, Volume II, Chapter 4.
• IVR - Select this option to create an IVR-enabled conference, in which participants are guided through their connection process by an automated voice system. For a detailed description, see the
MGC Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 2.
Note:
•
The Greet and Guide options (Welcome (No Wait)
and Attended (Wait)) should only be selected if only the Standard Audio card (and no Audio+ card) is installed in your MCU.
• If an Audio+ card is installed in your MCU, select the IVR option for attended and voice guided connections to the conference.
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Table 4-5: Conference Properties - Settings Parameters (Continued)
Option/Field
Message
Service Name
Conference On
Port (COP)
Encryption
Description
If you have selected a Message Service type other than None, select the name of the AV Message
Service for Welcome (No Wait) or Welcome (Wait) conference or the name of an IVR Service for an
IVR-enabled conference.
Note: If left blank, the system automatically selects the default IVR or AV Message Service (depending on the attended conference type).
This option is available if Continuous Presence
(Classic & Quad Views) was selected as the Video
Session type (in the Conference Properties - General tab).
Click this check box to set this conference to
Conference On Port. For more details, see
“Conference On Port (COP)” on page 4-25.
For a COP session, select the estimated highest transfer rate common to all participants. This (CP
COP) method forces all conference participants to use the same video parameters. For example, if two participants connect at a rate of 384 Kbps and one participant connects at a rate of 128 Kbps, all participants will connect, but the video quality will be that of the 128 Kbps participant for all participants.
To maintain a minimum video quality for a Conference
On Port, a minimum threshold line rate must be supported by participants. This threshold is determined by the conference line rate. For example, in a conference defined with a line rate of 768 Kbps, a participant with a line rate of 128 Kbps will connect as
Secondary (audio only), in order to preserve the video quality of the conference.
For the list of line rate thresholds, see Table 4-1,
“Conference On Port Line Rate - Minimum
Select this check box to enable encryption for this conference. For more information, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 1, “Media
Encryption”.
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Table 4-5: Conference Properties - Settings Parameters (Continued)
Option/Field
SilenceIT
VTX 1000
Audio Alg
Description
Select this check box to enable automatic noisy line muting for Audio Only participants taking part in a video conference. When a noisy participant line is muted, a message is played to inform the other participants that one of them was muted due to their noisy line. SilenceIT must be enabled in the IVR
Service to be enabled for new conferences. If you enable this option while an IVR Service you assigned to the conference is not SilenceIT-enabled, the conference definition will be rejected.
See the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 2, “Using SilenceIT”.
Select this check box to create a VTX enabled conference.
Undefined participants connecting directly to VTX
1000 enabled conferences are initially assigned wide band resources. If the endpoint is not identified as
VTX, the wide band resources are subsequently released. All pre-defined participants in VTX enabled conferences are allocated wide-band resources.
Select the preferred audio algorithm for the type of conference you define. This parameter represents the compression ratio. The higher the ratio, the more processing resources are required.
The available audio algorithms are:
•
Auto
•
8 (G.729/G.723.1)
•
16 (Siren7/G.728)
•
24 (Siren14/G.722.1/Siren7)
•
32 (Siren14/G.722.1/Siren7)
•
48 (Siren14/G.722/G.711)
•
56 (G.722/G.711)
•
56 (G.711)
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Table 4-5: Conference Properties - Settings Parameters (Continued)
Option/Field Description
Audio Alg (cont.)
Audio Algorithm 8 (G.729/G.723.1) is the most compressed audio and 56 (G.711) is without audio compression. If set to “Auto”, the system tries to connect the participants using the best possible audio algorithm for the conference.
Note:
• 8 (G.729/G.723.1) is available only for IP Only conferences when the Audio+12/24, 24/48 or
48/96 is installed in the MCU.
• In Video Switching conferences, all participants must use the same audio algorithm.
Participants with endpoints that do not support the algorithm selected for the conference, are connected as
Secondary (Audio only).
• If the conference line rate is set to 2B or 128 Kbps, to achieve the best audio and video quality, select the most compressed audio algorithm for all participants in the following order: G.728, G.722,
G.711. When Siren7 (16, 24 or 32 bit) is available, select the audio algorithm in the following order:
Siren 7 (16), G.728, G.722 and G.711. Siren7 16 bit and G.728 algorithms are interchangeable, and a participant using either one is fully connected when one of them is selected as the audio algorithm.
• If the conference line rate is higher than 128 Kbps, to achieve the best audio and video quality, select the audio algorithm in the following order: G.722.1
(32), G.722.1 (24), G.722 / G711. When Siren7 (16,
24 or 32 bit) is available, select the audio algorithm in the following order: G.722.1 (32), Siren7 (32),
G.722.1 (24), Siren7 (24), G.722, Siren7 (16),
G.711.
•
Siren 14 should be used with conference rates higher than 128 Kbps, only when all endpoints support this algorithm.
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Table 4-5: Conference Properties - Settings Parameters (Continued)
Option/Field
Audio Alg (cont.)
Description
Dual Stream
Mode
• In Transcoding or Continuous Presence conferences, you can set the audio algorithm to any of the available audio algorithms as in a Video
Switching conference. If set to Auto, the system tries to connect the participants using the best possible audio algorithm according to the line rate set for the conference.
In this mode, the endpoint sends two video streams:
Video and data. The Video is based on the principle, “I see you and you see me”, while data implies “we both see the same content”. The video streams are handled differently by the receiving endpoint. The different streams may be shown on separate screens during the video session.
• None - The Dual Stream mode is unavailable.
In such a case, the Video Protocol parameter is set to Auto.
• H.239/People+Content - Enables sending two alternating video streams, People and Content for most Polycom endpoints. This is the Polycom proprietary protocol while H.239 is the industry standard.
• People and Content V0 - Polycom proprietary technology, mainly intended for PictureTel and other older endpoints. For this mode, Annex N,
Annex P and Annex F are selected by default.
•
Visual Concert PC and FX - Available with
Polycom Viewstation or Viewstation FX endpoints.
• DuoVideo - Available with Tandberg endpoints in which one conference is set as the video conference and the other as the presentation conference. Select this option when defining presentation conferences.
For a detailed description of Dual Stream options, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 1, “Dual Stream Modes”.
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Defining Advanced Conference Settings
When you click the Advanced >> button in the General Settings area of the
Conference Properties - Settings tab, additional parameters appear.
The options that are briefly described in this chapter, are detailed in the MGC
Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 1, “Advanced Conference
Settings”.
6.
To set additional parameters for the conference, click the Advanced >> button in the General pane.
Table 4-6: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - General
Option/Field
Chair Control
Cascade
Master Name
Description
Select Auto to enable one endpoint (chairperson’s) to control the conference and other conference participants.
Select None to disable this option.
This option is enabled when the Cascade field is set to None. For more details, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 5, “H.243 Chair
Control”.
Cascading enables you to run one large conference that is made up of several conferences (these conferences are not connected directly to each other). Conferences can run on different MCUs or on the same MCU (for large conferences that exceed the maximum number of participants per conference). For more details, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1,
“Cascading Conferences” and Chapter 5, “H.243
Conferences”.
This option is enabled when the Cascade option is set to Slave, and the name of the participant that acts as the link to the Master conference is selected from the Master list. For more details, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1,
“Cascading Conferences” and Chapter 5, “H.243
Conferences”.
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Table 4-6: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - General (Continued)
Option/Field
T120 Rate
FECC/LSD Rate
Conference Lock
Description
• When the conference is set to a higher line rate, the following T.120 rates are available:
H-MLP-64k; H-MLP - 128k.
Note:
• Set the same T.120 rate for all participants. This should be the highest rate common to all participants.
• When the conference line rate is 2B or 128 Kbps, selecting a higher T.120 rate results in a loss of video quality.
Enables the LSD mode on video cameras that enables participants to control their far-end camera.
Note:
• In Video Switching conferences, if an endpoint does not support LSD and cannot open the data channel, the participant connects as Audio Only
(Secondary).
•
In Continuous Presence and Transcoding conferences, endpoints that do not support LSD remain connected at their initial line rate.
For a detailed description, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 1, “Far End
Camera Control (FECC) and Low Speed Data
(LSD)”.
Select this option to lock the conference to undefined (“Meet Me”) dial-in participants and prevent them from joining the conference once it has started. Clear this check box to unlock a locked conference.
A locked conference can be unlocked while it is in an
On Going state.
Note:
This option is enabled only for Meeting Rooms and for standard conferences set as Meet-Me-Per-
Conference and Entry Queue Access, and only if the
Audio+ card is installed in the MCU.
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Table 4-6: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - General (Continued)
Option/Field
Mute “Meet Me”
Parties
Start Conf.
Requires
Chairperson
Terminate
Conference after
Chairperson Exits
Description
Select this option to automatically mute all undefined
(“Meet Me “) dial-in participants once they are connected to the conference. The participants can then be individually unmuted by the operator or the conference chairperson.
Note: This option is enabled only for Audio Only
Meet-Me-Per-Conference, Meeting Rooms and
Entry Queue Access conferences and only if the
Audio+ card is installed in the MCU.
Select this option to allow the conference to start only when the participant defined as a chairperson connects to the conference. Participants who connect to the conference before the chairperson are placed on Hold and hear background music (and see a Welcome slide when available). Once the conference is activated, the participants are automatically connected to the conference.
When the check box is cleared, the conference starts at its predefined time or when the first participant connects to it (Meeting Rooms).
Note: This option is enabled only when an IVR
Service is assigned to the conference and the
Audio+ card is installed in the MCU.
Select this option to automatically terminate the conference once the conference chairperson disconnects from the conference.
When the check box is cleared, the conference automatically ends at the predefined end time, or when all the participants have disconnected from the conference (if Auto Terminate is selected).
Note: This option is enabled only when an IVR
Service is assigned to the conference and the
Audio+ card is installed in the MCU.
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Table 4-6: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - General (Continued)
Option/Field
On Hold
Enable Invite
Auto Termination
Description
Select this option to place the conference on hold.
While in the On Hold state, all the participants hear background music (if an external device is attached to the Audio+ IO card).
Clear this check box to reinstate the conference.
Note: A conference on hold can be released and placed on hold during an On Going Conference.
This option is enabled only for Audio Only conferences and only when an IVR Service is assigned to the conference and the Audio+ card is installed in the MCU.
Select this option to enable the Invite functionality in an IVR-enabled conference. When selected, participants in the conference can invite new participants during the conference.
Note: This option can only be activated during the conference definition stage. It is valid only for conferences with an IVR service in which the Enable
Invite messages and prompts are enabled.
For more information, refer to the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition.
Select this option to automatically end the conference by the MCU and define the termination condition and the time period (in minutes) before the conference is considered idle:
• Before First Join — No participant has connected to an On Going Conference for n minutes after it started. Default is 5 minutes.
• After Last Quit — All the participants have disconnected from the conference and the conference is idle (empty) for a predefined time period. Default is 1 minute.
Since empty conferences still use resources that were reserved for them, this option is useful to save resources and billing costs.
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Defining Advanced Media Settings
When you click the Advanced >> button in the Media Settings pane of the
Conference Properties - Settings tab, additional parameters appear.
7.
To set additional parameters in the Media Settings area of the Conference
Properties - Settings tab, click the Advanced >> button.
Table 4-7: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - Media
Field/Option
Roll Call
Description
Roll Call records the participant’s name and plays it back when the participant enters and leaves a conference.
The chairperson can request a roll call in which the recorded names of all conference participants are played back to the conference at the beginning of the conference or at any time during the conference. If Roll Call is disabled for the conference but enabled in an assigned IVR service, the particpants names are recorded as they enter the conference, and can be played during the conference if enabled.
Note:
•
This option is available only for IVR-enabled conferences, and only when the Roll Call option is selected in the definition of the IVR Service assigned to the conference. It requires the installation of the Audio+ card in the MCU.
•
If Entry Tone and Exit Tone are enabled for the conference, the participant name is played back to the conference when the participant enters or leaves the conference.
• If the Roll Call option is disabled for the conference but enabled in the assigned IVR
Service, Roll Call cannot be requested during the On Going Conference. However, the participant name is recorded as the Roll Call option can be enabled during the On Going
Conference.
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Table 4-7: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - Media (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Entry Tone/Roll Call
Announcement
End Time Alert Tone
Select this option to enable the End of Conference reminder tone to be played once, to all the connected participants, n minutes before the end of the conference. This tone is unique and is embedded in the MCU's software.
Note: If the automatic extension of the conference is enabled for the MCU in the “confer.cfg” file, selecting this option also enables the automatic extension of the conference duration for this conference. For more details see the MGC
Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 5, “MCU Utilities”.
Exit Tone/Roll Call
Announcement
Select this option to enable an audio tone to be played when a participant (audio or video) connects to the conference. This tone is heard by all the participants currently connected to the conference (but not by the connecting participant).
The tone is embedded in the MCU software.
Note: If Roll Call is enabled for the conference, the
Entry Tone is replaced by a playback of the recorded participant name.
Talk Hold Time
Select this option to enable an Exit Tone, to be heard by all connected participants when a participant leaves the conference. This tone is unique and is embedded in the MCU's software.
Note: If Roll Call is enabled for the conference, the
Entry Tone is replaced by a playback of the recorded participant name.
Indicate the minimum period, in seconds, that a participant has to speak to become the main speaker. During this period, no other participant is allowed to become the main speaker. This parameter is designed to prevent participants from becoming the main speakers when coughing/ laughing or to prevent fast and frequent changes of the main speakers.
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Table 4-7: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - Media (Continued)
Field/Option
Audio Mix Depth
Pro-Motion
(Interlaced Video
Mode)
Description
Indicate how many of the loudest voices speaking at the same time are heard. The value 3 indicates that the three loudest participants speaking at the same time are heard. The maximum number of participants that can be mixed is 5.
This encoding mechanism improves the video quality in Video Switching conferences, that are set to NTSC or to PAL resolution. Select one of the available options:
• Auto
• PAL (50 fields)
• NTSC (60 fields)
• None (default)
Note:
• Select Auto to enable the Highest Common mechanism. The Highest Common mechanism is used when an endpoint using a Pro-Motion/
NTSC format enters a conference in which all endpoints are set to Pro-Motion/PAL Interlaced
Video, or vice versa.
•
When a conference is set to PAL or NTSC, then the endpoints sending unsupported Pro-
Motion video (for example, NTSC instead of
PAL or vice versa) or that do not support Pro-
Motion resolution, will connect as Secondary
(audio only).
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Table 4-7: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - Media (Continued)
Field/Option
Video Protocol
Description
The Video Protocol parameter determines the video compression standard used by the endpoints. The Video Protocol together with the
Video Format, Frame Rate and ProMotion determine the overall video quality of the conference.
Select one of the available protocols:
•
Auto - this option lets the system automatically select the appropriate compression method and enables the dynamic adjustment of the video algorithm in Video Switching conferences, according to the endpoints joining and leaving the conference. This setting overrides the Video Protocol settings in the
Participants Properties - Advanced dialog box as the dynamic mode settings are forced by the
MCU.
• H261 - the video compression standard mandatory to all endpoints.
•
H263 - a video compression standard that improves the video quality. This standard is not supported by all endpoints. If H.263 is selected in Video Switching conferences, all participants must be connected using this protocol.
Participants whose endpoint does not support
H.263 are connected as Secondary (audio only).
• H.264 - a video compression standard that improves video quality at a line rate lower than
384 Kbps. H.264 is supported with the following
Continuous Presence options: Conference On
Port (COP), Personal Layout and Click&View.
H.264 is supported in the People channel in the same way as in a standard VSW conference.
The Content channel only uses H.263.
•
H264* - a Polycom proprietary standard for video compression that improves video quality at a line rate lower than 384 Kbps. H.264* is supported by Polycom’s iPower endpoint.
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Table 4-7: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - Media (Continued)
Field/Option
Video Protocol
(cont.)
Video Format
Description
Note:
• When H.261, H.263, or H.264 is selected, the system regards it as a fixed format and disables the dynamic adjustment of the highest common video protocol.
•
The dynamic adjustment of the video protocol supports only 30 frames per second in CIF format. All other H.263 capabilities are disabled.
Specifies the resolution (number of lines in a frame and the number of pixels in each line) of video according to the selected protocol. This parameter is enabled only with the Video Switching mode and when the video protocol is H.261 or H.263. If the
Video Protocol is set to Auto, the Video Format is disabled. Select from the available options:
• Auto - allows the system to find the video format according to the participants' capabilities and enable the dynamic adjustment of the highest common video resolution. The system connects all participants in CIF format. If one of the endpoints does not support CIF, the conference video format changes to QCIF for all the participants. When a QCIF participant leaves the conference, the system automatically restores the CIF format for all the participants remaining in the conference. If you select CIF, all other participants must do the same. If a participant's endpoint does not support this format, the participant is connected as Secondary (audio only).
• QCIF (Quarter Common Intermediate Format) -
Resolution: 144 lines/176 pixels per line (onefourth the resolution of CIF).
• CIF - A video format that supports both NTSC and PAL signals. Resolution: 288 lines/352 pixels per line. Data rate up to 30 frames per second.
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Table 4-7: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - Media (Continued)
Field/Option
Video Format
(cont.)
Description
For the H.263 protocol, you can select additional options. 4CIF, VGA, SVGA, XGA and NTSC options are important for displaying content when selecting the H.239/People+Content Dual Stream mode. Typically, the People resolution is CIF of up to 30 fps, while the Content resolution is VGA,
SVGA, XGA or NTSC:
• 4CIF - Resolution: 576 pixels per line. Data rate up to 30 frames per second. 4CIF is enabled in the system.cfg file and requires the installation of the Video+ card in the MCU.
Available in Video Switching conferences when the following conditions are met:
•
The endpoint can receive 4CIF.
•
The conference line rate is set to 512 Kbps or higher. The minimum line rate for 4CIF selection is defined in the system.cfg file.
•
The appropriate layout is selected for the conference: layout is 1x1 (full screen) and the video input stream is 4CIF, or is 2x2 or
3x3.
• VGA (Video Graphics Array)
Resolution: 640 x 480 pixels
•
SVGA (Super Video Graphics Array)
Resolution: 800 x 600 pixels
• XGA (eXtended Graphics Array)
Resolution: 1024 x 768 pixels
•
NTSC (National Television Standards
Committee). 525 lines per frame, up to 16 million colors.
Note: When a video format is selected, its frame rate is displayed and, for H.263 formats, the annexes are enabled.
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Table 4-7: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - Media (Continued)
Field/Option
Frame Rate
Quality
Description
This parameter is enabled only in the Video
Switching mode and the video protocol is set by default to Auto. Determines the data rate (frames per second). A higher frame rate ensures better video quality on the endpoint’s screen.
Select:
• 7.5; 10; 15; 30 pic/sec - If you selected QCIF,
CIF, 4CIF, VGA, SVGA, XGA, or NTSC, select the frame rate to define the quality of the video transmission.
•
Auto - To enable the dynamic adjustment of the conference frame rate to the highest rate common to all endpoints currently connected to the conference.
Note: Frame Rate is automatically set to Auto and disabled when Video Format is set to Auto.
When a video format is selected, the default frame rate displayed is always the highest available -
30 pic/sec.
When 4CIF is enabled on MCU, you can define the video quality for the 4CIF transmission. Choose the appropriate option according to the type of video content:
•
Auto - to allow the system to automatically select the optimal 4CIF video quality per endpoint, based on the endpoint’s capability.
•
Motion - to optimize the video display for motion, for example when displaying a sporting event or when showing people or objects in movement.
• Sharpness - to optimize the video display for details, for example when displaying still objects, or video conference presenters or lecturers.
Note: Quality options are enabled only for Classic
and Quad Views video sessions with H.263 video protocol and 4CIF enabled on the MCU.
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Table 4-7: Conference Properties Advanced Settings - Media (Continued)
Field/Option
Annexes
Description
In Video Switching conferences set to the H.263 protocol, Annexes can be activated to improve specific aspects of video display quality.
When the Video Format is set to Auto, the system selects the appropriate annexes according to the endpoint's capabilities.
Annexes are required for the Dual Stream mode, but can also be selected independently.
You can select an the following annexes:
•
Annex N - Reference Picture Selection Mode.
It enables the conference to recover efficiently after transmission errors have occurred in the macro blocks, and were reported via a relevant message to the speaker encoder.
•
Annex P - Reference Picture Resampling. It enables the transmitting encoder to apply a resampling process to the previous decoded reference picture in order to generate a warped picture, for use in predicting the current picture.
The main purpose of this annex is to support the relationship of the current picture to a previous picture, which had a different source format, such as CIF, QCIF or 4CIF.
•
Annex F - Advanced Prediction Mode.
It enables the transmitting encoder to use four motion vectors for every macro block (one motion vector per block). A macro block is a piece of the picture that contains four blocks.
Without this annex, the transmitting encoder can only choose one motion vector for optimal prediction of the macro block.
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Participants
You can add participants to the conference either by selecting the participants from the Participant database or a Participant Template file, or by defining them directly during the On Going Conference.
8.
Click the Participants tab to add participants to the On Going
Conference.
The Conference Properties - Participants dialog box opens.
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To add participants to the conference:
9.
Add participants to the conference and define their connection method using the following options:
Table 4-8: Conference Properties - Participants Options
Field/Option
Pre-Defined
Participants
Conference
Participants
Search
New
Allow Undefined
Parties
Description
Lists the names of participants defined in the
Participant database, User template file or in the
LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) directory, depending on the selected Predefined
Participant File. The list is empty if no participant source file was selected, or if the file is empty.
Lists the names of participants who were selected from the Predefined list and added to the conference.
Use this option to search for a name when the source list is very long. Those participants whose names match the character string that you specify in this text box, are displayed in the Pre-Defined
Participants
list.
Click this button to add a new participant and define participant’s parameters during conference definition. The participant’s definition can be saved in the database or in the Participant Template file that appears in the Pre-Defined Participants file box.
For more details on defining new participants, see
“Defining Participant Properties” on page 4-101.
Select this check box to allow undefined dial-in participants to connect to the conference, without prior definition of participant properties. In such a case, participants connect to the conference until the number of participants exceeds the conference defined limit (as set in the Max Participants parameter), or the MCU configuration limit, or until the MCU resources are used up.
Note: This option is automatically selected for the
Meet Me per Conf and Meeting Room type of conference, or for conferences accessed from an
Entry Queue.
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Table 4-8: Conference Properties - Participants Options (Continued)
Field/Option
Min Participants
Max Participants
Pre-Defined
Participants File
Description
Define the total number of participants for which the system reserves resources. This number should include the number of defined participants as well as undefined participants. For example, if the conference includes two defined participants (dial-in or dial-out) and you want the system to reserve resources for three additional undefined participants, enter 5 in the Min Participants box.
If you enter 0, no resources will be reserved for the conference. However, participants will be able to connect to the conference if resources are available.
Note: The number of participants who can connect to the conference is limited by Max Participants limit
- if defined, or by the maximum number of participants per conference supported by the MCU.
Define the total number of participants who can connect to the conference at one time, taking into account both the defined and undefined participants.
This option saves resources for other conferences.
When set to Auto, the maximum number of participants is determined by the maximum number of participants in a conference supported by the
MCU, or by the availability of the MCU resources.
Displays the full path and file name of the selected database or Participant Template file from which the
Pre-Defined Participants list is read. When the On
Going Conference is defined, the system automatically lists the Participant templates in the last used list/file.
• To select participants from the database, click the
From Database button. For a detailed description of the participants from the database
options, see “To add participants from the database:” on page 4-69.
• To select a participants from a Participant
Template file, click the Browse button.
•
To list participants defined in an LDAP compatible directory, click the Directory button.
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Table 4-8: Conference Properties - Participants Options (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Add Participant
Remove
Participant
Delete Participant
To add a participant to the conference from the selected participant’s list, in the Pre-Defined
Participants list, click the name of the participant, and then click the >> button.
The name of the participant is added to the
Conference Participants list,
Note: You can select several names at a time.
To remove a participant from the conference, in the
Conference Participants list, click the name of the participant to remove and then click the << button.
The participant’s name is deleted from the
Conference Participants list but remains in the Pre-
Defined Participants list.
Note: You can select several names at a time.
Removes participants from the conference or from the Pre-defined Participants list.
To remove a participant from the conference:
In the Conference Participants list, click the name of the participant and then click the Del button.
After confirmation, the selected participant’s name is deleted from the Conference Participants list and the participant is removed from the conference.
To remove a participant from the Pre-defined
Participants File:
In the Pre-defined Participants list, click the name of the participant and then click the Del button.
After confirmation, the participant’s name is removed from the Pre-defined Participant File list, and from the selected Participant Template file or Database
Group.
Note: You can select several names at a time.
Dial-Out Manually
Select this option to designate an operatorcontrolled dial-out conference connection. If Dial-Out
Manually is checked, the operator must connect each of the dial-out participants. The participants remain in standby state until they are connected to the conference by the operator.
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•
•
•
Use one of the following methods to add participants to the conference:
Add participants from the database
Add participants from the Participant Template file
Define new participants
To add participants from the database:
a.
Click the From database... button to display the list of participants stored in the database in the Pre-Defined Participants.
If you are not logged into the database, the Database Login dialog box opens.
b.
Enter your Login Name and Password and click OK.
The Open Parties in Database dialog box opens.
c.
If more than one database is configured in your system, select the appropriate database from the Database Name list.
d.
Filter the list of participants by clicking the Name and/or Label check boxes, entering the appropriate character string in the Name field and/or selecting the appropriate label from the drop-down list.
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The Group option is enabled by default, displaying the highest
Group in the Groups hierarchy to which the logged-in user has access. You may select another group from the Groups hierarchy list. Only groups to which you have access, are listed in the Groups list.
e.
Click OK. The list of all the participants in the filtered category is displayed in the Pre-Defined Participants list, and the name of the participant’s Group is displayed in the Pre-Defined Participants File
You can now add names from this list to the Conference Participants f.
In the Pre-defined Participants list, select the participants to add to
To add participants from the user template file:
a.
Click the Browse button to list the files stored on your computer.
The Open dialog box opens letting you select the Participant
Template file (.usr).
b.
Using standard windows conventions, select the Participant
Template file and click Open.
The participants in the Participant Template file are listed in the Pre-
defined Participants list.
c.
In the Pre-defined Participants list, select the participants to add to
If you are defining a conference that allows undefined parties, that is with dial-in participants who have not been defined before the conference start (“undefined” participants), for example an Entry Queue conference or Meet Me Per
Conference, the Allow Undefined Participants option is selected by default in this dialog box.
To add participants to the conference by defining new participants:
• Click the New button to define a new participant.
The Participant Properties - Identification dialog box opens.
Defining participant properties is described in detail in “Defining
Participant Properties” on page 4-101.
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•
•
•
•
•
Video Sources
Video Sources comprise these groups of parameters:
Video Session is a read-only area which indicates which video session type and Continuous Presence mode you selected in the Conference
Properties - General dialog box.
Visual Effects determine the look of the layout windows. Using these options you can modify the color of the window background, its border and of the speaker indication in the selected video layout. These effects are applicable only to Continuous Presence conferences, and only if a
Video+ card is installed in the MCU.
Audio Muted Participants -The Unforced Participant and Audio-Muted
Participant options are active only during the On Going Conference, see
“Muting Audio for a Conference” on page 6-56.
Video Layout determines the number and the arrangement of video windows displayed on the endpoint screens. In Video Switching and
Transcoding conferences, only the full screen (1x1) video layout is available; video layout selection is applicable only to Continuous
Presence conferences. You can select the required layout and set Auto
Layout and Same Layout options for the conference.
Lecture Mode options are Lecture Mode, Lecture Show and
Presentation Mode. For a detailed description of all Lecture/Presentation options, see Chapter 10, “Lecture and Presentation Modes”.
•
The Video Sources dialog box is hidden when defining an Audio Only conference or when the MGC Manager is configured to Audio Look & Feel mode.
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To define the Video Sources settings:
10. Click the Video Sources tab to select the Video Layout and add visual queues to the video display of the conference.
The Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
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11. For Video Switching and Transcoding conferences, select the Same
Layout check box if you want the speaker to view him/herself instead of the previous speaker.
12. For Continuous Presence conferences, select the Video Layout: a.
Determine the number of windows to appear on the screen by clicking the arrow next to the numbered layout icon.
A pop up menu opens displaying the available layouts for the selected number of windows.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Different layout options are available according to the selected
Continuous Presence mode. Continuous Presence Classic video sessions can have up to nine windows, although up to 12 video participants can take part in the conference when the Standard Video card is installed. If there are 10 or more participants, voice activated switching occurs.
Continuous Presence Quad Views video sessions can have up to 16 windows. If the conference includes more than 16 participants, voice activated switching occurs.
In Software Continuous Presence, only two layout options are available: two and four video windows.
Table 4-9 lists the layouts available for each type of Continuous
Presence video session.
Table 4-9: Conference Properties - Video Sources - CP Layout Menus
CP Video
View
Classic
Video Layout Menu
Quad Views
Software
(IP only conferences)
b.
In the Video Layout area, click the thumbnail of the desired layout from the layouts bar.
The selected layout appears in the Video Layout pane.
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Table 4-10 lists the available layouts for the selected number of windows in each Continuous Presence mode.
Table 4-10: Video Windows Layout Options
Number of
Video
Windows
1
Available Layouts
Classic mode
Quad Views mode
2
Classic mode
Quad Views mode
Software mode
3
Classic mode
4
Classic mode
Quad Views mode
Software mode
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Table 4-10: Video Windows Layout Options (Continued)
Number of
Video
Windows
5+
Available Layouts
Classic mode
Quad Views mode
10+
Quad Views mode
Auto Layout
In Continuous Presence conferences you can select Auto Layout, where the system automatically selects the conference layout based on the number of participants in the conference. When a new video participant connects or disconnects, the conference layout automatically changes to reflect the new number of video participants. Audio Only participants do not affect the selected layout.
The Auto Layout option is enabled/disabled in the “system.cfg” file in the
GENERAL section. Auto Layout can be activated/deactivated during the reservation definition or during an On Going Conference.
Table 4-11 describes the video layouts that are automatically selected by the
system for Continuous Presence conferences according to the number of connected participants and the type of view - Classic or Quad.
Table 4-11: Default Layouts for CP Classic and Quad Views
Number of Video
Participants
Auto Layout for
Classic CP
Auto Layout for
Quad Mode CP
2 1x1 1x1
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Table 4-11: Default Layouts for CP Classic and Quad Views (Continued)
Number of Video
Participants
Auto Layout for
Classic CP
Auto Layout for
Quad Mode CP
9
10
11
12+
7
8
3
4
5
6
1x2
2x2
2x2
1+5
1+5
1+7
1+7
1x2
2x2
2x2
2x2
2+8
2+8
2+8
1+7 2+8
1+7
1+7
2+8
4x4
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•
Software Continuous Presence conferences cannot be set to Auto Layout.
•
The Auto Layout feature can be used with the Lecture Mode (for the lecturer display), but cannot be enabled with Lecture Show.
• Auto Layout can be used with Same Layout and Conference On Port (COP).
In this mode, the system selects the layout as if one additional participant was added to the conference to show the speaker. For example, in a standard CP conference with five participants the system shows only four windows in the layout and the speaker cannot view himself. But when Auto
Layout is used in Same Layout or COP mode, the system shows a 5-window layout for all five participants including the speaker.
To enable auto video layout for all participants:
c.
In the Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box, click the
Auto Layout check box.
The option is now enabled for this conference. When the conference is On Going, the video layout will be automatically selected according to the number of participants.
Same Layout
In addition to layout selection, you can force the selected layout on all participants of a Continuous Presence conference. This option can only be selected during the conference definition stage but not when the conference is running.
To enable the same video layout for all participants:
d.
In the Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box, click the
Same Layout check box.
The option is now enabled for this conference. During the conference, the video layout will be identical for all participants.
Video Forcing
Video forcing enables you to select the participants to be displayed in each of the layout windows. When Video Forcing is applied to a conference, self view is enabled as part of the Same Layout feature. Viewing their own video image on screen enables participants to check the quality of projection, (for example: distance, focus, lighting) and provides feedback on their presentation.
You can use this option only if participants were added to the conference (in the Participants tab).
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To force participants to a video layout window:
13. Select the participant to be viewed by all the conference participants for a specific layout window. You can force participants to a few of the Layout windows, while in the other layout windows voice activated switching is performed.
•
When the Same Layout option is selected, forcing is enabled only at the conference level. Lecture Mode and Click&View are disabled.
• In screens with an asymmetric window layout (for example 5+1, 8+1), a participant cannot be forced to the large window and to the small window simultaneously.
• Video Forcing can also be performed during the On Going Conference.
See Chapter 6, “Video Forcing” on page 6-38.
•
The Select Unforced Participant and Audio-Muted Participant options are
•
•
Visual Effects
If the Continuous Presence conference is handled by a Video+ card, you can add visual effects, such as borders and colors, to the video layouts display on the endpoints. You can also modify the visual effects when the conference is running.
•
The following modification options are available:
Background Color - the color displayed when a video window is empty, for example when the video layout contains more windows than connected participants.
Layout Border - you can add a frame around video layout windows displayed on the participant’s endpoint. The thickness of the border and its 3-D effect are fixed, but the color can be changed.
Speaker Notation - you can change the color of the border around the window of the speaker to highlight it on the endpoint display.
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The visual effects are illustrated in the Polycom ViaVideo window.
Layout
Border
Speaker Notation
Background Color
To modify the background color of a video layout window:
14. Click the arrow next to the Background color box. The Color dialog box opens.
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You can select a color from the Basic Colors swatches or mix a new color to apply to the background.
—
—
To use a color from the predefined palette, in the Basic Colors pane click the color to apply to the background and click OK. The
Background color box in the Video Sources tab shows the new color.
To mix a custom color, click the Define Custom Colors button to expand the dialog box.
The color matrix and color parameters are displayed.
Matrix cursor
Color slider
Color values
Selected color
a.
Using the cursor, click any color on the matrix. Use the color slider to adjust the color luminosity. The selected color shows in the
Color/ Solid box. Numerical values are displayed according to Red-
Green-Blue color model, and the Hue-Saturation-Luminance color model. You can also select a custom color by modifying the numerical values. b.
Click the Add to Custom Colors button to add the new color to the list of custom colors. c.
In the Custom Colors pane, click the custom color that you defined.
d.
Click OK to apply the settings.
The Color dialog box closes. The selected color is displayed as the current Background color in the Conference Properties - Video
Sources dialog box.
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Layout borders and speaker notation are added and modified in the same way.
To modify the layout border and/or the speaker notation:
15. Select the Layout Border check box to add borders to the video windows, or select the Speaker Notation check box to highlight the speaker’s window in the video layout.
16. To apply a new color to the border and/or speaker notation:
— To modify the color of the border (default color is black) of all windows in a video layout, click the arrow next to the Layout
Border color box.
— To modify the color used to highlight the window, click the arrow next to the Speaker Notation color box.
The Color dialog box opens.
17. Select a color for the Layout Border and/or the Speaker Notation, using
one of the methods described in step 14 on page 4-79.
Click OK to apply the settings.
The Color dialog box closes. The selected colors are displayed in the
Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box.
Default Colors
Modified Colors
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Resource Force
The system automatically selects the cards that will run the conference according to the conference type and MCU configuration. Audio Only conferences are always run on the Audio+ card. IVR-enabled Video conferences are run on the Audio+ card. If the video services are enabled in the IVR Service, the conference will also run on the Video+ card. Standard
Video conferences (Video Switching and Continuous Presence - Classic) are run on the Standard Audio card and Standard Video card (Continuous
Presence - Classic). If Continuous Presence - Quad Views is selected, the conference will run on the Audio+ and Video+ cards.
You can change the automatic selection of the MCU resources to run the conference. If your MCU contains both standard Audio and Audio+ cards you can select the Audio card type to run the conference. For example, if you want to ensure that the Standard Audio card is used to run the conference, to save
Audio+ resources, you can select it in this dialog box. You can also select the
Video card to run the conference.
Manually selecting the cards that will handle the conference allows you to optimize the system resources when using standard Audio and Video cards that may be vulnerable to fragmentation. For example, the MCU includes two video cards (six participants each), and you want to schedule four conferences; two conferences with two participants and two conferences with four participants. When running these conferences, the system assigns the first two conferences (with two participants each) to the same Video card, while the third conference (with four participants) is assigned to another video card. This results in insufficient resources for the fourth conference, since the same card must handle all four participants. Using the Resource
Force tab, you can place the first two conferences (with two participants each) on different video cards, saving the resources for the other two conferences (with four participants each).
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To modify the automatic card selection by the MCU:
18. Click the Resource Force tab.
The Conference Properties - Resource Force dialog box opens.
19. In the Audio area, select the type of Audio card to use for the conference and the specific card to use by selecting the MCU slot in which the card is installed. Select Auto to enable the automatic selection of the resource.
20. In the Video area, select the type of Video card to use for the conference and the specific card to use by selecting the MCU slot in which the card is installed. Select Auto to enable the automatic selection of the resource.
21. In the Data area, select the specific card to use for the conference by selecting the MCU slot in which the card is installed. Select Auto to enable the automatic selection of the resource.
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Meet Me Per Conference
The Meet Me Per Conference tab is enabled if the Meet Me Per Conference option was selected in the On Going Conference Properties - General dialog box, or if you are defining a Meeting Room. In this tab, you can assign the dial-in numbers to the conference for ISDN and IP participant connections.
Callers wishing to participate in a Meet Me Per Conference conference or
Meeting Room must dial one of the dial-in numbers, and are automatically connected to the appropriate conference.
For a description of the Meet Me Per Conference and Meeting Room options,
see Chapter 7, “Meet Me per Conferences and Meeting Rooms”.
Recording
You can enable and specify audio recording options for an On Going
Conference. These options are enabled both for Audio Only and for Audio and Video (to define recording for the audio channel of the conference). For a detailed description of Recording options and setup, refer to the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition, Chapter 8, “Recording”.
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To enable recording for an On Going Conference:
22. In the Conference Properties dialog box, click the Recording tab.
The Recording dialog box opens.
23. If required, configure recording for the conference, using the following parameters:
Table 4-12: Conference Properties - Recording
Field/Option
Enable Recording
Recording Link
Name
Start recording
Description
Select this option to enable recording.
Select the recording link from the list.
Select when to start recording the conference:
•
Immediately
•
Upon Request
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Completing the Conference Definition
24. Click OK in any of the Conference Properties tabs to complete the conference definition.
The Conference Properties dialog box closes.
If all the requirements are met and the properties are configured correctly, the new conference is added to the On Going Conferences list below the on Going Conferences icon and starts immediately. You can click the conference icon to view its status in the Status pane of the MGC
Manager main window. For information on monitoring On Going
conferences, see Chapter 5. For information on operations that can be
performed during the conference, see Chapter 6.
•
•
Resolving Scheduling Conflicts
Upon completion of scheduling a Reservation or an On Going Conference, the system checks for scheduling conflicts for individual participants.
A scheduling conflict for a participant results when two or more conferences are set up to occur at the same time or at overlapping times and contain one of the following parameters:
Participants with the same name
Participants with the same ISDN/T1-CAS phone numbers
•
Participants with the same IP address/Alias
Depending on the connection type that was defined for the participant, MGC
Manager looks for specific conflict criteria to determine if the participant is
double-booked. Table 4-13 lists these criteria:
Table 4-13: Scheduling Conflict Criteria by Connection Type
Connection Type Conflict Criteria
Dial-out H.320
Dial-out IP
Dial-in
•
Name or Phone Number(s)
•
Name and IP address or Alias
•
IP address and Alias (when both provided)
•
Name or Phone Number
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If a conflict is detected in the Reservation or in an On Going Conference, the
Participants Scheduling Conflicts window opens, listing the found data.
The following information is displayed:
Table 4-14: Participants Scheduling Conflicts window
Field/Option
Requested
Participants
Reserved
Participants
Phone/IP
Alias
Conn. Type
Conf. Name
Description
Lists the names of conflicting participants requested to join the conference currently being created.
Lists the names of participants already scheduled in previously created conferences whose parameters match those of the newly requested participant.
Lists the phone numbers or IP addresses of listed participants.
Lists the aliases of listed participants.
Indicates the participant’s connection type:
•
Dial-in
•
Dial-out
Lists the names of the conferences in which each participant is defined.
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Table 4-14: Participants Scheduling Conflicts window (Continued)
Field/Option
Conf. Type
Start Time
End Time
Description
Indicates the conference type:
•
Res. — Reservation
•
Conf. — On Going Conference
Date and start time of each conference.
Date and termination time of each conference.
The MGC Manager application checks for conflicts on the MCU on which the conference is being scheduled, while the WebCommander application checks for conflicts on multiple MCUs.
To resolve a scheduling conflict:
1.
In the Participants scheduling conflicts table, select an action: a.
Select the check boxes of non-conflicting participants in the
Requested Participants column, to retain these participants in the currently scheduled conference, or b.
Clear the check boxes of conflicting participants in the Requested
Participants column, to exclude these participants from the currently scheduled conference.
2.
Click one of the following option buttons:
• Include selected participants and schedule - Select this option to allow the system to ignore the found conflict and to schedule the conference.
• Back to reservation - Select this option to return to the current conference definition without scheduling the conference and to redefine the conference parameters.
• Cancel scheduling - Select this option to cancel the current conference definition without defining a new On Going Conference.
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Connecting to an On Going Conference
Defined dial-in participants can connect directly to the conference. Undefined participants can connect to a Standard conference via an Entry Queue, or directly if the conference is defined as a “Meet Me Per Conference” or as a
Meeting Room.
Defined ISDN Participants Dial-in
ISDN participants can dial in to a conference directly or via an Entry Queue.
For direct dial-in, the participant’s CLI (dial-in number) is added to the participant definition and the participants are given the MCU dial-in number.
When they dial the MCU number, the system recognizes their CLI number and routes them to their conference accordingly.
Defined participants connecting to a “Meet Me per Conference” use the dial-in number assigned to the conference and are connected directly to that conference. The system behaves in the same way with defined and undefined participants.
If the conference is assigned an IVR Service, conference and chairperson passwords can be assigned to the conference. In such conferences, when the appropriate prompts are played, the participant must enter the correct passwords to access the conference.
The dial-in number assigned to a “Meet Me per Conference” can be viewed in the MGC Manager main window Status pane.
To display the list of On Going Conferences, and their assigned dial-in numbers, click the On Going Conferences icon in the Browser pane.
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You can add defined participants during an On Going Conference. For more
details, see Chapter 6, “Adding New Participants to a Conference”.
For detailed information about defining an Entry Queue and accessing a
conference via an Entry Queue, see Chapter 8, “Entry Queues, Operator
Conferences, and Attended Conferencing”. For information about defining an
Audio Only Entry Queue, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 5, “Meeting Rooms and Entry Queues”.
Defined H.323 Participants Dial-in
Simple Dial-In Settings (No Gatekeeper)
In simple dial-in, no gatekeeper is required if the participant uses the IP address of the card to dial-in. The participant is provided with the IP address of the IP card installed in the MCU. The participant enters this IP address when dialing to the conference. When connecting, the participant is routed to the appropriate IP card according to the specified IP address. The system determines the target conference according to the participant’s IP address entered during the participant properties definition.
MCU
IP:172.22.138.146
Conference1
MG323 module A
Conference2
MG323 module B
IP:172.22.138.148
Endpoint IP:
196.123.38.129
IP:172.22.138.146
IP:172.22.138.148
LAN
Endpoint IP:
196.123.38.146
IP:172.22.138.146
Endpoint IP:
196.123.12.89
Figure 4-5: H.323 Participant Simple Dial-in (No Gatekeeper)
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In simple dial-in, the MGC Manager operator must manage the system resources by giving the appropriate IP address of the IP card to each of the participants.
In this mode, resource sharing between IP cards is unavailable. If eleven ports are taken by currently defined participants, it will be impossible to add a twelfth participant who requires two ports, even if another card has enough ports to allocate to that participant.
Simple Dial-In Settings (With Gatekeeper)
When using an H.323 alias to dial in to the MCU, a gatekeeper is required to provide address translation and routing to the IP card. When the participant connects to the conference, the participant enters the alias of the IP card as the dialing string. The Gatekeeper routes the call to the appropriate IP card according to the dialed alias. MGC Manager determines the conference to which the participant is assigned according to the participant’s defined alias or IP address. The aliases for the participant and the card must be defined in the E.164 format, that is, using digits 0-9, * and #.
Endpoint IP:
196.123.38.129
Alias: 259
MCU
IP:172.22.138.146
Alias: 146
Conference1
MG323 module A
Dials 146
Endpoint IP:
196.123.38.146
Alias: 256
Dials 146
LAN
Gatekeeper
146
148
Conference2
MG323 module B
IP:172.22.138.148
Alias: 148
Dials 148
Endpoint IP:
172.123.12.89
Alias: 268
Figure 4-6: H.323 Participant Simple Dial-in (with Gatekeeper)
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Advanced Dial-In
In advanced dial-in, one IP Network Service is defined for all the IP cards installed in the system. This IP Network Service is registered in the gatekeeper using a prefix (which is defined in the E.164 format, that is, using digits 0-9, * and #). This IP Network Service Prefix is also entered in the IP
Network Service Properties - H.323 dialog box and is given to the participants as the dial-in number.
Endpoint IP:
196.123.38.129
Alias: 259
Endpoint IP:
196.123.38.146
Alias: 256
MCU
Conference1
Participant 1 alias: 256
Participant 2 alias: 259
Participant 3 alias: 378
Conference1
IP card A
Endpoint dials 45
Endpoint dials 45
Conference2
Participant 1 alias: 268
Participant 2 alias: 281
Participant 3 alias: 224
Conference2
IP card B
LAN
Gatekeeper
Network
Service
Prefix=45
Dials 148
Endpoint IP:
172.123.12.89
Alias: 268
Figure 4-7: Advanced Dial-in H.323 Participant
When the participants dial in, the call arrives at the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper locates the MCU and tries to allocate a port from the first free IP card. If the resource is available, the participant is connected and routed to the appropriate conference according to the IP address/alias as defined in the
Participant Properties dialog box. If the resource is unavailable from the first
IP card, the system will look for the port on any available IP cards, and allocate the resources automatically, according to their availability. If no port is available, the connection will be rejected.
In this mode, the system is enabled to automatically allocate resources to run conferences, saving you time and effort in scheduling conferences.
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You can view the Network Service Prefix in the Network Service Properties -
H.323 dialog box.
The gatekeeper’s behavior is dependent on the type of gatekeeper service chosen as the Service Mode (in the IP Network Service Properties - H323 dialog box).
Currently, only Polycom, RadVision and VCON MXM gatekeepers are known to support the Network Service Prefix option. Gatekeepers of other manufacturers may encounter problems while defining such a conference.
For gatekeeper functionality and interoperability, see the MGC Manager
Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 3, “Defining an IP Network Service”.
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SIP Connections
SIP UA
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DNS server
SIP server
MCU
SIP UA
Figure 4-8: Typical SIP Conferencing Layout
Dial-in Scenario—SIP Environment
Participants can dial in to an Entry Queue, or directly to a conference or to a
Meeting Room. Using an Entry Queue minimizes the number of conferences that require registration with the SIP server, as it can use a single URI address or a limited number of addresses for all the dial-in connections.
A new conference reservation or Entry Queue is defined. The conference or the Entry Queue registers with the SIP proxy. The SIP participant registers with the registrar, and provides authentication if required (non-trusted mode).
Usually, for SIP conferencing, an Ad Hoc Entry Queue is used. In this scenario, the first participant dials the Entry Queue and creates a new conference, while the other conference participants dial directly to the conference using the conference name or numeric ID. The SIP participant uses the Entry Queue URI to access the Entry Queue.
The Entry Queue URI is dialed in the format:
Entry Queue name@domain name.
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For example,
- where the Entry Queue name is EQ1.
When dialing from a Microsoft Windows Messenger endpoint (which does not have DTMF capabilities), the first participant (who, in Ad Hoc conferencing, creates the new conference) enters the Entry Queue name followed by the target conference name and the numeric ID in the format:
EQ name(target conference name)(target conference numeric ID).
For example,
EQ1(sales)(12345)
.
In this example, the Entry Queue name is EQ1, and a new On Going
Conference by the name sales with the numeric ID 12345 will be created on the MCU.
You do not need to add the domain name to the conference name as it is automatically added by Microsoft Windows Messenger when sending the request to the SIP server.
The other conference participants can connect to the conference directly by entering either sales or 12345.
Participants can connect to an Entry Queue, and then they are routed to the destination conference using the conference password or the conference numeric ID (depending on the MCU configuration).
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Direct Dial-in Scenario—SIP Environment
If the IP address of the MCU IP card is known, a direct endpoint to MCU connection is possible, but not recommended. This direct connection uses the
Redirect mode only.
The SIP endpoint dials the IP address of the IP card or its host name.
SIP UA
MCU
SIP UA
SIP UA
Figure 4-9: SIP Environment - Dial-in and Dial-out
Dial-out Scenario—SIP Environment
The dial-out scenario is identical to the dial-in scenario, except for the initiating party, that is the MCU. In dial-out conferences, the endpoint clients need to be registered, so the registrar can provide location details when the
MCU invites them to join the conference.
For example, the MCU dials:
.
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Mixed Environments Conference Scenario
In mixed environments, participants can connect to the same conference on the MCU either over ISDN or over IP.
SIP Proxy
SIP UA
Gatekeeper
MCU
(media mixer)
IP participant
PBX switch
ISDN participant
Figure 4-10: SIP Mixed Environment
After establishing a connection to the conference (each over its corresponding network), the signaling and media channels reach the MCU.
The processed media is sent back by the MCU to H.323 and SIP participants via the IP+ card and to ISDN participants via the Net card.
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Starting an On Going Conference from a
Reservation Template
Using a Reservation template, you can schedule a conference to start immediately (On Going Conference), or to start automatically at a predefined date and time (Reservation).
For information on defining a Reservation template, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 7, Reservation Templates”.
To start an On Going Conference from a Reservation Template:
1.
Connect to an MCU.
2.
If you are not logged in to the database, log in now. For details, see
Chapter 3, “Templates Database” on page 3-33.
3.
On the DataBase menu, click Open D.B. Reservation Template and then select the database storing the Reservation template.
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The Reservations in Database window opens.
4.
Expand the Groups hierarchy until you locate the desired Reservation template.
5.
Right-click the icon of the Reservation template to schedule, and then click Start Immediately.
If only one MCU is connected to the MGC Manager, the On Going
Conference is started on that MCU.
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If you are connected to more than one MCU, an arrow appears next to
Start Immediately option. Click the arrow to display the list of MCUs and then click the name of the MCU to use for running the conference.
Alternatively, click the Start option to schedule a conference to start now, modifying its properties (such as name, duration, passwords etc.) or to schedule the conference to start later (Reservations). For more details,
see Chapter 9, “Conference Reservations”.
The conference begins. An entry for the conference is added to the On
Going Conferences list in the Browser pane of the main window.
•
When starting an On Going Conference, the system checks if the participants assigned to this conference are already included in any other On
Going Conference or Reservation that is scheduled to start at the same time.
If such participants are found, the Duplicate Booking dialog box opens listing
the conflicting participants. For more details, see “Resolving Scheduling
• If the MCU does not have enough resources to run the conference, an appropriate error message is displayed.
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Defining Participant Properties
You can define new participants while setting up an On Going Conference or a Reservation. In addition, you can define a participant template in the
Participant Templates Database/Participant Template file. When defining the participant during an On Going Conference, the participants default parameters are set according to the conference media and type. For example when defining the participant during an On Going Audio Only conference, the Audio Only check box is selected, and only Audio Only participants can be defined.
•
To define a new participant during an On Going Conference or
Reservation Definition:
In the Conference Properties - Participants dialog box, click the New button.
The Participant Properties - Identification dialog box opens.
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For more details on how to define a participant template, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 7, “Participant Templates”.
For ISDN and T1-CAS Audio Only participants, see the MGC Manager User’s
Guide, VoicePlus Edition, Chapter 2, ”Defining Participant Properties”.
ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant Definition
To define a new ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS participant:
When defining a new participant, the Participant Properties -
Identification dialog box opens.
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1.
Define the following parameters
Table 4-15: ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant - Identification
Field/Option
Name
Description
Enter a unique name for the participant, using up to
80 characters.
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Table 4-15: ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant - Identification (Continued)
Field/Option
Connection Type
Interface Type
Description
Select the connection type:
• Dial-in - Participants call the MCU at conference time. You provide the participant with the MCU’s dial-in number. When selecting this type, the
Meet Me Per options are enabled. This connection type is applicable to ISDN, ATM and
MPI interfaces.
Note: Dial-in T1-CAS participants can only connect as undefined participants.
•
Dial-out - At the predefined conference start time, the MCU calls the participant. When defining the participant, you must enter the participant’s number.
Note: If the Dial-Out Manually option is disabled in the Conference Properties - Participant tab, the MCU automatically calls the participant at conference time. If this option is enabled, the operator must connect the participant.
•
Direct - For participants who are directly connected to the MCU through a leased line.
This connection type is applicable to ISDN, MPI, and T1-CAS interfaces. No dialing is required.
Select the network type used by the participant to connect to the conference:
•
ISDN - for participants connecting via ISDN or
PSTN lines.
• ATM - for participants using the ATM network.
• MPI - for participants using a serial connection.
• T1-CAS - for participants using a Channel
Associated Signaling (CAS) connection. As T1-
CAS participants are Audio Only, the MCU must be configured to allow them in video conferences. For more details on the definition of
Audio Only T1-CAS participants, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition,
Chapter 2, Defining Participant Properties”.
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Table 4-15: ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant - Identification (Continued)
Field/Option
Participant
Numbers
MCU Numbers
Extension/
Identifier String
Description
This parameter is enabled for the Dial-out connection type, or when the Dial-in Meet Me Per Conference -
MCU option is selected.
Type the participant’s number (including country and area codes when required) to be dialed by the operator when connecting the participant to the conference. Add a semicolon (;) between numbers when several numbers are to be assigned to a participant (one for each channel). For example,
9251222; 9251223; ….;9251xxx (in aggregation mode).
If the Meet Me Per MCU option is enabled, the CLI number is used to identify the participant and route them to the appropriate conference. Enter the participant’s CLI number.
Note: In order to support Bonding with specific telecommunication switches, the pound key (#) symbol needs to be added to the Dial-out number sequence.
(Available only for the Dial-in connection)
Enter the MCU number as allocated to the MCU by the carrier. The dial-in numbers are defined in the
ISDN Network Services - Span dialog box. Add a semicolon (;) between numbers when several numbers are to be assigned to the MCU.
If left blank, when the conference starts the MCU automatically assigns a dial-in number from the list of numbers defined in the ISDN Network Service.
Note: During an On Going Conference, the MCU numbers are listed in the Network+Phone/IP column of the main window Status pane. The format (number of digits) depends on how the dial-in numbers are forwarded from the PBX switch to the MCU, if the
PBX truncates part of the number.
Used with a Prairie external recording system in recording-enabled conferences. For a description of recording options and setup, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition, Chapter 8,
Recording”.
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Field/Option
Meet me per
Bonding Phone
Number
Description
(Available only for the Dial-in connection)
Select:
• Party - The participant dials a single number for each group of channels in use.
•
Channel - The participant dials a different number for each channel.
• MCU-Conference - A single dial-in number (DID) is assigned to all the conferences running on a certain MCU. The MCU phone number is entered in the Network Service – Span and Phones dialog box. The participants are routed to the appropriate conferences according to their phone numbers (CLI) that are entered in the Participant
Numbers box. When a participant dials in using the MCU number, the MCU identifies the participant phone number and routes the participant to the appropriate conference. This option should be used only with PBXs supporting the CLI (Caller ID) option.
(Available only for the Dial-out connection type, and should be used only if Bonding is the selected
Aggregation method for the participant.)
Enter a single number for all the aggregated channels. The system automatically assigns the appropriate numbers to the remaining channels.
With some switches, Bonding is supported only when the pound key (#) symbol is added to the Dialout number sequence.
If left blank, the MCU automatically assigns the first number that appears in the Participant Phone
Number box as the bonding number when the conference starts.
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Table 4-15: ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant - Identification (Continued)
Field/Option
User Defined fields 1-4
Broadcasting
Volume
Listening Volume
Audio Only
VIP
Description
In any or all of the four User Defined fields, enter general information for the participant, such as the participant’s E-mail address, telephone number, company name, location, or any required information.
The titles of the User Defined fields can be modified in the Database Manager -> Defaults -> User
Defined Defaults and loaded to the MGC Manager
application. For details, see Chapter 3, “Loading the
User Defined Default Set to the MGC Manager
Note: The User Defined fields are displayed only if the Show User Defined Fields in Participant
Parameters box is selected in the Database
Manager -> Defaults ->User Defined Defaults.
You can control the volume of the audio transmitted from the participant to the conference (broadcasting volume), as well as the listening volume for the participant.
To adjust the volume, move the slider. The volume scale is from 1 to 10, where 1 is the weakest and 10 the strongest volume. The volume of each endpoint’s audio at connection time is set to 5. One movement of the volume slider increases or decreases the volume by one unit, equivalent to 3db.
When checked, indicates an Audio Only participant.
This option is automatically selected for T1-CAS participants and cannot be canceled.
When checked, changes the participant’s status to
VIP to distinguish participants who require special attention.
Note: The VIP status can also be changed during the On Going Conference.
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Table 4-15: ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant - Identification (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Save Participant
(Optional) When checked, saves the participant definition as a template in the User Defined template file or in the selected Database Group.
Note: This check box appears only when defining a participant for a Reservation template in the
Participant Template file or when defining a participant during a conference when Database
Group is the source.
Participant Linked
This check box appears only when defining a participant during the definition of a Reservation template in the database. Select this option to save the participant as a template in the database and link the participant to the Reservation template. The participant is assigned to the selected database
Group. If this option is cleared, the participant is embedded in the Reservation template and his/her parameters are not saved in the database as a
Participant template for future use.
Label
(Optional) This field appears only when participant definition is done directly in the database and displays the label assigned to the participant. The label is used for filtering the Participant Templates list in the database. Non-administrative users can assign only the labels assigned to them. Users with administrator rights can assign any label created in the system.
During the Reservation Template definition, the
Label assigned to the Reservation Template is also automatically assigned to the Participant Template.
The labels are defined by administrators in the MGC
Database Manager module. For detailed information on template types and use, refer to the MGC
Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 7,
“Database Templates”.
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The definition of the Advanced parameters may be skipped for most participants, but if you need to change the defaults or define additional settings, open the tab.
2.
Click the Advanced tab.
The participant’s Properties - Advanced dialog box opens.
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3.
If required, define the following parameters:
Table 4-16: ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant - Advanced
Field/Option
Aggregation
Number of
Channels
Description
Select the aggregation method for ISDN/ATM/MPI video participants:
•
Auto - Connects participants to the conference according to their endpoint capabilities. When connecting to the conference, the endpoint and the
MCU exchange capabilities information. During this exchange, the MCU identifies the aggregation mode used and connects the endpoint accordingly.
• H221 - The standard communication protocol, in which a different number is assigned to each channel. When connecting the participant to the conference (Dial-out), each of these numbers are dialed.
•
Bonding - A communication protocol that aggregates two to thirty 64 Kbps B channels, to act as one large bandwidth channel. If this option is enabled, set the
Connection Type in the Identification tab to Dial-out and enter the Phone number in the Bonding Phone
Number field.
• Multi-Rate - A communication protocol in which channels are aggregated to form one dedicated line.
The MGC Manager currently supports aggregation of 6 channels to form one line rate of 384 Kbps (64 X
6=384). In such a case, the network ensures that all six channels are synchronized and there are no intervals between the arrivals of the data packets.
Indicates the number of channels used for a video ISDN/
ATM/MPI connection.
Select Auto to use the conference’s Line Rate setting.
This is also the mode recommended for ATM connections.
If the participant’s setting is different from the conference setting, select the appropriate number of channels. During an On Going Conference this setting may be disabled.
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Table 4-16: ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant - Advanced (Continued)
Field/Option
Video Protocol
Recording
Description
Select the video compression standard:
• Auto - Select this option to use the conference’s Video
Protocol settings and to enable the dynamic adjustment of the Video Protocol. For more details, see
“Defining Advanced Media Settings” on page 4-57.
•
H261 - the video compression standard mandatory to all endpoints.
• H263 - a compression standard that provides improved video quality. This standard is not supported by all endpoints.
• H264 - a video compression standard that improves video quality at a line rate lower than 384 Kbps.
•
H264* - a Polycom proprietary standard for video compression that improves video quality at a line rate lower than 384 Kbps.
Note:
—
When video protocol is set to Auto in the
Conference Properties – Settings, this overrides the Video Protocol settings in the Participant
Properties – Advanced dialog box as the dynamic mode is enabled and the video settings are forced by the MCU.
— When Video Protocol is set to H.263 or H.264 and the endpoint does not support it, the participant is connected as Secondary (Audio only).
— During an On Going ISDN/ATM/MPI conference, this setting may be disabled.
Designate the participant as an audio recording port connected to an external recording device:
Select one of the following:
• None – The participant is not connected to an external recording device.
•
Dial up – The participant is used as the recording port to an external device.
For more details, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide
VoicePlus Edition, Chapter 8, “Recording and Playback
Using Prairie Systems”.
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Field/Option
Encryption
Auto Detect
Restrict Only
Description
Media information can be encrypted using an AES 128 algorithm. The Encryption options are affected by the settings of the participant level flag in the system.cfg.
Select the appropriate encryption setting for the participant:
• Auto - The conference encryption setting (encrypted/
non-encrypted) is applied to the participant. In this mode, the participant connects as encrypted only if the conference is defined as encrypted.
•
Off - The participant joins the Conference as non-
encrypted.
• On - The participant joins the Conference as
encrypted.
For more details, about encryption see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 1, “Media Encryption”.
Select this option to enable the MGC unit to automatically detect the line rate and video capabilities of incoming ISDN calls and connect the participant accordingly, without prior definition of the participant properties. The participant can be connected at the maximum line rate set for the conference. When this option is selected, the following parameters are automatically detected by the MCU and therefore are disabled: Aggregation, Number of Channels,
Video Protocol and Restrict Only.
Note: This option is disabled for participants using the MPI and ATM Interface Types.
Select this check box to indicate that the ISDN/ATM/MPI participant is using a restricted line whose transfer rate per channel is 56 Kbps (instead of 64 Kbps). This option is valid for a participant in Transcoding or Continuous
Presence conferences only.
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Table 4-16: ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant - Advanced (Continued)
Field/Option
AGC
Enhanced Video
Service Name
Description
The Auto Gain Control (AGC) mechanism regulates audio noise and volume by balancing the received signal to all participants. Different endpoints and phones produce specific source noises and volume. To provide a constant output amplitude, AGC can be applied to all incoming audio streams prior to mixing, thereby dynamically adjusting the amplification of the input signal.
AGC is automatically enabled for all participants. Clear this check box to disable this option for the participant.
This option is applicable to Standard Video cards and is not required for participants connecting to conferences which run on Video+ cards (that provide high quality video combined with high line rates using one video port instead of two).
The MGC unit can provide high quality video (30 frames per second for incoming and outgoing video streams) for line rates up to T1/ E1 in Transcoding and Continuous
Presence conferences. This is done by allocating two video ports to the participant. One video port is used for encoding, while the other is used for decoding the incoming video stream.
Select this option to enable the high quality video feature for the participant.
Note:
•
To work with 30 frames per second, the High Frame
Rate flag in the system.cfg must be enabled.
• To work with bit rates higher than 768 Kbps, the High
Bit Rate flag in the system.cfg must be enabled.
•
During an On Going ISDN/ATM/MPI connected conference this setting can be greyed out.
• This option is disabled for Video Switching conferences.
Enter the name of the Network Service to be used to connect the ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS participant to the conference exactly as it is defined in the Network Service list (the system is case sensitive).
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Table 4-16: ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS Participant - Advanced (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Service Name
(cont.)
Sub-Service Name
This field is applicable to ISDN participants only.
If a sub-service is used, enter the sub-service name exactly as it appears in the selected Network Service definition. If left blank, the default sub-service defined in the selected Network service is used.
Node Type
If left blank, the default Network Service is used, depending on the selected connection type. For example, if the selected connection type is ISDN, the default ISDN
Network Service is used.
For more information on Network Services, refer to the
MGC Administrator’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 3.
Select the node type from the drop-down list. The available options for ISDN/ATM/MPI participants are:
•
MCU - Choose this setting for a dial-out participant in a
DTMF Enabled Cascaded conference.
• Terminal (default) - Use this setting at all other times.
Num-type
Save Participant/
Participant Linked
Select the type of communication line for ISDN/ATM/MPI participants.
The available options are National; International; Network
Specific; Subscriber; Abbreviated; Taken from Service.
These options represent programs provided by the carrier, and are defined in the Network Service. Select Taken
from Service to indicate that the program should be retrieved from the Network Service definition.
These check boxes are the same as the check boxes that appear in the Properties Identification dialog box.
For more information, see the description of “Save
4.
Click OK to complete the participant definition.
The participant is added to the On Going Conference, Reservation or the
Reservation Template, depending on the conference/participant definition mode.
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IP (H.323 and SIP) Participant Definition
The IP participant (endpoint) can be an H.323 or a SIP participant. Most of the parameters are common to both IP participant types. Participants can be defined while setting up an On Going Conference or Reservation. In addition, you can define a Participant Template in the Participant Templates Database/
User Template file.
To define a new IP participant:
When defining a new participant, the Participant Properties - Identification dialog box opens.
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H323 Participant Properties SIP Participant Properties
1.
Define the parameters relevant to the participant type. Note that the dialog box reflects your selection in the Interface Type field. H.323 participants are defined by their IP address and/or alias, whereas SIP participants are defined by their IP address and/or URI.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Table 4-17: IP Participant Properties - Identification
Field/Option
Name
Connection Type
Interface Type
Participant IP
Description
Enter the participant’s identifying name using up to
80 characters.
Select the connection type:
• Dial-in - The participant dials the conference.
When dialing in to join the conference, the participant dials the conference number, comprising the IP Network Service Prefix and the conference Numeric ID. Alternatively the IP card’s IP address or alias can be dialed on the endpoint. SIP participants dial the conference
URI (name and domain name).
Note: Undefined participants can join conferences by dialing in, as long as there are sufficient card resources.
•
Dial-out - The MCU dials out to the participant.
You must enter relevant contact details (SIP URI/
IP address) to enable the MCU to call the participant.
Select the network type used by the IP endpoint to connect to the conference:
•
H.323 - The endpoint uses the H.323 protocol.
•
SIP - The endpoint uses the SIP protocol.
Enter the IP address of the participant’s endpoint.
•
For H.323 participants:
—
In a Dial-out connection, enter the IP address or alias of the endpoint to be called by the MCU. If you entered only an alias the gatekeeper can resolve the participant’s alias into an IP address.
—
In a Dial-in connection, the participants IP address or alias are entered. The IP address or alias is used to identify and route the participant to the appropriate conference.
• For SIP endpoints, Participant IP is optional as these participants are located by resolving their names into IP addresses by SIP proxy.
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Table 4-17: IP Participant Properties - Identification (Continued)
Field/Option
Signaling Port
SIP Address
SIP Only
Address Type
SIP Only
Alias Name
H.323 Only
Description
Indicates the signaling port used for participant connection.
For H.323 the default port is 1720.
For SIP, the default port is 5060.
Enter the endpoint address in the format:
[user name]@[domain].
Note: The SIP URI adheres to URI rules: no spaces or special characters such as commas, quotation marks, inverted tags and so forth either in the user name or in the domain part.
Select the format in which the SIP address is written:
• SIP URI - Uses the format of an E-mail address, typically containing a user name and a host name: sip:[user]@[host]. For example, sip:[email protected].
•
TEL URI - Used when the endpoint does not specify the domain that should interpret a telephone number that has been input by the user. Rather, each domain through which the request passes would be given that opportunity.
As an example, a user in an airport might log in and send requests through an outbound proxy in the airport. If the users enters "411" (this is the phone number for local directory assistance in the United States), this number needs to be interpreted and processed by the outbound proxy in the airport, and not by the user's home domain.
In this case, tel: 411 is the correct choice.
If you are using the endpoint’s alias and not the IP address, first select the type of alias and then enter the endpoint’s alias as registered with the gatekeeper. Enter the alias name using the naming conventions appropriate to its type (see following).
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Table 4-17: IP Participant Properties - Identification (Continued)
Field/Option
Alias Type
H.323 Only
Extension/
Identifier String
Description
Each alias can be of a different type:
• H.323 ID (alphanumeric ID)
• E.164 (digits 0-9, *, #)
• URL ID (URL style address)
• Email ID (email address format)
• Transport ID (IP address: port number)
• Party Number (identical to the E.164 format)
Notes:
• Select the appropriate alias type before entering an alias name.
•
Although all types are supported, the type of alias is dependent on the gatekeeper’s capabilities. The most commonly supported alias types are H.323 ID and E.164. Refer to your gatekeeper documentation for information on its supported alias types.
This is the DTMF string sent to the recording or other
DTMF activated system; an outgoing DTMF operation initiated by the MCU. This is useful for identifying extensions associated with SIP users.
Each type of recording system has a specific DTMF string structure, for example, when using the Prairie recording services. For more details, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition, Chapter
8.
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Table 4-17: IP Participant Properties - Identification (Continued)
Field/Option Description
User Defined fields
1-4
Broadcasting
Volume
Listening Volume
In any or all of the four User Defined fields, enter general information for the participant, such as the participant’s E-mail address, telephone number, company name, location, or any required information.
The titles of the User Defined fields can be modified in the Database Manager -> Defaults -> User
Defined Defaults and loaded to the MGC Manager application. For details, see Chapter 3.
Note: The User Defined fields are displayed only if the Show User Defined Fields in Participant
Parameters box is selected in the Database
Manager -> Defaults ->User Defined Defaults.
You can control the volume of the audio transmitted from the participant to the conference, as well as the listening volume for the participant. On the volume scale, 1 is the weakest and 10 the strongest volume.
One movement of the volume slider increases or decreases the volume by one unit, equivalent to 3db.
The volume of each endpoint’s audio at connection time is set to 5. To adjust the sound, move the volume slider.
Audio Only
VIP
Save Participant
Select this option to define the participant as an audio-only participant, with no video capabilities.
When checked, changes the participant’s status to
VIP, to distinguish participants who require special attention.
Note: The VIP status can also be changed during the On Going Conference.
Select this option if you want to save this participant as a template in the User Defined template file or in the selected database group.
Note: This check box appears only when you define a participant while creating a new reservation
[template] in the User Template file or when defining a participant during an On Going Conference and a database group is selected as the source.
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Table 4-17: IP Participant Properties - Identification (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Participant Linked
Select this option to save the participant as a template in the database and link the participant to the Reservation template. The participant is assigned to the selected database Group. If this option is cleared, the participant is embedded in the
Reservation template and his/her parameters are not saved in the database for future use.
Note: This check box appears only when defining a participant during the definition of a Reservation template in the database.
2.
Optional: Click the Advanced tab. The Advanced parameters definition may be skipped for most participants if the default settings are used.
The IP Participant Properties - Advanced dialog box opens.
H323 and SIP Participant Advanced Properties
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3.
Define the following parameters:
Table 4-18: IP Participant Properties - Advanced
Field/Option
Video Bit Rate
Kbits/sec
Auto Video Bit
Rate
Service Name
Description
This option is enabled when the Auto Video Bit
Rate check box is cleared. It allows you to specify the participant’s video transfer rate. When adding a new participant during an On Going Conference this option defaults to the conference setting.
Note: It is recommended to use the multiples of 100 bits per second.
Select this check box to use the Line Rate defined for the conference, or clear it to define the video rate for the participant. This check box is automatically selected (and cannot be cleared) when defining a new participant during an On Going Conference.
Enter the name of the IP Network Service handling the call. Note that the system is case sensitive. If left blank, the default IP Network Service (H.323 or SIP depending on the Interface Type) is used.
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Table 4-18: IP Participant Properties - Advanced (Continued)
Field/Option
Video Protocol
Description
This option defaults to the conference setting when adding a new participant during an On Going
Conference.
Select the video compression standard:
• Auto - Use the conference’s Video Protocol settings and enable the dynamic adjustment of the Video Protocol. For more details, see
“Defining Advanced Media Settings” on page 4-
57.
• H.261 - The base video compression standard that is supported by all endpoints/participants.
•
H.263 - A video compression standard that provides enhanced video quality. This standard is not supported by all endpoints.
•
H.264 - A video compression standard that provides enhanced video quality especially in line rates of up to 384 Kbps. This standard is not supported yet by all endpoints.
• H.264* - A Polycom proprietary standard for video compression that improves video qaulity at a line rate lower than 384Kbps.
Note: When the Video Protocol is set to Auto in the
Conference Properties - Settings dialog box, this overrides the participant’s Video Protocol settings, because Auto enables the dynamic mode in which the video settings are forced by the MCU. In such a case, the system first tries to connect the participant using the H.264 video protocol. Only if the endpoint does not support H.264, the system tries to connect the participant using H.263 or H.261. If the conference video protocol is set to H.264 or H.263 and the endpoint does not support this protocol, the participant is connected as Secondary (audio only).
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Table 4-18: IP Participant Properties - Advanced (Continued)
Field/Option
Recording
AGC
Encryption
Description
Designate the IP participant as an audio recording port connected to an external recording device.
•
None - The participant is not connected to an external recording device.
• Dial up - The participant is used as the recording port to an external device.
For more details, see the MGC Manager User’s
Guide, VoicePlus Edition, Chapter 8.
The Auto Gain Control (AGC) mechanism regulates audio noise and volume by balancing the received signal to all participants. Different endpoints and phones produce specific source noises and volume.
To provide a constant output amplitude, AGC can be applied to all incoming audio streams prior to mixing, thereby dynamically adjusting the amplification of the input signal.
AGC is automatically enabled for all participants.
Clear this check box to disable this option for the participant.
Media information can be encrypted using an AES
128 algorithm. The Encryption options are affected by the settings of the participant level flag in the system.cfg. Select the appropriate encryption setting for the participant:
•
Auto - The conference encryption setting
(encrypted/non-encrypted) is applied to the participant. In this mode, the participant connects as encrypted only if the conference is defined as encrypted.
•
Off - The participant joins the Conference as
non-encrypted.
• On - The participant joins the Conference as
encrypted.
Note: SIP participants do not support this type of encryption.
For more details, about encryption see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 1.
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Table 4-18: IP Participant Properties - Advanced (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Node Type
Select the node type from the list:
• Terminal — The default. This setting is applicable for all settings that are not DTMF enabled cascaded conferences.
• MCU — Select this setting for a dial-out participant in a DTMF enabled cascaded conference. For more details, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 1.
Quality Of Service
Click this button to modify the QoS setting for this participant. If no changes are made the definitions are taken from the Network Service definition.
For details see “Quality of Service for IP
Participants” on page 4-125.
Enhanced Video
This option is applicable to Standard Video cards and is not required for participants connecting to conferences running on Video+ cards (that provide high quality video combined with high line rates using one video port instead of two).
The MGC unit can provide high quality video (30 frames per second for incoming and outgoing video streams) for line rates up to T1/ E1 in Transcoding and Continuous Presence conferences. This is done by allocating two video ports to the participant. One video port is used for encoding, while the other is used for decoding the incoming video stream.
Select this option to enable the high quality video feature for the participant.
Note:
• To work with 30 frames per second, the High
Frame Rate flag in the system.cfg must be enabled.
• To work with bit rates higher than 768 Kbps, the
High Bit Rate flag in the system.cfg must be enabled.
• This option is disabled for Video Switching conferences.
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Table 4-18: IP Participant Properties - Advanced (Continued)
Field/Option
Enable PSTN
Dial-in
Description
For internal use only.
4.
Click OK to complete the definition of the H.323 or SIP participant.
The participant is added to the On Going Conference, Reservation or to the Reservation Template, depending on the conference definition mode.
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Quality of Service for IP Participants
Quality of Service (QoS) is a collective measure of the level of service delivered to a customer. QoS is the level of assurance for an application that the network can meet its service requirements. The QoS parameters may be defined at the participant level and at the network services level
.
The participant properties setting has priority over the network services level.
For more details on services configuration, see the MGC Manager
Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 3, “Defining Network Services”.
In the Participant Properties dialog box, you can enable or disable QoS for
H.323 or SIP participants, or allow the values defined in the Network Service.
To define Quality of Service for a H.323 or a SIP participant:
1.
In the Participant Properties - Advanced dialog box, click the Quality of
Service button.
The Participant Properties - IP Quality Of Service dialog box opens.
2.
Define the following parameters:
3.
Click OK to complete the QoS definition for the H.323 or SIP participant. In the Participant Properties - Advanced dialog box, click
OK to apply the settings.
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Table 4-19: IP Participant Properties - IP Quality of Service
Field/Option
IP Quality of
Service
DiffServ/
Precedence
Audio and Video
Description
QoS refers to the media transfer portion of a point to point or point to multipoint call. Select the QoS option:
•
Disable - QoS is not implemented for this participant.
•
Enable - To modify the participant QoS properties.
•
From Service - (Default) To use the QoS settings of the IP Network Service that handles the call.
Select the QoS mechanism for prioritizing traffic on the IP network:
•
DiffServ
•
Precedence - (enables additional parameters)
For more details, refer to the MGC Administrator’s Guide,
Chapter 3, “Defining Network Services”.
You can prioritize audio and video IP packets to ensure that all participants in the conference hear and see each other clearly.
Select the desired priority. The scale is from 0 to 5, where
0 is the lowest priority and 5 is the highest, ensuring highest quality and lowest latency.
The recommended priority for both audio and video is 4 to ensure that the delay for both packets is the same and audio and the video packets are synchronized.
Selecting 5 for video and 4 for video will result in too many packets waiting to be transmitted and delay between the audio and the video may vary, causing lip sync.
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Table 4-19: IP Participant Properties - IP Quality of Service (Continued)
Field/Option
ToS
Description
Type of Service (TOS) defines optimization tagging for routing the conferences audio and video packets.
Routers that support the Precedence mechanism can implement classification by TOS optimization tags when transferring IP packets.
Select the ToS (Type of Service) method that defines the route used by LAN router to transfer the packets.
•
Delay - The recommended default for video conferencing; prioritized audio and video packets tagged with this definition are delivered with minimal delay (the throughput of IP packets minimizes the queue sequence and the delay between packets).
•
None - No optimization definition is applied. This is a compatibility mode in which routing is based on
Precedence priority settings only. Select None if you do not know which standard your router supports.
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5
Monitoring Conferences
•
•
You can monitor On Going Conferences and perform various operations while conferences are running.
•
Three levels of monitoring are available with the MGC Manager:
General Monitoring - You can monitor the general status of all On
Going Conferences and their participants in the MGC Manager main window.
Conference Level Monitoring - You can view additional information regarding a specific conference and modify its parameters if required, using the Conference Properties option.
Participant Level Monitoring - You can view detailed information on the participant's status, using the Participant Properties option. During attended conferences you can monitor the status of the participants waiting in the Participants Queue.
This chapter describes the status indicators and icons and the various monitoring options and methods according to these levels and according to the type of participant or the type of connection to the conference. This chapter also includes a description of gateway sessions monitoring.
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General Monitoring
You monitor a conference to keep track of its participants and its progress.
When monitoring a conference, you can check whether all its participants are correctly connected and whether errors and faults have occurred.
The MGC Manager allows operators to monitor several On Going
Conferences from the same or different MCUs simultaneously. The On Going
Conference information is easily available and clearly represented.
Participants in IVR enabled conferences can be in one of the following stages:
Greeting (Welcome), Attended, On Hold, and Conferencing.
•
•
Using an IVR service, the participant is guided to the conference using a voice-prompt menu and DTMF input from the participant endpoint. The connection is automated, but an Operator is at hand to assist the caller.
In IVR enabled conferences set as Attended with Operator assistance, the
Operator controls the participant connection to the conference moving the participant from one stage to another. The move is performed either interactively using drag-and-drop, using the right-click pop-up menu, or the appropriate buttons on the Attended Participant Conference toolbar. Special icons are used to indicate the participant status in an attended conference.
In the Greeting state, the participants connect to the Entry Queue or directly to an IVR-enabled conference where they hear a welcome message (and view a welcome video slide) and are guided through their connection process using voice prompts. In the Entry Queue, participants are routed to the destination conference according to conference
Numeric ID they enter. Participants connecting directly to an IVRenabled conference are allowed in to the conference once they have entered the appropriate conference or chairperson password. If the Entry
Queue or the IVR-enabled conference is set to Attended mode (The
Entry Queue service or the IVR service is configured to “wait for
Operator Assistance”), the participants are moved to the Participants
Queue where they wait for the operator to connect them to the conference.
In the Attended state, the participant is moved to the Operator conference, where after a short conversation with the participant, the
Operator moves the participant to the appropriate conference (Home conference) or places the participant on hold.
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•
•
In the On Hold state, the participant is placed on hold where she or he hears background music (and view the same welcome video slide) and wait for the operator’s assistance. Participants are also placed on hold and moved to the participants queue when they enter the wrong conference Numeric ID (while in the Entry Queue) or the wrong password where they wait for the operator to connect them to the conference. This option must be enabled in the Entry Queue or the IVR
Service and if there is an Operator conference running on the MCU.
In the Conferencing state, the participant is connected to the conference.
Operator assistance can be requested via DTMF codes during the On
Going conference if it is configured in the IVR Service assigned to the conference.
Using the Main Window Panes for Monitoring
You can view current statuses in the MGC Manager main window panes and tables that show conference, connection, media and participant indicators.
Browser pane
Status pane
Monitor pane
You can adjust both the columns and the rows in the Monitor and the Status pane tables to suit your monitoring priorities.
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•
•
To modify the order of columns, select and drag the column labels to the desired location.
To sort items in a column, click a column heading once for descending order, and click again to sort the items in ascending order.
Listing Conference Properties
The properties of an On Going Conference can be viewed in the Status pane or in the Monitor pane of the main window. The Status pane enables you to view the properties of a single conference or list all On Going Conferences
(without participant details), while the Monitor pane enables you to view several conferences simultaneously, and in detail. This pane displays additional parameters and allows you to filter the information, for example to display only those participants who require the operator’s assistance.
Viewing On Going Conference Status
In the On Going Conferences list, you can view all the conferences currently running on the MCU. You can view the statuses of the conferences either by expanding the On Going Conferences tree or by clicking the On Going
Conferences icon. The system simultaneously lists all the activated conferences and Entry Queues.
To display conference information in the Status pane:
1.
In the MGC Manager window Browser pane, expand the MCU tree.
2.
Expand the On Going Conferences icon to view the list of currently running conferences.
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The On Going Conferences and the details (properties) of each conference are listed in the Status pane table, providing quick and easy access to such information as conference dial-in numbers, H.323 service prefixes, conference numeric ID, and passwords.
Table 5-1 describes the information displayed about the conferences in the main window Status pane. The columns are listed in the default order,
however you can rearrange the columns, see “Using the Main Window
Panes for Monitoring” on page 5-3.
Table 5-1: On Going Conference - Status Pane Columns
Column Name
Name
Status
Connection
Description
The name of the conference and an icon indicating the conference type and status. For a detailed description of icons and conference types see
Table 5-2 on page 5-10.
Additional information about the conference. For a detailed description see Table 5-2 on page 5-10.
The connection status of the conference. For a detailed description, see Table 5-2 on page 5-10.
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Table 5-1: On Going Conference - Status Pane Columns (Continued)
Column Name
Starts At
End Time
ID
Connected
Dial-in Number
Join Conference
Entry Password
Chairperson
Password
Numeric ID
H323 Service
Prefix
Description
The time the conference started.
The scheduled end time of the conference.
A sequential ID number assigned to the conference by the system, for use by the Call Detail Record
(CDR) utility.
The number of participants currently connected to the conference.
The dialing number that participants can use to access the conference via an ISDN line.
The names of conferences the operator has joined:
•
In an Operator Conference - indicates the name of the conference joined by the operator.
• In an On Going Conference - indicates the name of the operator who joined the conference (the
Operator conference name is identical to the operator’s login name).
The password to be used by participants to enter the conference.
The password to be used by a participant to enter the conference as the chairperson.
The unique-per-MCU Conference Numeric ID as assigned by the operator or the system. This number can be used by IP participants as a part of a dialing string, when accessing the conference.
The IP Network Service prefix that can be used as part of the dialing string by IP endpoints.
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Listing On Going Conference Participants in the Status Pane
You can view the detailed status information of the participants in an On
Going Conference.
To display participant information in the Status pane:
1.
Expand the MCU tree to list its options.
2.
Expand the On Going Conferences tree to view the list of currently running conferences.
3.
In the On Going Conferences list, click the icon of the conference whose participants you want to view in the Status pane.
The participant details are displayed in the Status pane table. You can adjust the columns order to suit your monitoring priorities.
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Listing On Going Conference Participants in the Monitoring
Pane
You can display several conferences and their participants in the Monitoring pane to monitor both the conferences and their participants in one window.
To display participant information in the Monitor pane:
1.
In the Browser pane, expand the On Going Conferences list.
2.
Right-click the icon of the conference to monitor, and then click
Monitor to view the conference and its participants in the Monitor pane.
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The conference details are listed in the Monitor pane. Each row in the
Monitor pane table represents a conference or a participant. Each column contains status information about the item that is being monitored.
To view the participants of another conference, repeat step 2.
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MGC Manager Icons
The following tables list and describe all status icons currently used by the
MGC Manager.
Table 5-2 lists the status icons and describes the information that can be monitored in the MGC Manager main window. Columns are listed in the default order.
Table 5-2: On Going Conference - Monitor Pane Columns
Column
Name
Name
Icon Indication Description
The name of the On Going Conference or participant, and an icon indicating the conference and participant type and status.
Conference Indicators
Video conference
Audio Only conference
In this type of conference, participants use audio and video channels to connect. This conference may include both Audio
Only and video participants.
This type of conference can be run on an Audio Only MCU (Voice
Plus) or on a unified MCU.
Note: Audio Only conferences are described in the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition.
Operator conference
Audio only or video. Allows the operator and a single participant to talk in a side conference without disturbing the On Going conference. For this purpose, the participant is moved to the
Operator conference from the
Entry Queue, IVR Queue,
Welcome Queue, Greet and Guide or On Going Conference.
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Table 5-2: On Going Conference - Monitor Pane Columns (Continued)
Column
Name
Icon Indication Description
Name (cont.) End-ofconference alert
Faulty audio or video conference
Secure conference
Indicates that the conference is about to end.
An exclamation point next to the conference icon indicates that the conference has a problem and requires operator’s assistance.
The cause of the problem is listed in the Connection column.
A conference has been secured by the chairperson to prevent outside participants and operators from joining, monitoring or controlling it.
For all secure conference statuses, see Table 5-7 on page 5-27.
Participant Indicators
Dial-in participants who were undefined prior to the conference start, are named using the conference name and a sequential number that appears between brackets.
Standard participant
Any dial-in or dial-out participant connected to the conference.
Chairperson/
Leader
Lecturer
The participant defined as the conference chairperson/leader.
The chairperson can manage the conference using touch-tone signals (DTMF codes), for example lock or unlock the conference to dial-in participants, initiate a voting session, be the exclusive speaker, mute all other participants.
The participant defined as the conference Lecturer.
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Table 5-2: On Going Conference - Monitor Pane Columns (Continued)
Column
Name
Name (cont.)
Icon
Status
Indication Description
Operator
VIP participant/
VIP chairperson
Questioner
The participant defined as the
MGC Manager Operator. The operator manages an On Going
Conference, connects and disconnects participants, moves participants between conferences, assists participants, and more.
A participant or a chairperson defined as a VIP, for preferential assistance. The VIP status does not change the role of the participant.
A participant who is currently waiting in the Question-and-
Answer queue.
The current questioner in a
Question-and-Answer session.
Current questioner
Disconnected participant
When any type of defined participant is disconnected from the conference, the respective icon is disabled.
(Gray)
Faulty connected participant
An exclamation point next to the icon indicates that the participant has a problem and requires operator’s assistance. The cause of the problem is listed in the
Connection column.
Displays additional information about On Going Conferences and their participants, and the number of connected participants.
Locked conference
The conference is locked to dial-in participants.
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Table 5-2: On Going Conference - Monitor Pane Columns (Continued)
Column
Name
Status (cont.)
Icon Indication Description
On Hold
On Hold and
Locked
IVR Service
The conference is on hold; all participants hear background music and, in a video conference, view a video slide.
The conference was placed on hold and is locked to dial-in participants.
A video conference with an enabled IVR Service.
Voting
Connected
Voting session is in progress, where participants express their preference on a set of choices using the touch-tone keypad.
The conference is running in a regular fashion.
Connection
Indicates the connection status of the conference or a participant.
Additional statuses are available during a Greet and Guide conference.
Conference Connection Status
No Indication
The conference is running smoothly.
Empty
Not Full
No participant was defined for this conference, or none of the defined participants are connected.
Not all the participants who were defined for this conference, are connected.
Faulty
Connection
Participants are connected, but the connection is problematic, therefore the conference cannot run normally.
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Table 5-2: On Going Conference - Monitor Pane Columns (Continued)
Column
Name
Connection
(cont.)
Icon Indication
Single
Participant
Description
Resource
Deficiency
Bad
Resources
Participant Indicators
Connected
Only one participant is defined, or only one of the defined participants is connected
The resources currently installed in the MCU, such as audio cards, cannot handle the requested conference because it exceeds its limitations.
A fault occurred in one of the cards.
The participant is successfully connected to the conference.
(Gray)
Disconnected
The participant is disconnected from the conference. This status may occur when the participant is disconnected from the On Going
Conference either by the operator or from the participant side.
Connecting
Stand By
Displayed during the connection process of a participant to the conference.
In a conference that was set to
Dial-out Manually, the dial-out participant is waiting to be connected to the conference by the operator.
Waiting for
Dial-in
The system is waiting for the defined dial in participant to dial into the conference.
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Table 5-2: On Going Conference - Monitor Pane Columns (Continued)
Column
Name
Icon Indication Description
Connection
(cont.)
Partial connection
Faulty
Connection
Secondary
Connection
Noisy Line
The connection process is not yet complete; the video channel has not been connected.
The participant is connected, but problems occurred in the connection, such as synchronization loss.
The participant is connected without video (audio only). This status occurs when the participant's endpoint does not support the video parameters required by the conference.
The line of this participant was detected by the system as noisy.
Note: This indicator is used only when the automatic noisy line detection option was enabled in the “system.cfg”.
Participant
Numbers\
IP Address\
SIP Address
Displays the participant and MCU phone numbers or IP address/ alias, depending on the supported network and connection type.
In dial-in connection, displays the CLI number (ISDN) or IP address/alias of the participant calling the MCU (marked by the letter P) and the MCU number or IP address/alias dialed by the participant (marked by the letter M). In dial-out connection displays the dialed number (ISDN) or IP address/alias (H.323) of the participant.
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Table 5-2: On Going Conference - Monitor Pane Columns (Continued)
Column
Name
Connection
Type
Icon Indication Description
Identifies the defined type of participant's connection to the conference.
Dial-out
The MCU (conference) dials to the participant.
Audio
Video
Sync.
Tx Rate
Dial-in
Direct connection
The participant calls the MCU
(conference).
Leased Line connection (ISDN only).
Indicates whether the participant's audio is connected and the status of the audio channel. For details see Table 5-4.
Indicates whether the participant’s video channel is connected, and the status of the video connection. For details see Table 5-5.
Indicates whether the participant's site is synchronized. For
H.323 participants, indicates the general synchronization status of Video Switch, Protocol Sync Loss and Video Intra Sync.
• OK - there is no synchronization problem.
• l-sync loss - there is a general synchronization problem with the MCU.
•
r-sync loss - there is a general synchronization problem with the participant site.
• l-video sync loss - there is a video synchronization problem with the MCU.
•
r-video sync loss - there is a video synchronization problem with the participant site.
To see the number of times that the sync loss problem occurred
(either in the remote or the local site) see the Sync Loss Cont and V Sync Loss Count columns.
The line rate in which data sent from the MCU is received by the endpoint. For H.323 participants indicates the total line rate of all the channels (agreed rate) in which data sent from the MCU is received by the endpoint.
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Table 5-2: On Going Conference - Monitor Pane Columns (Continued)
Column
Name
Icon Indication Description
Rx Rate
The line rate in which data sent from the endpoint is received by the MCU. For H.323 participants indicates the total line rate of all the channels (agreed rate) in which data sent from the endpoint is received by the MCU.
Retries Left
Indicates the remaining number of attempts the system makes to reach disconnected participants and connect them to the conference. You set this parameter in the Options menu
Communication option. Once the participant connects to the conference, the number of retries is set to 0.
Identifies the participant's media types: Audio, Video and Data.
Media
Member
Video
Sources
Identifies the participant who is viewed by other conference participants. In a Video Switching conference, the current video source is the speaker of this conference. In a Continuous
Presence conference - depending on the Video Layout - several participants may be viewed simultaneously.
Channels #
Identifies the number of channels that are used for connecting this participant.
Note: This parameter is not displayed for H.323 participants.
Aggregation
Displays the aggregation method of the channels that are used for connecting this participant: H.221, Bonding or Multi Rate.
Note: This parameter is not displayed for H.323 participants.
ID
Sync Loss
Count
The participant ID as assigned by the system.
For ISDN/ATM/MPI participants, indicates the general synchronization status. R indicates the endpoint (remote) status while L indicates the MCU status. A dash “– “indicates that there is no sync loss problem, while numbers indicate the number of times that the sync loss problem occurred at the remote or the local site.
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Table 5-2: On Going Conference - Monitor Pane Columns (Continued)
Column
Name
Icon Indication Description
V Sync Loss
Count
Indicates the video synchronization status. R indicates the endpoint (remote) status while L indicates the MCU status. A dash “–” indicates that there is no sync loss problem, while numbers indicate the number of times that the video sync loss problem occurred at the remote or the local site.
Disconnection Cause
Q&A
Position
Displays the disconnection cause for a participant who is disconnected from the conference.
Indicates the position held by the participant in the Q&A Queue:
“1” being the next to speak, “2” being second up, and so on. This information is cleared when the participant begins to speak.
Q&A Waiting
Time
Displays the total time spent by the participant waiting in the Q&A
Queue. This information is cleared when the participant begins to speak.
Last Vote
Sub
Conference
Name
During a voting session, displays the last vote that the selected participant entered (using a DTMF code).
Indicates whether the participant is in an Invite Session.
The Invite option is available in Audio Only Conferences and enables the chairperson to dial-out (during an On Going
Conference) to a participant inviting them to join. Displays “Invite” for the chairperson and the invited participant.
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Additional Participant Statuses
Table 5-3 lists additional participant icons that are displayed when the participant is connected to an IVR-enabled conference. If none of these statuses occur, the Status column in the Status pane remains empty.
Table 5-3: Participant in IVR-enabled Conference Status Icons
Icon Description
The participant is connected to the MCU and has entered the
Entry Queue or the IVR queue.
The participant was moved to the Operator conference and is being assisted by the operator.
The participant has requested the operator’s assistance.
The participant has requested the operator’s assistance for the conference. Usually this means that the operator is requested to join the conference.
The participant was placed on hold - is not currently taking part in any conference. While on hold, the participant hears background music and (in video conferences) views the
Welcome slide.
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Participant’s Audio Status
Table 5-4 lists icons that indicate the current audio status of the participant.
Table 5-4: Participant Audio Status Icons
Icon Description
The audio channel of the participant is connected.
(Green)
The audio channel is disconnected.
(Gray)
This participant is the current conference speaker.
This participant is the conference’s Exclusive Speaker; in this mode, all other participants are automatically muted.
Transmission of audio from the conference to the participant is blocked (video only conferences).
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the participant
(from the endpoint).
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the participant and by the MCU.
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the participant.
Audio transmission from the conference to the participant site is blocked (video only conferences).
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the operator.
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the operator.
Audio transmission from the conference to the participant site is blocked (video only conferences).
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the participant and the operator.
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Table 5-4: Participant Audio Status Icons (Continued)
Icon Description
The audio is muted by the participant and by the operator.
Audio transmission from the conference to the participant site is blocked (video only conferences).
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the operator and the MCU.
The audio channel of the participant is automatically muted by the MCU. (Exclusive Speaker mode, Lecture Show).
The audio channel of the participant is automatically muted and blocked by the MCU. Audio transmission from the conference to the participant site is blocked (video only).
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the participant and by the MCU. Audio transmission from the conference to the participant is blocked (video only).
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the operator and by the MCU. Audio transmission from the conference to the participant is blocked (video only).
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the participant, operator and the MCU.
The audio channel of the participant is muted by the participant, the operator, and the MCU. Audio transmission from the conference to the participant is blocked (video only).
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Participant’s Video Status
Table 5-5 lists icons that indicate the current video status of the participant.
Table 5-5: Participant Video Status Icons
Icon Indication Description
Video participant connected
The video channel of the participant is connected.
(Green)
Video participant disconnected
The participant is disconnected from the video conference.
(Gray)
(Gray)
Video participant connected as audio only
Video channel muted
The video channel could not be connected, therefore the participant is connected as Secondary (audio only).
The video channel is muted by the participant from the endpoint.
Video channel muted
The video channel is muted by the operator.
Video channel muted
Video channel muted
Video channel muted
Video channel muted
Video channel muted
The video channel is muted by the participant and by the operator.
The video channel is muted by the
MCU (Lecture Show).
The video channel is muted by the participant and the MCU (Lecture
Show).
The video channel is muted by the operator and the MCU (Lecture Show).
The video channel is muted by the participant, the operator and the MCU
(Lecture Show).
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Monitor Filter
Using the Monitor Filter feature, you can select to view only those participants who have connection problems or require the operator’s assistance. Participants may need assistance when:
• they are unable to connect to the conference
• manual dial-out is selected for a conference
• they have requested help
• they were placed on hold
• the line is noisy
• they are waiting in the Question and Answer queue
To display only those participants who require your attention:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list.
2.
Right-click the icon of the conference whose participants you want to monitor, and then click Monitor Filter.
The Participants Monitoring Filter dialog box opens.
3.
Select the check boxes to indicate the participant statuses that you want to monitor. Clear the check boxes of the participant statuses that you do not want to monitor. You can request to monitor any or all options.
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Table 5-6 describes the available categories of participant status that you can filter and view in the Monitor pane.
Table 5-6: Participant Monitoring Filters
Filtering Option Description
Faulty Participant
Participants who have problems connecting to the conference, or cannot connect their video channel
(join the conference as Secondary), or whose endpoint has lost its synchronization.
Participants
Requesting
Assistance
Participants who have requested the operator’s assistance and are waiting to be assisted. In Attended conferences, this option also includes the participants who have to wait for the operator’s assistance to connect to the conference.
Asked Question
Noisy Line
Participants who are waiting in the Q&A queue.
Participants whose audio channel is detected as noisy. The system uses a special algorithm to identify the endpoints that add background noise to the conference. Noise on a line can be caused by a variety of sources ranging from background noise, faulty equipment and noises emanating from the line itself.
Note: The Noisy Line Detection feature is enabled/ disabled in the “system.cfg” by defining the detection
sensitivity. For more information, see “Noisy Line
Detection and Automatic Muting” on page 5-30
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Monitoring All Conferences
The system can be configured to monitor all conferences according to the last
Monitoring Filter that was set for any conference in the MGC Manager.
When this feature is enabled, the system automatically displays all the conferences and all the participants that require the operator’s attention, in the
Monitor pane.
•
To toggle between automatic and manual monitoring:
On the Options menu, click Monitor All to activate automatic monitoring.
A check mark next to Monitor All indicates that the option is activated.
Each click of the Monitor All option enables or disables this option.
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Secure Conference Mode
Enabling the Secure mode locks the conference and prevents participants and operators, from joining the conference. A secure conference cannot be monitored or controlled in any way. While a conference is in the Secure mode, the operator cannot view the participants list or any other conference properties, but can manually terminate it.
The conference chairperson can enable or disable the Secure mode from the
DTMF input device (touch-tone telephone or the endpoint’s remote control), using the appropriate DTMF code (the default code is #70). During the secure conference, the chairperson and participants can perform various operations, such as voting and Q&A sessions, via their DTMF input device using the appropriate DTMF codes. However, because secure conferences cannot be monitored, these operations or status changes are not displayed in the MGC
Manager Monitor pane. A special icon is used to indicate that the conference is in Secure mode.
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Secure Conference Icons
Table 5-7 lists the icons and definitions that indicate the current status of a
Secure conference.
Table 5-7: Secure Conference Status Icons
Icon Indication
Secure conference
Faulty secure conference
End-ofconference alert for
Secure conference
Description
The (audio only or video) On Going Conference is in the Secure mode; the conference properties and the participants list are hidden.
An exclamation point appears next to the secure conference icon when one of the following statuses occurs:
•
Empty - No participant was defined for this conference, or none of the defined participants are connected.
•
Single Party - Only one participant is defined, or only one of the defined participants is connected.
•
Not Full - Not all of the defined participants are connected.
• Faulty Connection - Participants are connected, but the connection is problematic, and the conference cannot run normally.
• Resource Deficiency - The resources currently installed in the MCU, such as audio cards, are insufficient for the requested conference.
•
Bad Resources - A fault occurred in one of the cards.
Due to the locked nature of conference, no action can be taken to resolve these problems.
The secure conference is about to end.
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Dynamic Highest Common Mechanism (in Video Switching)
In Video Switching conferences, the Highest Common mechanism enables the MCU to select the optimal video parameters for the conference according to the highest video capabilities that are common to all the endpoints participating in the conference. The Highest Common mechanism improves the connectivity between endpoints, eliminates Secondary connections, and facilitates Entry Queue Access and participant’s moves during conferences.
•
•
The Highest Common mechanism is applied to these video parameters:
Video Protocol
Video Format
•
•
Video Frame Rate
H.263 Annexes - N, F, T and I
• ProMotion
The selected common video is dynamically adjusted with each participant connection to and disconnection from the conference. The Highest Common mechanism is available with both H.320 and H.323 endpoints.
When the conference line rate is lower than 384 Kbps, the system first tries to connect the participants using the H.264 video protocol. Only if the endpoint does not support H.264, the system tries to connect the participants using
H.263 or H.261. For example, if all the connected endpoints support the
H.263 video protocol, the conference video protocol is set to H.263. When an endpoint connects to the conference using H.261, the conference Video
Protocol changes to H.261, and all the endpoints will now connect to the conference using H.261. When this endpoint leaves the conference, the Video
Protocol changes back to H.263, followed by the endpoints changing to video protocol H.263. In this example, if the Video protocol was set to H.263, the endpoint connecting using H.261 would have been connected as Secondary
(without the video channel) as it could not meet the conference settings.
When monitoring Video Switching conferences, the participant’s video parameters can change during the conference, reflecting changes in the conference video settings according to participant connections and disconnections during the conference. Sometimes, lower video quality is viewed during the conference as a result of changes in the video protocol (for example changing from H.263 to H.261) or video resolution (for example, from CIF to QCIF) and other video parameters.
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Audio Tones
While defining the conference parameters, you can enable any of the audio tones (Entry tone, Exit tone, and End of Conference Alert tone) to be heard during an On Going Conference. If Roll Call is enabled for the conference, the audio tones are replaced with an appropriate message.
Exit Tone - is played when a participant disconnects from the conference.
All the connected participants hear this tone.
If Roll Call is enabled, the system announces the self-recorded name of the participant leaving the conference.
Entry Tone - is played when a participant connects to the conference.
This tone is heard by all the conference participants currently connected to the conference (but not by the connecting participant).
If Roll Call is enabled, the system announces the self-recorded name of the participant connecting to the conference.
End Time Alert Tone x Min - the end of conference reminder is played once to all the connected participants, x minutes before the end of the conference.
The x value is defined during the conference setup.
If Roll Call is enabled, the system plays the special audio message: “the conference is about to end”.
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Noisy Line Detection and Automatic Muting
During an On Going Conference, you can monitor noisy participant lines by
selecting the Noisy Line monitor filter. For more details, see “Monitor Filter” on page 5-23.
When the Noisy Line monitor filter is enabled, the Noisy Line icon is used as an indicator in the Connection column, in both the Status and
Monitor tables.
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In addition, you can enable the SilenceIT option to automatically mute the audio participants who are identified as having a noisy line. SilenceIT uses an algorithm that detects continued background music or other noise that is not in the range of human speech. SilenceIT can be applied to Audio participants in Audio Only and Video conferences. This feature is enabled for conferences with an IVR Service, during the conference setup/reservation stage, using the
Conference Properties - Settings tab option.
For a detailed description of the SilenceIT feature, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 2, “Using SilenceIT”.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Viewing the Participants Queue
You can view the Participants Queue list in the Browser pane, the Status pane, or in the Participants Queue window.
•
•
The Participants Queue lists: participants whose connection to the conference is managed by an operator (in Attended conferences) participants who failed to enter the correct conference Numeric ID or the conference password in the Entry Queue
• participants who have requested operator’s assistance during the conference
Participants connecting to the Entry Queue, IVR Queue or Greet and Guide conference (AV Message Service) and participants requiring the operator’s attention are listed. In addition, participants in the Greeting, Attended and On
Hold stages are also listed in the Participants Queues.
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Special management tools are available to speed up and facilitate the operator’s work while assisting the participants waiting in the queue.
•
An Operator conference must be running in order to monitor the Participants
Queue. If no On Going Operator Conference is active, the operator will not be able to attend to the participants waiting in the queue.
•
Only the participants in an IVR-enabled conference, in which the Enable
Operators Assistance option is activated for the IVR Service, can request help during the conference.
•
Only the participants in an Entry Queue or IVR-enabled conference that is set for the Attended mode (On-hold for Operator Assistance, selected in the IVR
Service Properties Welcome Message tab), are automatically moved to the
Participants Queue when connecting to the conference.
To display the participants waiting in the Participants Queue:
1.
Connect to the MCU and expand its options tree.
2.
Expand the Participants Queue icon to list the participants in the
Browser pane or click the Participants Queue icon to display the list in the Status pane.
Alternatively, click the Participants Queue button in the main toolbar to display the participants waiting in the queue in a separate window.
For the detailed description of the Participants Queue tools and
management, see “Listing Participants in the Participants Queue
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Viewing Site Names in Video
During Continuous Presence video conferences, you can view the endpoint site names in the endpoint’s video layout windows. Both H.320 and H.323 endpoints can display up to 33 characters of the site’s name.
Figure 5-1 shows an example site name display in the Polycom ViaVideo endpoint window.
Figure 5-1: Site Name Display in ViaVideo
The system can only display the site names that have been defined in the endpoints. Endpoint site names are displayed when the following flags have been enabled in the “system.cfg” file, VIDEO PLUS FLAGS section:
DISPLAY_PARTY_NAME=YES
PARTY_NAME_ALWAYS_ON=YES
• The endpoint site names cannot be modified from the MGC Manager or the
Click&View applications.
•
With H.320 participants, the Chair Control parameter must be set to Auto.
•
Display of participant names is not available in conferences using the QCIF video format.
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Conference Level Monitoring
In addition to the general conference information that appears in the Status and the Monitor tables, you can view the details of the conference current status and setup parameters, using the Conference Properties dialog boxes.
While checking the properties, you can also edit several parameters.
To view parameters of an On Going Conference:
1.
In the Status pane, Browser pane or Monitor pane, right-click the icon of the conference to monitor, and then click Properties.
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The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
A new tab, Ongoing State, appears in the Properties dialog box:
The Scheduler tab does not appear during the On Going Conference definition, but is used during the Reservation definition. During the On Going Conference it allows you to modify the conference duration.
For a detailed description of conference definition modifications that can
be performed during a conference, see Chapter 6, “Operations Performed
2.
Click the Ongoing State tab to view the current conference status.
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The Conference Properties - Ongoing State dialog box opens.
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The following conference parameters are displayed:
Table 5-8: On Going Conference properties - On Going State
Field/Option
Conference
Status
Recording
Description
Displays the possible faulty statuses of a conference.
A problem that occurred during conference, for example a Resource Deficiency, is indicated by a checked check box. These statuses are also listed in the Connection column in the Monitor or the Status pane. For a detailed description of conference statuses, see Table 5-2, “On Going Conference -
Monitor Pane Columns,” on page 5-10.
Displays the name of the participant (port) that was defined as the recording port for the conference. The
Recording Port is used for connection to an external recording device.
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Table 5-8: On Going Conference properties - On Going State (Continued)
Field/Option
Audio Source
Exclusive
Speaker
Current Cascade
Mode
FECC/LSD
Token Holder
FECC/LSD Rate
Withdraw FECC/
LSD Token
Chair Control -
Chair Token
Holder
Withdraw Chair
Token
Description
Displays the name of the current conference speaker.
Displays the name of the Exclusive Speaker designated for the conference, for example in Lecture mode. You can select another speaker from the list during the conference.
If the Cascading option is enabled for the conference, displays the name of the Master conference. For a description of the cascading mode, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 5.
If the FECC/LSD option was enabled for a video conference, displays the name of the participant who is the current holder of the FECC/LSD token and can control the far-end camera.
For more details on this option, see ”Far End Camera
Control (FECC) and Low Speed Data (LSD)” in the
MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1.
If the FECC/LSD option was enabled for a video conference, and the LSD channel rate was defined, displays the line rate used to transfer the FECC commands.
For more details on this option, see ”Far End Camera
Control (FECC) and Low Speed Data (LSD)” in the
MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1.
Click this button to withdraw the FECC/LSD Token from the current participant.
For more details on this option, see ”Far End Camera
Control (FECC) and Low Speed Data (LSD)” in the
MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1.
Displays the name of the participant holding the chair token. For more details, see the “H.243 Chair Control” in the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 5.
Click this button to withdraw the chair token from the current holder and return it to the MCU for assignment to other endpoints.
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Table 5-8: On Going Conference properties - On Going State (Continued)
Field/Option
Content Token
Holder
Withdraw
Content Token
Refresh Video
Description
If the conference was defined as a video session with
Dual Stream H.239/People+Content or People and
ContentV0, displays the name of the endpoint that is currently broadcasting the content. For more details, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide Volume II,
Chapter 1.
Click this button to withdraw the Content token from the current holder and to return it to the MCU for assignment to other endpoints.
Click this button to refresh the video image.
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Participant Level Monitoring
•
•
Participants can join conferences in one of the following three ways:
Via an Entry Queue
Directly to an IVR-enabled conference
•
As a pre-defined dial-in or dial-out participant
The connection process can be monitored by the operator. When joining via an Entry Queue or directly to a conference, the connection process can be
attended or unattended. The attended process is described in Chapter 8,
“Entry Queues, Operator Conferences, and Attended Conferencing”. In
unattended conferencing the operator is involved only if there are problems that require attention.
Displaying Participant Properties
In addition to the information that is listed in the Status and the Monitor panes, you can view detailed information regarding the status and properties of each listed participant, using the Participant Properties dialog boxes. This information is especially useful when a problem occurs during the connection of the participant to the conference.
•
To display the participant’s properties:
In the Status pane, Browser pane or Monitor pane, click the Participant icon.
Alternatively, right-click the icon of the participant to monitor, and then click Properties.
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
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Monitoring ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1_CAS Participants
Using the Participant Properties dialog box, you can verify the properties of an ISDN participant. The Identification, Advanced, Connection Info1,
Connection Info2, Resource Details, Disconnection Cause, H221 (or another used protocol) and Video Sources tabs contain information that is relevant to the participant status only while the conference is running and is used to monitor the participant’s status when connection problems occur.
For a detailed description of the participant properties that are set up in the
Identification and Advanced tabs, see Chapter 4, ”ISDN/ATM/MPI/T1-CAS
Participant Definition” on page 4-102.
To view and modify the participant's properties during a conference:
1.
In the Participant Properties dialog box, click the Identification tab.
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Information is displayed in the Participant Properties - Identification dialog box. You can view the name and the dial-in numbers that were used by the participant to connect to the Entry Queue/Conference.
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Table 5-9 describes the user defined Identification properties that you can
modify during an On Going Conference:
Table 5-9: ISDN Participant Properties - Identification
Field/Parameter
Name
User Defined 1-4
Broadcasting
Volume
Listening Volume
VIP
Description
Indicates the participant’s name.
These 4 fields enable you to enter additional information for the participant, for example the E-mail address or the telephone number, or any other required information.
Indicates the volume at which the participant is heard by other participants. If not modified, the volume stays at the default level 5.
Indicates the volume at which the participant hears other participants. If not modified, the volume stays at the default level 5.
While the participant is connected, indicates whether the participant status is defined as VIP.
2.
If required:
—
—
—
— change the participants name by entering a new name in the Name field.
enter information in any of the user defined fields adjust the broadcasting / listening volume using the slider change the VIP status by selecting or clearing the VIP check box
The participant’s Identification and Advanced parameters can be modified during an On Going Conference only if the participant is disconnected from the conference.
3.
Click the Connection Info1 tab.
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The Participant Properties - Connection Info1 dialog box opens.
The following information is displayed in Connection Info1:
Table 5-10: ISDN Participant Properties - Connection Info1
Field/Parameter
Participant State
Disconnect/
Reconnect
Description
Indicates the connection status of the participant as it appears in the Monitor and Status panes. If there is a problem, the appropriate status appears. For example, Disconnected indicates that the participant was disconnected from the conference.
Click this button to disconnect the participant from the conference. The button changes to Reconnect.
Click Reconnect to connect a disconnected participant to the conference.
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Table 5-10: ISDN Participant Properties - Connection Info1 (Continued)
Field/Parameter
Member in
Channels Status
Description
Checked boxes indicate which multimedia channels
(Audio, Video and Data - T.120) are connected.
Sometimes, if the participant is partially connected, only the audio channel is connected.
The LSD check box indicates that the LSD channel is open. For more details, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 1.
Note: For Audio Only participants, only the Audio check box is checked.
Displays the status of each of the participant’s channels in a table. You can use the cursor to change the width of the columns or use the scroll bars to browse. The status table columns are:
• Channel # - Indicates the number of channels used by the participant and whether the channel is connected (which is indicated by a check mark) or disconnected.
•
Participant Phone # - In a dial-in connection, indicates the participant’s CLI (Calling Line
Identification) as identified by the MCU. In a dialout connection, indicates the participant’s phone number dialed by the MCU for each channel.
•
MCU Phone # - In a dial-in connection, indicates the MCU number dialed by the participant. In a
dial-out connection, indicates the MCU (CLI) number as seen by the participant. This is the number entered in the MCU Number field in the
Network Service.
Note: For Audio Only participants, only one channel is displayed.
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Table 5-10: ISDN Participant Properties - Connection Info1 (Continued)
Field/Parameter
H221
Counters Status
Down Speed
Chair Token
FECC/LSD Token
Description
Indicates the synchronization status.
• l-sync loss () - Checked when there is a general synchronization problem with the MCU.
•
r-sync loss () - Checked when there is a general synchronization problem with the participant site.
• l-video sync loss () - Checked when there is a video synchronization problem in the MCU.
•
r-video sync loss () - Checked when there is a video synchronization problem in the participant's endpoint.
The counter indicates the number of times the system tried to synchronize. When the synchronization is lost, an exclamation point (!) appears on the Conference icon and the Participant icon.
Downspeeding occurs during call setup and is an automatic process performed by the MCU. During call setup, Downspeeding allows Bonded calls to connect with missing or unsynchronized channels by excluding these channels from the call setup process. This results in a lower line rate for the connection. However if the channels are restored the original line speed is restored.
Downspeeding is supported in Continuous Presence and Transcoding video sessions only. The
Downspeed process is enabled and disabled in the
“system.cfg” file.
When Down Speed is activated, three types of messages can be displayed:
•
Downspeeding - Downspeed is in progress.
•
Downspeeded - The process is completed.
•
Empty - The process is inactive.
When checked, indicates that the participant is holding the Chair Token.
When checked, indicates that the participant is holding the Data Token.
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Table 5-10: ISDN Participant Properties - Connection Info1 (Continued)
Field/Parameter
Content Token
Description
When checked, indicates that the participant is holding the Content Token.
When the connection process is completed successfully, the transmission rate and the aggregation method used by the endpoint are indicated in the
Monitor and Status tables.
4.
To view general information regarding the participant connection and to
(optionally) mute or unmute the participant’s audio or video channels, click the Connection Info2 tab.
The Participant Properties - Connection Info2 dialog box opens.
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The following information is displayed in Connection Info2:
Table 5-11: ISDN Participant Properties - Connection Info2
Field/Parameter
Connection Time
Disconnection
Time
Loopback Status
Connection
Retries Left
Tx Rate
Rx Rate
Mute (By
Operator)
Mute (By
Participant)
Mute (By MCU)
Block
Attending
Description
The date and time the participant connected to the conference.
Note: The time format is derived from the operating system time format.
The date and time the participant was disconnected from the conference.
For future version.
Indicates the number of retries left for the system to connect the participant to the conference.
The line rate at which data sent from the MCU is received by the endpoint.
The line rate at which data sent from the endpoint is received by the MCU.
Used to mute the participant’s audio or video channels by the operator. If checked, the participant's audio/video channel is muted.
If checked, indicates that the audio and/or video channels have been muted by the participant.
If checked, indicates that the audio and/or video channels have been muted by the MCU (as in the
Exclusive Speaker mode or in a Lecture Show).
Used to block the participant’s audio channel. If checked, the audio channel is blocked, but the participant will still be heard by other participants.
Displays the participant or operator status in a Greet and Guide conference or in a conference with an
IVR Service.
•
Oper Participant - This option is checked when viewing the operator parameters.
• Attending - This option is checked when the participant is in an Attended state.
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Table 5-11: ISDN Participant Properties - Connection Info2 (Continued)
Field/Parameter
Participant
Attending State
Description
Displays the status of the Attended participant:
• Attended - The participant is being assisted by the operator (in an Operator conference)
•
On Hold - The participant was placed on hold and hears background music. In video conferences, the participant also views the
Welcome slide.
For more details on Attended conferences, see the
MGC Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 4.
5.
If the participant is in a Continuous Presence conference, click the Video
Sources tab to check the video layout selected for the participant.
The Participant Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
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This dialog box displays the participant’s video layout and video forcing settings (the participants that are forced to each of the layout windows).
The following information is displayed:
Table 5-12: ISDN Participant Properties - Video Sources
Field/Parameter
Layout view
Layout options
Description
Displays the current video layout the participant is viewing. Each participant window includes:
• Name box - indicating the name of the participant shown in the window.
•
Drop-down list - names of the other conference participants who can be selected to be “forced” into the video layout window.
A checked option button indicates which video layout is currently used by the participant.
• Personal Layout - the layout selected for this participant (disabled for conferences running on a Standard video card).
• Conference Layout - the layout selected for the conference.
In a Continuous Presence conference running on a Video+ card, this dialog box indicates whether the participant is viewing the video layout of the conference or their personal video layout. If required, you can:
—
— select the video layout viewing mode (Conference or Personal
Layout) if in the Personal Layout mode, select the video layout for this participant (video force)
When running a conference on a Standard video card, only the Conference
Layout can be viewed by the participants.
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6.
To view the MCU resources used to handle the participant in the conference, click the Resource Details tab.
The Participant Properties - Resource Details dialog box opens.
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This dialog box lists the resources that may be used to handle the participant’s call. The following information is displayed:
Table 5-13: ISDN Participant Properties - Resource Details
Pane/Table
Resource
Details
Column/
Parameter
Option/Description
Displays information about the MCU cards which handle the participant connection.
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Table 5-13: ISDN Participant Properties - Resource Details (Continued)
Pane/Table
Column/
Parameter
Option/Description
Resource
Details (cont.)
Net Resource
Details
Resource
Type
Displays the type of MCU cards used to run the conference. The following types are listed:
•
MUX - the Video/MUX card used to handle H.320 video calls.
• Audio Codec - The port that performs the audio encoding and decoding.
•
Audio Bridge - The audio bridge that mixes the audio signal received from various ports.
•
Video - The unit on the video card that manages the video signal received from one endpoint.
•
T.120 Bridge - The resource on the data card that manages the data conference.
•
T.120 Codec comprises the T.123 protocol - The resource that transfers the data from the endpoint to the MCS in a T.120 conference.
• IP - A network interface module that handles IP participants.
Board ID
Unit ID
Identifies the MCU slot in which the card that handles the participant, is installed.
Identifies the unit on the card that handles the participant.
Allocated
Indicates whether the MCU resources listed in the Resource Type column are used to run the conference or not.
Note: The video card is used only in
Continuous Presence conferences.
Displays information about the network interface module that handles the monitored participant.
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Table 5-13: ISDN Participant Properties - Resource Details (Continued)
Pane/Table
Column/
Parameter
Option/Description
Net Resource
Details
(cont.)
Channel
Board ID
Unit ID
Port ID
Allocated
The number of the participant’s channel.
The slot number in which the Network card used to handle the participant, is installed.
The span that handles the participant in the conference.
The port number on the Network card that was allocated to the participant.
Indicates whether the Network card installed in the MCU is used to run the conference or not.
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7.
If the participant did not connect to the conference, click the
Disconnection Cause tab to display the cause.
The Participant Properties - Disconnection Cause dialog box opens.
This dialog box lists the categories and parameters which indicate the cause of participant's disconnection from the conference. The information is displayed according to the protocol/standard defined for the participant, and the parameters vary accordingly. For example, different parameters play a role in the disconnection of H.221 participants and H.245 or H.264 participants.
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The following information is displayed:
Table 5-14: Disconnection Cause parameters
Cause Description
Call Disconnection
Reason
Cause
Operator Disconnect - The operator disconnected the participant from the conference. The Cause field displays the name of the operator who disconnected the participant.
No Net Connection - The network channels could not be connected. This may also be caused when the communication lines are unavailable or busy.
Participant hang up - The participant disconnected from the conference.
V-Gate No Response - Applicable in an ATM connection, when the V-Gate is unable to negotiate a connection with the endpoint.
Security Failure - An encryption failure occurred.
Bonding Failure - The connection could not be established between the participant and the MCU when Bonding is used.
Bad H243 Connection - Problems with the connection protocol.
Resource Deficiency - Not enough hardware resources (MUX, video, audio, data or network cards) to handle the participant call.
If there is a problem in the connection, which is indicated by one of the call disconnection reasons, the system displays an explanation for this problem.
For example, the No Net Connection disconnection reason may be selected, while the disconnection explanation called party line is busy appears in the
Cause field.
For a detailed description of disconnection causes and parameters, see Appendix A.
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Lists the endpoint’s audio, video, and line capabilities as sent from the remote site
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8.
If problems are indicated during the participant connection to the conference and you want to further investigate the reasons, click the
H221 tab.
The Participant Properties - H221 dialog box opens.
Displays the endpoint’s actions when establishing connection with the
MCU
Displays the MCU’s actions when establishing connection with the participant’s endpoint
The H221 dialog box displays real-time information about the capabilities that are being exchanged between the MCU and the endpoint during the connection process. When the connection process is aborted, you can use this information to identify the cause of the connection problem and the stage at which the connection process stopped.
Connection problems are caused by discrepancies between the participant's capabilities as received from the participant's endpoint, the capabilities as defined in the Participant's Properties dialog box, and the capabilities as defined in the Conference Properties dialog box.
For example, the Remote Capabilities list may indicate that the participant is using a restricted line (56 Kbps per channel instead of
64 Kbps). However, this Restricted option was not selected in the
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participant's properties dialog box nor was it set for the conference (if the conference is Restricted, a special indication appears in the Local
Communication Mode list). In such a case, you may need to change the participant and conference definition to Restricted or change the conference video session to Transcoding.
Connecting Auto-Detect Participants
When a participant defined as Auto Detect dials into the MCU, each channel is detected by the MCU and the system tries to connect the participant using the Bonding protocol. If the connection using Bonding is successful, the negotiation with the endpoint communicates the number of additional channels to be connected. The connection of the participant proceeds using the same procedure for Bonding connection. If the connection using Bonding fails, the MCU tries to connect the endpoint using the H221 standard. If this fails, the connection with the endpoint is terminated. If the capabilities exchange is successful, the endpoint is connected according to the line rate communicated by the endpoint during the capabilities exchange, and using the standard H.221 aggregation procedure. These negotiations and the final transmission rate are indicated in the Participant Properties - H221 dialog box.
When a dial-out participant connects to the conference, the system exchanges capabilities with the endpoint and attempts to connect the participant using
Bonding. If Bonding is unavailable, the participant is connected in H.221 mode. Once the aggregation method is determined, the MCU attempts to connect the participant in the line rate defined for the conference. If it fails, the MCU will connect the participant using a lower line rate.
The Bonding option is enabled for the MCU in the “system.cfg” file. The Default setting is BONDING = YES
• The Bonding Yes/ No flag (in “system.cfg”) enables the system administrator to disable the “Bonding” option when this feature is not required by the system. If BONDING=NO, the system rejects all ISDN participants (except participant using leased lines) whose aggregation mode is set to “Bonding,”
“Auto” or “Auto Detect” at the reservation stage. In such a case, an appropriate error message is displayed: ”BONDING_NOT_SUPPORTED”.
•
When the Bonding fails and the H.221 is selected, there may be problems connecting the participant if the operator entered only one dial number and the participant’s line rate is higher than 2B (128 Kbps).
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Monitoring IP Participants
You can monitor IP participants using the same method as when monitoring the ISDN participants. When verifying the properties of an IP participant, the following tabs are displayed in the Participant Properties dialog box:
Connection Info1, Connection Info2, Resource Details, Disconnection Cause,
H245, and Video Sources. These tabs contain information that is relevant only to the participant status while the conference is running and are used to monitor the participant’s status when there are connection problems. For a detailed description of the participant properties that are set up in the
Identification and Advanced tabs, see Chapter 4, ”IP (H.323 and SIP)
Participant Definition” on page 4-114.
The participant’s Identification and Advanced parameters can be modified during an On Going Conference only if the participant is disconnected.
To view and modify the participant's properties during a conference:
1.
In the Participant Properties dialog box, click the Connection Info1 tab.
The Participant Properties - Connection Info1 dialog box opens.
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The Connection Info1 window displays the information sent from the IP card to the MCU control unit. This information is refreshed every two seconds. The information is derived from:
—
—
RTP
RTCP reports
— Media channels
The RTP information is created by the RTP processor of the IP card, such as packet loss, overflow, packet fragmentation, jitter buffer parameters, and delays. The RTP statistics are displayed in two views, Accumulated and Interval:
—
—
In the Accumulated view, the system displays statistics that it gathered since the session start (since the participant connected to the conference).
In the Interval view, the system displays the statistics for the last five minutes, and it is updated continuously.
The RTCP information is taken from the RTCP reports sent and received by the MCU (IP card) to/from the endpoints. This information is refreshed every 5 seconds.
An exclamation point appears in the Faulty column in the Channel Status box when a faulty condition is detected for a channel, for example, the packet loss has exceeded a threshold defined in the system. The parameters thresholds are defined in the system.cfg file and are based on standard network behavior. An exclamation point indicates that further investigation may be required, using the additional parameters in the
Advanced pane. This is a real-time indication; when the faulty condition is resolved the exclamation point disappears.
The following information is displayed in the Channel Status table:
Table 5-15: IP Participant Connection Info1 - Channel Status
Field/Option
Participant
State
Description
The connection status of the participant as it appears in the
Monitor and Status panes. If there is a problem with participant’s connection, the appropriate status indication appears, for example, Disconnected.
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Table 5-15: IP Participant Connection Info1 - Channel Status (Continued)
Field/Option
Disconnect/
Reconnect
Member In
Channels
Status
Description
Depending on the current participant status in the On Going
Conference, this button allows you to disconnect or reconnect the participant.
Channels: Audio, Video, T.120, Content and FECC
The checked boxes indicate which multimedia channels
(audio, video, FECC, Content and data) are connected. For example, if the participant is partially connected, only the audio channel is connected.
Indicates the channel types used by the participant and whether the channel is connected (which is indicated by a check mark) or not. Incoming channels are the endpoint’s capabilities as established in the signaling negotiations.
Outgoing channels are the MCU’s capabilities as established in the signaling negotiations. The following channels are listed:
H.225 - The call-signaling channel.
H.245 - The Control channel over which the MCU and the endpoint capabilities are exchanged.
Audio in - Incoming Audio channel for the media stream.
Audio out - Outgoing Audio channel for the media stream.
Video in - Incoming Video channel with a QCIF media stream with a fixed bitrate for all endpoints.
Video out - Outgoing dynamic video channel with a CIF media stream and higher (4CIF) bitrate for each participant.
Content in - Indicates whether the incoming Content channel
(in H.239 People+Content conferences) is open.
Content out - Outgoing data media channel (in H.239 and
People+Content conferences).
FECC in - Indicates whether the incoming FECC channel is open.
FECC out - Indicates whether the outgoing FECC channel is open. No other information is relevant for this channel.
T120 in - Indicates whether the incoming T.120 channel is open.
T120 out - Indicates whether the outgoing T.120 channel is open.
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Table 5-15: IP Participant Connection Info1 - Channel Status (Continued)
Field/Option
Channels
Status (cont.)
Faulty
Bit Rate
Packet Loss
Fraction Loss
(Peak)
Number of
Packets
Jitter (Peak)
Latency
Description
Notes:
•
The FECC channels appear in the Channel list only when
FECC is enabled for the conference.
• When FECC is enabled, T.120 channels are disabled and vice versa.
A red exclamation point indicates a faulty channel condition enabling further investigation if required. This is a real-time indication: when resolved the mark disappears.
The actual transfer rate for the channel.
If FECC is enabled for the conference, this column indicates the FECC channel transfer rate: 6.4 or 4.8 (if encryption is enabled for the participant).
Indicates the accumulated count of all packets that are missing since the channel opened. This field is for information only and does not cause the display of the exclamation point as it may indicate a problem at the connection stage and not a current event. It can indicate problems with the network, which may affect the audio and video quality.
The ratio between the number of lost packets and the number of transmitted packets since the last RTCP report.
Peak (in parentheses) indicates the highest ratio recorded since the channel opened.
The number of received or transmitted packets (according to the channel type) since the channel has opened. This field is for information only and does not cause the display of the exclamation point.
Displays the network jitter (the deviation in time between the arriving packets) as reported in the last RTCP report. This is usually caused by network congestion or route changes.
Peak (in parentheses) reflects the maximum network jitter since the channel opened.
Indicates the time it takes a packet to travel from one end to another in milliseconds. The listed value is derived from the
RTCP report.
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Table 5-15: IP Participant Connection Info1 - Channel Status (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Sync Counters
Status
Channel - The channel type.
Source - The name of the participant currently viewed by this participant. In a Software Continuous Presence conference, the Source displays the names of the participants currently viewed in the Video Layout window.
Position - The video layout position indicates the place of each participant as they appear on-screen during an On
Going Software Continuous Presence conference. For example: In the 2 x 2 Video Layout window, participant Josh, is indicated by a small blue box in the top left corner of the image.
In all other conferences the Position indicator is a blue square, and the participant’s position is not indicated.
The position each participant occupies can be defined in the
Conference Properties - Video Sources window. If no video forcing is applied (Auto Select), the system assigns participants to the video windows randomly.
There are three stages in the synchronization that occur during the connection between the endpoint and the MCU:
Video Switch, Protocol and Video Intra. These synchronization aspects indicate whether the video information has been correctly transmitted and received between the endpoint the MCU. The system indicates if there was any problem in any of the synchronization stages between the endpoint and the MCU. Check marks in any of the check boxes indicate that the system failed to synchronize, and the cause of the failure.
Video Switch - Video Switch is a certain pattern (sequence) of bits in the video information. The identification of this pattern is used for the first stage in the synchronization process. Once the synchronization is established, the system moves to the next stage in the synchronization process. This option is checked when there is a problem in the first stage of the synchronization. The counter indicates the number of times the system tried to synchronize.
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Table 5-15: IP Participant Connection Info1 - Channel Status (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Sync Counters
Status (cont.) l-sync video loss (0) r-sync video loss (0)
Protocol Sync Loss - Indicates whether the system was able to synchronize the bits order according to the selected video protocol (H.261 or H.263). This option is checked when there is a problem in the second stage of the synchronization. The counter indicates the number of times the system tried to synchronize.
Video Intra Sync - Intra is a special video frame that is used for synchronization. Indicates whether the synchronization on a video H.261 or H.263 Intra frame was successful.
Video Resolution - The video resolution of the participant.
A checked check box indicates that there is a video synchronization problem in the participant's endpoint. The counter indicates the number of times the MCU had to resynchronize.
Note: This parameter is only relevant in Continuous Presence conferences.
A checked check box indicates that there is a video synchronization problem in the MCU. The counter indicates the number of times the endpoint had to re-synchronize.
Note: This parameter is only relevant in Continuous Presence conferences.
FECC Token
When checked, indicates that the participant is holding the
Data Token.
Content Token
When checked, indicates that the participant is holding the
Content Token.
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If the Faulty indicator (exclamation point) appears next to a channel and you want to investigate the source of the problem, you can display additional information for that channel.
2.
In the Channel Status table, click the Channel to investigate, and then click the Channel Info button.
The Channel Info area opens.
The Channel Info area displays additional parameters relating to the transmission of packets and their processing by the MCU, for the selected channel. The information is specific to the type of channel you select in the Channels Status channels list, for example video in or video out, audio in or audio out, etc.
You can resize the column width or use the scroll bars to browse.
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The following detailed information is displayed in the Channel Info:
Table 5-16: IP Participant Properties - Video In Channel Info
Field/Option
MCU Address
Party Address
Media Info
Algorithm
Frame per
packet (audio only)
Resolution
(video only)
Frame Rate
(video only)
Annexes (video only)
Channel Index
Description
The IP address of the H.323 card installed in the MCU to which the participant is connected and the UDP port number allocated to the participant incoming media stream on the MCU side.
The IP address of the participant and the port number allocated to the media stream on the participant side.
This table provides field/value information about currently used video properties and settings.
Indicates the audio or video algorithm and protocol.
The number of audio frames per packet that are transferred between the MCU and the endpoint. If the actual Frame per Packets are higher than Frame per
Packets declared during the capabilities exchange, a
Faulty flag is displayed.
Indicates the video resolution in use. If the actual resolution is higher than resolution declared in the capabilities exchange, the Faulty flag is displayed. For example, if the declared resolution is CIF and the actual resolution is 4CIF, the Faulty flag is displayed.
The number of video frames per second that are transferred between the MCU and the endpoint.
Indicates the H.263 annexes in use at the time of the last RTCP report. If the actual annexes used are other than the declared annexes in the capabilities exchange, the Faulty flag is displayed.
For Polycom Internal use only.
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Table 5-16: IP Participant Properties - Video In Channel Info (Continued)
Field/Option
RTP Statistics -
RTP Packets
Actual loss
Out of Order
Description
This information may indicate problems with the network which can affect the audio and video quality.
The number of missing packets counted by the IP card as reported in the last RTP Statistics report. If a packet that was considered lost arrives later, it is deducted from the packet loss count. Packet loss is displayed with the following details:
• Accumulated N - number of lost packets accumulated since the channel opened.
•
Accumulated % - percentage of lost packets out of the total number of packets transmitted since the channel opened.
•
Interval N - number of packets lost in the last RTP report interval (default interval is 5 minutes).
• Interval % - percentage of lost packets out of the total number of packets transmitted in the last RTP report interval (default interval is 5 minutes).
• Peak - the highest number of lost packets in a report interval from the beginning of the channel's life span.
The number of packets arriving out of order. The following details are displayed:
• Accumulated N - total number of packets that arrived out of order since the channel opened.
•
Accumulated % - percentage of packets that arrived out of order out of the total number of packets transmitted since the channel opened.
•
Interval N - number of packets that arrived out of order in the last RTP report interval (default interval is 5 minutes).
•
Interval % - percentage of packets that arrived out of order out of the total number of packets transmitted in the last RTP report interval (default interval is 5 minutes).
• Peak - the highest number of packets that arrived out of order in a report interval from the beginning of the channel's life span.
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Table 5-16: IP Participant Properties - Video In Channel Info (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Fragmented
Indicates the number of packets that arrived to the IP card fragmented (i.e., a single packet broken by the network into multiple packets). This value can indicate the delay and reordering of fragmented packets that require additional processing, but is not considered a fault.
The Fragmented information is displayed with the following details:
•
Accumulated N - total number of packets that were fragmented since the channel opened.
• Accumulated % - percentage of fragmented packets out of the total number of packets transmitted since the channel opened.
• Interval N - number of fragmented packets received in the last RTP report interval (default interval is 5 minutes).
• Interval % - percentage of fragmented packets out of the total number of packets transmitted in the last RTP report interval (default interval is 5 minutes).
•
Peak - the highest number of fragmented packets in a report interval from the beginning of the channel's life span.
RTP Statistics -
Jitter
Mechanism
The values this information provides may indicate problems with the network which can affect the audio and video quality.
Jitter Buffer Size
The maximum permitted delay in milliseconds in the expected arrival time (buffer size) determining whether packets are processed or considered as lost.
For example, if the jitter buffer size is 15-milliseconds and a packet from an endpoint arrives with a
12-millisecond delay, the packet is processed.
•
N - the current jitter buffer size.
•
Peak - the highest jitter buffer size from the beginning of the channel's life span.
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Table 5-16: IP Participant Properties - Video In Channel Info (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Late Packets
The number of packets discarded as a result of arriving later than the set jitter buffer size.
• Accumulated N - total number of packets that arrived later than set in the jitter buffer size since the channel opened.
• Interval N - number of packets that arrived later than set in the jitter buffer size, in the last RTP report interval (default interval is 5 minutes).
• Peak - the highest number of packets that arrived later than set in the jitter buffer size, in a report interval from the beginning of the channel's life span.
Overflows
Sample packet interval
The number of times the jitter mechanism is reset due to bitrate overflow. Overflow is the excess flow of packets not processed. High values may indicate a problem with the network or an endpoint.
The time a packet is delayed in the jitter buffer until it is used. (This information is used as part of a random sampling procedure for internal behavior tracking.)
Error Resilience
Indicates the state of the RTP mechanism that repairs video frames resulting from packet loss, to improve video quality.
Repairs
(video only)
The number of repaired packets.
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3.
Click the Connection Info2 tab.
The Participant Properties - Connection Info2 dialog box opens.
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Table 5-17: Connection Info2 parameter description
Field
Connection Time
Disconnection
Time
Loopback Status
Connection
Retries Left
Description
The date and time the participant connected to the conference.
The date and time the participant was disconnected from the conference.
For future version.
Indicates the number of retries left for the system to connect the participant to the conference.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Table 5-17: Connection Info2 parameter description
Field
Tx Rate
Rx Rate
Mute (By
Operator)
Mute (By
Participant)
Mute (By MCU)
Block
Attending
Participant
Attending State
Description
The total line rate of all the channels (agreed rate) in which data sent from the MCU is received by the endpoint.
The total line rate of all the channels (agreed rate) in which data sent from the endpoint is received by the
MCU.
Used to mute the participant’s audio or video channels by the operator during the conference. If checked, the participant's audio/video channel is muted. To mute the participant, click this check box.
Indicates the channels (Audio and Video) that have been muted by the participant.
Indicates the channels (Audio and Video) that have been muted by the MCU. This is applicable in
Exclusive Speaker mode and Lecture Show.
To block the audio transmission to the participant site. Clearing this check box will restore the audio transmission to this site.
Displays the participant or operator status in a Greet
& Guide conference or in an IVR enabled conference.
Oper Participant – This option is checked when viewing the operator parameters.
Attending – This option is checked when the participant is in a Attended state.
Displays the status of the Attended participant:
Attended – The participant is being assisted by the operator (in the Operator conference)
On Hold – The participant was placed on hold and hears background music. In video conferences the participant also views the Welcome slide.
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Table 5-17: Connection Info2 parameter description
Field Description
Gatekeeper Status
Indicates the status of the participant’s registration with the gatekeeper and the bandwidth allocated to the participant.
ARQ – Admission Request - indicates that the participant has requested the gatekeeper to allocate the required bandwidth on the LAN.
Admitted – indicates that the gatekeeper has allocated the required bandwidth to the participant.
DRQ – Disengage Request – the endpoint informs the gatekeeper that the connection to the conference is terminated and requests to disconnect the call and free the resources.
None – indicates that there is no connection to the gatekeeper.
Requested
Bandwidth
The bandwidth (in Kbps) requested by the participant from the gatekeeper in the Admission
Request.
Allocated
Requested Info
Interval
Gatekeeper
Routed
The actual bandwidth (in Kbps) allocated to the participant by the gatekeeper when the participant is admitted to the conference.
Some gatekeepers request an alive and well message from the endpoint to keep the resources allocated to it. This box indicates the frequency with which this message is sent to the gatekeeper.
Indicates whether the participant’s call is routed via the gatekeeper.
4.
If the participant is in a Continuous Presence conference, click the Video
Sources tab to check the video layout selected for this participant.
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The Participant Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
This dialog box displays the participant’s video layout and video forcing settings (the participants that are forced to each of the layout windows).
For more information, see Chapter 6, “Using DTMF Codes During a
In a Continuous Presence conference running on the Video+ card, this dialog box indicates whether the participant is viewing the conference video layout or the personal video layout. You can select the video layout viewing mode (Conference or Personal Layout) and, if in Personal
Layout mode, select the video layout for this participant. For more
details, see Chapter 6, “Changing Video Layout for the Participant” on page 6-33.
When running a conference on the standard video card only the
Conference Layout can be viewed by the participants.
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The following information is displayed:
Table 5-18: IP Participant Properties - Video Sources
Parameter/Field
Layout view
Layout option
Description
Displays the current video layout the participant is viewing. Each participant window includes:
•
Name box - indicating the name of the participant shown in the window.
• Drop-down list - for video forcing, of the names of the other conference participants who can be
“forced” into the window.
Option buttons indicating the layout the participant is currently using.
•
Personal Layout - the layout selected for this participant (disabled for conferences running on the Standard video card).
•
Conference Layout - the layout selected for the conference.
5.
If problems are indicated during the participant’s connection process to the conference, and you want to further investigate the reasons, click the
H245 tab.
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Lists the endpoint’s audio, video and line capabilities as received from the remote site
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
The Participant Properties – H245 dialog box opens.
Displays the endpoint’s actions when establishing connection with the
MCU
Displays the MCU’s actions when establishing connection with the participant
This dialog box indicates the capabilities exchanged between the MCU and the endpoint.
The following information is displayed in the H245 tab:
Table 5-19: IP Participant Properties - H.245
Parameter/Field
Remote
Capabilities
Remote
Communication
Mode
Local
Communication
Mode
Description
Lists the participant's Line Rate and Audio/ Video capabilities as received from the remote site.
Displays the actual capabilities used by the endpoint when establishing the connection with the MCU.
Displays the actual capabilities used by the MCU when establishing the connection with the participant.
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6.
Click the Disconnection Cause tab to view the causes for the participant’s inability to connect to the conference.
The Participant Properties - Disconnection Cause dialog box opens.
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The following information is contained in the Disconnection Cause dialog box.
Table 5-20: H.323 Participant Properties - Disconnection Causes
Pane Name
Call
Disconnection
Reason
Category and Description
The disconnection category.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Table 5-20: H.323 Participant Properties - Disconnection Causes (Continued)
Pane Name
Call
Disconnection
Reason (cont.)
Category and Description
Operator
Disconnect
No Net
Connection
Participant hang up
V-Gate No
Response
Security Failure
Bonding Failure
Bad H243
Connection
Resource
Deficiency
Gatekeeper
Failure
H323 Failure
The operator disconnected the participant from the conference.
The Cause field displays the name of the operator who disconnected the participant.
The network channels could not be connected. This may also be caused when the communication lines are unavailable or busy.
The participant disconnected from the conference.
Applicable in an ATM connection, when the V-Gate is unable to negotiate a connection with the endpoint.
An encryption failure occurred.
The connection could not be established between the participant and the MCU when
Bonding is used.
Problems with the connection protocol.
Not enough hardware resources
(MUX, video, audio, data or network cards) to handle the participant call.
The participant’s failure to connect to the conference is caused by the gatekeeper.
The participant’s failure to connect to the conference is caused by the
MCU (H.323 card).
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Table 5-20: H.323 Participant Properties - Disconnection Causes (Continued)
Pane Name
Call
Disconnection
Reason (cont.)
Cause
Video
Disconnection
Reason
(Secondary)
Category and Description
SIP Failure
The participant cannot connect to the conference as its type does not support SIP participant connections. For example, COP conferences.
If there is a problem in the connection, which is indicated by one of the call disconnection reasons, the system displays an explanation for this problem. For example, the No Net Connection disconnection reason may be selected, while the disconnection explanation called
party line is busy appears in the Cause field.
For a detailed description of disconnection causes and parameters, see Appendix A.
Describes those cases where a participant’s video cannot be connected and the participant is using only the audio channel. The detailed cause is indicated in the
Cause box with a Possible Solution displayed beneath.
Incoming video channel does not match conference video settings
During the capabilities exchange between the endpoint and the
MCU, the endpoint capabilities do not support the capabilities required by the MCU.
For example, the conference
Video protocol is set to H.263 while the endpoint supports only
H.261. In the Cause box, the system lists the conference video parameters and the endpoint’s video parameter that does not match the conference.
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Table 5-20: H.323 Participant Properties - Disconnection Causes (Continued)
Pane Name
Video
Disconnection
Reason
(Secondary)
(cont.)
Category and Description
Remote device does not support the current video parameters
Remote device failed to change its video parameters
During the connection to the conference, the endpoint fails to adjust (lower) its video settings to the conference settings. For example, when the conference frame rate is set to QCIF, the endpoint sends video in CIF and cannot lower the video resolution to QCIF.
In a Video Switching conference with video parameters set to Auto
(activating the highest common mechanism), when the conference video parameters are adjusted according to the participants currently connected to the conference, the participant’s endpoint could not adjust its video parameters. Consequently, the connection status changed to
Secondary.
Video stream violation during session
Video channel rejected due to inadequate H.323 card resources
The endpoint’s video parameters exceed the parameters set for the conference. For example, if the conference frame rate is set to 15 fps and the endpoint sends video at 30 fps (frames per second), the endpoint is connected as
Secondary.
The resources of the H.323 card were insufficient for the participant’s video channel.
7.
Click the Resource Details tab to view the MCU resources allocated to the participant.
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The Participant Properties – Resource Details dialog box opens.
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The following information is displayed:
Board ID – the number of the slot where the IP card used to handle the participant is installed.
Unit ID – Displays the unit number (on the card) used to handle the participant in the conference.
Allocated – Indicates whether the IP card is used to run the conference or not.
All other resources are identical to ISDN participants and are described in Table 5-13 on page 5-50.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Monitoring Gateway Sessions
If a gateway is configured on your MCU, you can monitor the On Going gateway sessions.
•
To view the list of current gateway sessions:
Double-click the On Going Gateway Sessions icon or click the plus [+] icon next to the On Going Gateway Sessions icon.
The list of gateway sessions opens.
Displays Dial-up string showing call setup between two H.323 endpoints
Displays the incoming gateway Dial-up string from the H.323 local endpoint
Displays the outgoing gateway Dial-up string to the H.323 remote endpoint
Figure 5-2: Gateway Sessions Indicators
Figure 5-2 shows a gateway call between two IP networks. The dialing string is composed of the H.323 Network Service prefix (GW Service prefix), the profile identifier, and the remote H.323 endpoint’s alias in E.164 format
(1045). The system displays the alias of the remote H.323 endpoint in the gateway session name, and the participant name.
The same status icons that indicate the standard participant status, are used to indicate the participant status in a gateway session. For the description of all conference status icons, see Table 5-2 on page 5-10.
In a Double Gateway call, the system displays only the local endpoint and gateway session parameters.
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•
To view the participants status in the gateway session:
Double-click the conference icon or click the plus [+] icon next to the gateway session.
The list of participants of the gateway session opens.
In Figure 5-3 the IP participant dials the GW Service prefix, the pound sign #
and the ISDN phone number of the H.320 endpoint. The system displays the phone number of the ISDN participant (293711111) and the alias of the H.323 endpoint initiating the gateway session. The same numbers appear as the participant names.
Figure 5-3: Gateway Session - H.323 Participant Status Indicators
As shown in Figure 5-4, the H.320 endpoint dials to an H.323. The dialing
string is comprised of the MCU ISDN dial-in number (one of the numbers allocated to gateway calls) and the H.323 alias (in E.164 format). The H.323 is entered as the extension number and is sent to the gateway in TCS4 format.
The system displays the ISDN endpoint’s CLI number (or NOCLI if no CLI number is detected) as part of the gateway session name and the ISDN participant name.
Figure 5-4: Gateway Session - ISDN Participant Status Indicators
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6
Operations Performed During On
Going Conferences
During an On Going Conference, the operator can perform many management tasks at the conference level or at the participant level, using the MGC Manager or the WebCommander application.
Operations at the participant level affect individual connections, while those at the conference level affect all participants of the conference. Some conference-level operator’s actions affect individual participants, for example when during a Q&A (Question-and-Answer) session they grant individual participants permission to ask questions and add them to the queue.
Operators can terminate a conference before the originally scheduled ending, or extend its duration. Alternatively, they can disconnect an individual participant while the conference is in progress, or temporarily mute the transmission to enable other participants to hold a private discussion. Operators can manage video sources, establish an operatorcontrolled dial-out connection during the conference and add new participants while the conference is in session.
Some conference management tasks can also be performed by chairpersons from their endpoint, using DTMF codes or the WebCommander application.
This chapter describes the activities and options available to the operator or the chairperson during an On Going Conference.
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Overview
The MGC Manager operator performs different roles during attended and unattended conferences.
Attended Conferences
In attended conferences, participants accessing an Entry Queue, an IVR
Queue
or a Greet and Guide Queue
are moved to the Participants Queue where they wait for the operator to assist them. The operator’s role during this stage is to move the participants from the Participants Queue to the destination conference. During an On Going Conference, the operator can take part in the conference and perform various tasks, for example
assist participants privately;
conduct a voting session; manage a Question-and
Answer session; place participants on hold, and lock the conference to dial-in participants.
Unattended Conferences
In unattended conferences, participants use DTMF codes in response to menu-driven voice prompts and in this way are guided to the conference.
Unless there is a problem in the connection or the participant did not enter the correct conference Numeric ID or password, operator intervention is not required. In unattended conferences the operator usually leaves the management of the conference to a designated participant, usually the chairperson/meeting organizer. The conference chairperson can perform certain operator’s functions, such as start a voting session, control the
Question-and-Answer session, mute incoming parties, place the conference on hold and lock or unlock the conference.
All operator functions can be performed either via the WebCommander interface or using DTMF codes from the participant’s endpoint.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Participant Level Operations
The following operations can be performed at the participant level:
Make dial-out connections
Change the participant connection type (dial-in/dial-out)
Change the participant’s Line Rate before connection to the conference
Disconnect and reconnect participants
Change the properties of a disconnected participant
Downspeed
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Name undefined dial-in participants
Move participants from one conference to another (using the drag and drop option or the participant menu)
Move a participant to the Operator conference (only in an Attended
Conference - see Chapter 8, “Entry Queues, Operator Conferences, and
Move a participant to the Home conference (only in an a Attended
conference - see Chapter 8, “Entry Queues, Operator Conferences, and
Place a participant on-hold (only in an a Attended conference - see
Chapter 8, “Entry Queues, Operator Conferences, and Attended
Designate a participant as Exclusive Speaker
Change a participant’s status to Conference Chairperson
Designate a participant as a VIP
Modify the participant’s User Defined fields information (MGC
Manager only)
Control the participant's listening and broadcasting volume
Mute or unmute a participant
Block the transmission of the audio channel to the participant’s site
Enable Auto Gain Control (AGC) function
Perform participant operations via DTMF Codes
•
•
Participant and Conference Level Video Management
Change the conference and participant Video Layout in a Continuous
Presence conference
Video Force at the conference and the participant level
•
•
•
•
Conference Level Operations
The following operations can be performed at the conference level:
Add new participants to a conference
Mute dial-in participants upon their connection to the conference
Mute audio for a conference
Lock and unlock a conference
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Change the conference and chairperson password
Change a conference's duration
Enable the end of conference reminder
Change the conference billing code
Modify conference User Defined fields information (MGC Manager only)
Add remarks
Enable broadcasting of Annex D still video image to all participants (in
Transcoding and Continuous Presence conferences)
Print the conference details to a file, printer or clipboard
Control the Question-and-Answer session
Conduct Voting sessions
Place a conference on hold (Audio Only conferences only - see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition)
Perform chairperson operations via DTMF Codes
Operations performed during On Going Audio Only Conferences are described in the MGC Manager User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition, Chapter 3, “Managing
Audio Only Conferences”.
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Participant Level Operations
Making Dial-Out Connections
When the Dial-Out Manually option is selected for the conference, the operator has to manually connect dial-out participants to the conference.
Sometimes, when the connected participant is accidentally disconnected from the conference, the operator has to manually re-connect the participant to the conference.
To establish a dial-out connection:
1.
In the Monitor pane, Status pane or Browser pane, list the conference participants.
2.
Right-click the participant icon to connect to the conference, and then click Connect Participant.
Wait for the connection to be established. During the connection process, the participant's status, which is displayed in the Status column, changes from Standby to Connecting and the Connection icon is displayed in the
Connection column. When the connection is established, the participant's status is indicated in the Status column of the Status pane and the
Connection icon changes from Disconnected to Connected.
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3.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each participant to be manually connected to the conference.
• Use this procedure to reconnect participants who were previously disconnected from the conference or failed to connect to the conference.
•
If you have difficulties connecting dial-out ISDN participants, make sure that the specific switch used for the connection does not require the addition of the pound key (#) at the end of the dial string. If yes, modify the properties of the disconnected participant.
For listing of all participant connection status icons, see Chapter 5,
”MGC Manager Icons” on page 5-10.
Changing the Participant Connection Type (Dial-In/Dial-Out)
Sometimes you need to change the connection type used by the participant to connect to the conference. For example, when the participant cannot dial in and you want the MCU to dial to the participant. You can toggle between the dial-in and dial-out connection type, using the Participant Properties -
Identification dialog box, or from the Participant right-click menu.
• The Connection Type parameter can be changed only when the participant is disconnected from the conference and both dial-in and dial-out parameters are defined in the Participant Properties - Identification dialog box.
• If the dial-in phone numbers are not defined for the ISDN participant when switching to dial-in and the Meet Me Per option is set to MCU - Conference, the system automatically allocates the appropriate phone numbers from the list of dial-in numbers defined in the ISDN Network Service that was selected for participants.
• If the Meet Me Per option is set to Party or Channel, and no CLI number is defined for the participant, the system will reject the participant’s call.
To toggle between Connection Types:
1.
In the Monitor pane, Status pane or Browser pane, list the participants defined for the conference.
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2.
Right-click the participant's icon whose connection type needs to be changed, and then click Dial In or Dial Out (depending on the participant's current definition) to select the desired connection type.
The system toggles between dial-in and dial-out depending on the current participant connection type.
Changing the Participant's Line Rate Before Connection
You can modify the line rate for a disconnected ISDN participant to connect to the conference when there is a problem connecting the participant with the defined line rate.
This option is available in the Participant Properties - Advanced dialog box, or from the participant's right-click menu.
• The right-click menu option is available only to ISDN/ATM participants.
• In the Video Switching mode, the line rate of all participants must be the same.
To change the line rate from the Participant right-click menu:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences or the Reservations list.
2.
Expand the On Going Conference tree to display its participants.
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3.
In the Monitor pane, Status pane or Browser pane, right-click the icon of the participant to connect, click Line Rates, and then select/check the desired line rate from the Line Rates list.
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The participant (endpoint) will connect to the conference using the selected line rate.
To change the line rate from the Participant Properties – Advanced tab:
1.
In the Monitor pane, Status pane or Browser pane, right-click the icon of the disconnected participant, and then click Properties.
The Participant Properties - Identification dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Advanced tab.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
The Participant Properties - Advanced dialog box opens.
ISDN Participant
IP Participant
a.
For an ISDN participant, adjust the line rate by selecting the settings in the Aggregation, and Number of Channels fields.
b.
For an IP participant, clear the Auto Video Bit Rate check box.
3.
Click OK.
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Disconnecting and Reconnecting Participants
•
On occasion, a participant may not need to continue with the conference. In such a case, you can remove a participant from the conference by:
Disconnecting the participant
• Deleting the participant
When you disconnect a participant, resources remain allocated to that participant and the defined properties are retained by the system’s memory, therefore you can easily reconnect the participant if necessary. This is useful when participants wish to discontinue temporarily with intention to return to the conference at a later stage. Deleting a participant completely removes all participant information from the conference and releases the resources that were allocated to that participant. Therefore, to reconnect a participant who was deleted from the conference, you have to define the parameters again as you would do for a new participant.
To disconnect a participant:
1.
In the Monitor pane, Status pane or Browser pane, list the participants connected to the conference.
2.
Right-click the icon of the participant to disconnect, and then click
Disconnect Participant.
The participant is disconnected from the conference.
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The status Disconnected appears in the Status column next to the participant's name and the appropriate icon is displayed in the
Connection column.
To reconnect a disconnected participant, right-click the participant icon, and then
click Connect Participant. For details, see “Making Dial-Out Connections” on page 6-5.
To delete a participant:
When a participant no longer needs to be part of a conference and there is no intention to reconnect, you can delete the participant from the conference.
This action also releases the resources allocated to a participant.
1.
In the Monitor pane, Status pane or Browser pane, list the participants connected to the conference.
2.
Right-click the participant icon, and then click Delete.
A message appears, requesting you to confirm the deletion process.
3.
Click Yes to delete the selected participant.
The participant's name disappears from the participants list in the
Monitor, Status and Browser panes. To reconnect a participant who has been deleted from a conference, you must add the participant to the conference as a new participant.
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Changing the Properties of a Disconnected Participant
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You can change several properties of a defined participant who is disconnected, for example, before reconnecting that participant.
Name - Modify the automatically assigned name to the participant’s real name to correctly display it in the Monitor and Status panes. Participant name is also included in the CDR file which is used for billing.
Connection Type - Alter the participant connection from dial-in to dialout or vice versa.
Phone Number or IP address - Change the participant’s dial-in/dial-out phone number or IP dress as required.
Interface Type - Change the participant’s interface (and protocol), provided that the endpoint supports both ISDN and IP.
VIP status - Change the participant’ status from or to VIP.
Participant State - Reconnect the participant.
Mute (By Operator) - Mute or unmute the participant.
Service Type - Change the name of the network service that the participant is using to connect
AGC - disable AGC when required (enabled is the default)
Recording - change the recording settings from None (no recording) to
Dial-up or vice versa.
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Downspeeding
Downspeeding reduces the conference line rate to enable bonding participants with faulty channels to connect to the conference with the remaining channels.
•
To enable Downspeeding:
Right-click the On Going Conference icon, or the Reservations icon, and then click Down Speed (On 6B Participants).
Naming Undefined Dial-in Participants
Dial-in participants, who were not defined prior to the conference start
(undefined participants) are automatically named by the system when connecting to the conference. This default name is derived from the conference name and a sequential number.
You can modify the automatically assigned name to the participant’s real name to correctly display it in the Monitor and Status panes. The name change is updated in the Call Detail Record (CDR) which is used for billing.
Usually you will change the name while you attend the participant (in the
Operator conference).
You can also change the name of the participants who are waiting in the Entry
Queue or when they are connected to the conference.
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To name a “Meet Me” dial-in participant:
1.
List the participants in the Operator conference, in the On Going
Conference or in the Participants Queues.
2.
Right-click the participant icon, and then click Properties.
The Participant Properties - Identification dialog box opens.
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3.
In the Name field, type the participant’s new name.
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4.
Click OK.
The participant name is updated in the Browser, Monitor and Status panes. This name will also be saved to the CDR (Call Detail Record) file.
Moving Participants Between Conferences
MGC Manager enables the operator to move one or more participants from one On Going Conference to another. Moving can be done either interactively
- by drag-and-drop, or from the participant’s right-click menu. However, differing resource requirements of the two conferences as well as the defined capabilities of the participant endpoints have to be taken into account.
•
•
•
•
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Guidelines for moving participants
When the video protocol is set to Auto, it enables the dynamic adjustment of the highest common video in Video Switching conferences. Therefore, when moving a participant using the H.263 or
H.264 video protocol to a conference that was set to Auto video protocol, the system will automatically adjust the video protocol of that participant to the one currently set for the destination conference.
For video switching conferences, when moving an IP participant from one conference to another, the operator should ensure that the destination conference has the same capabilities as the source conference.
Participants can be moved between conferences if both the source and the destination conference have the same line rate and video settings.
It is only possible to move participants between On Going Conferences that are controlled by the same MCU and are run by the same type of audio and video card. For example you cannot move a participant with the Audio+ card capability to a conference where participants have only the Standard Audio card capability.
VoIP participants can be moved to any conference that is running on an
Audio+ card.
In video Transcoding or Continuous Presence conferences, participants can be moved between conferences, unless:
—
—
The destination conference uses video Annexes which are not used in the source conference.
The destination conference is set to one of the Dual Stream options.
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To interactively move a participant from one conference to another:
1.
First, expand the On Going Conferences list in the Browser pane, to display the source conference icon and the destination conference icon.
2.
Drag the icon of participant from the source conference and drop it on the icon of the destination conference.
To move several participants at the same time, click the icons of the participants to move while pressing down the <Shift> or <Ctrl> key. Then drag and drop them on the destination conference icon.
The Drag Confirmation dialog box opens.
3.
Click Yes to confirm the action.
The participant is moved to the destination conference.
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To move a participant to another conference using the right-click menu:
1.
In the Browser, Monitor or Status pane, expand the participants list in the source conference.
2.
Right-click the icon of the participant you want to move, click Move
Participant, and then click the name of the destination conference from the list of active conferences.
The participant is transferred to the selected destination conference.
To move several participants together:
1.
Using the standard Windows conventions, select the icons of the participants to move.
2.
While the list is highlighted, right-click one of the participants icons, click Move Participant to open the list of active conferences, and then click the name of the destination conference to which to move the participants.
The selected participants are transferred to the selected destination conference.
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Designating an Exclusive Speaker
During On Going Conferences, you can designate one participant as the conference lecturer/speaker. All other participants are automatically muted so they do not interrupt the lecture. Alternatively, the chairperson can designate themselves as the conference Exclusive Speaker by entering the DTMF code assigned to this function (the default code is *5) on the DTMF input device
(usually remote control). For more about DTMF codes, see “Using DTMF
Codes During a Conference” on page 6-95.
•
To designate a participant as the conference Exclusive Speaker:
In the Browser pane, the Monitor pane or the Status pane of the main window, right-click the participant's icon, and then click Exclusive
Speaker.
The selected participant becomes the conference speaker and all the other participants are automatically muted by the system.
The Exclusive Speaker icon is displayed in the Audio column in the Monitor and Status panes.
The Muted by MCU icon is displayed in the Audio column of all other participants.
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•
To cancel the Exclusive Speaker mode:
In the Browser pane, the Monitor pane or the Status pane of the main window, right-click the participant's icon, and then click Cancel
Exclusive Speaker.
Alternatively, the chairperson can cancel the Exclusive Speaker mode by entering the DTMF code assigned to this function. The default code is
<#5>.
Changing a Participant’s Status to Conference Chairperson
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During On Going Conferences, operators can designate a participant to function as the conference chairperson. The chairperson can perform various operations during the conference, such as lock or unlock the conference to undefined dial-in participants, initiate a voting session, become the conference exclusive speaker while muting all other participants and more.
Participant can designate themselves as chairperson using a DTMF code (the default code is <*78>). In this case, the system requests the participant to enter the Chairperson password in order to become the chairperson. If the participant entered an incorrect password, an audio prompt is played, indicating that the wrong password was entered and that the participant should re-enter the conference chairperson password.
This option is enabled in conferences in which the assigned IVR Service has the following definitions:
The Conference Chairperson option is enabled.
A DTMF code is assigned to the Change Chairperson function.
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•
To change a participant’s status to conference chairperson:
In the Browser pane, the Monitor pane or the Status pane of the main window, right-click the participant's icon, and then click Change to
Chairperson.
The selected participant becomes the conference chairperson while all the other participants remain regular participants.
•
To revert the chairperson’s status to regular participant:
In the Monitor pane or the Status pane of the main window, right-click the chairperson's icon, and then click Change to Regular Participant.
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Designating a VIP Participant
During an On Going Conference, you can designate a participant as VIP. The
VIP is identified to the operator as a participant who requires preferential attention during the conference. However, the VIP status does not change the role of the participant.
To designate a participant as VIP:
1.
In the Browser pane, the Monitor pane or the Status pane of the main window, right-click the participant's icon, and then click Properties.
The Participant's Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Identification tab.
The Participant's Properties - Identification dialog box opens.
3.
Select the VIP check box to assign the new status to the participant, and then click OK.
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The selected participant becomes a VIP in the On Going conference. The other participant’s properties are unchanged.
To revert from the VIP status to regular participant:
1.
In the Browser pane, the Monitor pane or the Status pane of the main window, right-click the participant's icon, and then click Properties.
The Participant's Properties - Identification dialog box opens.
2.
Clear the VIP check box, and then click OK.
The selected participant reverts to a regular participant.
Modifying a Participant’s User Defined Properties
In the Participant Properties - Identification dialog box User Defined fields
1, 2, 3 and 4, you can enter (or edit) additional information that identifies the participant, such as the E-mail address, company name or job title. You can also change the titles of the User Defined fields as required. These fields are displayed by default, however if you do not see them, you can configure the dialog box to include them. This is done in the Database Manager application.
To display the User Defined fields in Participant Properties:
1.
Log in to the Database Manager.
2.
Expand the defaults icon to list the options.
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3.
Right-click the User Defined Defaults icon, and click Add User Defined
Default.
The User Defined dialog box opens.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
For details of this procedure, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 6, “Database Manager”
The Participant Properties - Identification User Defined fields are displayed only if the Show User Defined Fields in Conference Properties option is selected in the Database Manager -> User Defined Defaults.
To modify User Defined fields:
1.
In the Browser pane, the Monitor pane or the Status pane of the main window, right-click the participant's icon, and then click Properties.
The Participant's Properties - Identification dialog box opens.
Enter general information about the participant into the User Defined fields, and then click OK.
The information is updated.
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Adjusting the Broadcasting and Listening Volume
The broadcasting and listening volume of the participant's audio transmission can be changed during an On Going Conference. This operation is applicable to all interface types.
To adjust the broadcasting and listening volume for the participant:
1.
In the Browser, Monitor or Status panes, right-click the participant’s icon, and then click Properties. Alternatively, double-click the participant icon.
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
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2.
If required, click the Identification tab.
The Participant Properties - Identification dialog box opens.
3.
Move the slider to the right or to the left to adjust the audio volume.
On the volume scale, 1 is the lowest and 10 is the highest volume. The
Broadcasting and the Listening volume of each endpoint at the time of connection is set to 5. Each movement of the volume slider increases or decreases the volume by one unit, equivalent to 3 dB.
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4.
Click OK.
Participants in an On Going Conference can also control the volume of their endpoint. To do this, they use DTMF codes to increase or decrease the volume of the audio transmitted from and to their endpoint. The default DTMF code to increase the Broadcasting volume is *9, to decrease - #9. The default DTMF code to increase the Listening volume is *76, and to decrease #76.
See “Using DTMF Codes During a Conference” on page 6-95.
Muting/Unmuting Participant’s Audio or Video
Occasionally, a conference organizer may want to exclude the audio or video channel of a participant from part of an On Going Conference.
You can mute a participant's audio and/or video signals via the participant's right-click menu or in the Participant Properties dialog box. A participant whose audio or video signal is muted hears and sees the other participants while the other participants cannot hear or see the muted participant.
Alternatively, participants' audio and video signals can be muted from their own endpoint, through the endpoint application. (The default DTMF code for muting individual’s line is *6, and #6 for unmuting the line.)
• An endpoint muted by the operator remains muted until you unmute it.
• Disconnecting and reconnecting participants unmutes muted participants.
• Only connected participants can be muted.
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•
To mute a participant using the participant right-click menu:
In the Browser pane, the Monitor or the Status pane, right-click the participant icon, and then click Mute Audio to mute the audio signal, or
Mute Video to mute the video signal.
Alternatively, to mute the audio signal, select the participant’s icon, and then press the appropriate shortcut key combination (the default shortcut key combination is <Ctrl+M>).
The menu changes to UnMute Audio, or UnMute Video (respectively).
The status of the audio channel in the Audio column in the Status and
Monitor panes changes to “Mute Audio”.
The status of the video channel in the Video column in the Status and
Monitor panes changes to “Mute Video”.
Muting is also indicated by an icon, columns of the Monitor and Status tables
.
or in the Audio or Video
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•
To unmute a participant using the participant right-click menu:
In the Browser pane, Monitor pane or the Status pane, right-click the participant icon, and then click Unmute Audio to unmute the audio signal, or Unmute Video to unmute the video signal.
Alternatively, to unmute the audio signal, select the participant’s icon, and then press the appropriate shortcut key combination (the default shortcut key combination is <Ctrl+U>).
To mute a participant using the Participant Properties dialog box:
1.
In the Monitor pane or the Status pane, right-click the participant icon, and then click Properties.
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
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2.
Click the Connection Info2 tab.
The Participant Properties - Connection Info2 dialog box opens.
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3.
In the Mute (By Operator) box, select the Audio check box to mute the audio signal, and/or select the Video check box to mute the video signal.
A check mark appears in the selected check box.
4.
Click OK.
The dialog box closes. The icon for muted Audio or Video appears in the
Monitor and Status panes of the main MGC Manager window. The muting takes effect immediately.
To unmute a participant using the Participant Properties dialog box:
1.
In the Monitor pane or the Status pane, right-click the participant icon, and then click Properties.
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Connection Info2 tab.
The Participant Properties - Connection Info2 dialog box opens.
3.
In the Mute (By Operator) box, clear the Audio check box to unmute the audio signal, and/or clear the Video check box to unmute video signal.
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4.
Click OK.
The dialog box closes. The icon for unmuted Audio or Video appears in the Monitor and Status panes of the main MGC Manager window.
Unmuting takes effect immediately.
For a detailed list of all status icons related to muting/unmuting the
conference participants, see Table 5-4 on page 5-20 in Chapter 5.
Blocking/Unblocking Audio
You can block the audio transmission from the conference to a certain endpoint, preventing this participant from hearing the conference audio.
Unblocking releases the audio to the endpoint. Blocking the audio sent to the endpoint does not mute the endpoint’s audio and the other conference participants can still hear the participant. This feature is applicable only to video participants.
The audio transmission to a participant site can be blocked either in the participant right-click menu or in the Participant Properties - Connection
Info2 dialog box.
To block audio transmission to the participant sites:
1.
In the Browser pane, Monitor pane or the Status pane, right-click the participant’s icon, and then click Block Audio.
The participant’s audio icon in the Audio column in the Monitor and Status panes now indicates that the audio transmission to the participant’s site is blocked.
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2.
Alternatively, block audio transmission to the participant site from the
Participant Properties - Connection Info2 dialog box: a.
Right-click the participant’s icon, and then click Properties.
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
b.
Click the Connection Info2 tab.
The Participant Properties - Connection Info2 dialog box opens.
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c.
In the Block box, select the Audio check box.
d.
Click OK to apply the changes.
•
•
To release a blocked site and resume audio transmission:
In the Browser pane, Monitor pane or the Status pane, right-click the participant’s icon, and then click Unblock Audio.
Or:
In the Participant Properties - Connection Info2 dialog box, clear the
Block- Audio check box and then click OK.
The Audio transmission to the participant site is resumed.
Enabling/Disabling Auto Gain Control (AGC)
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The Auto Gain Control (AGC) mechanism balances noise and audio volume of the received signals for all conference participants. Different endpoints and phones produce different types of source noise and volume. Auto Gain
Control is applied to all incoming audio streams prior to mixing, and dynamically changes the amplification of the input signal to provide a constant output amplitude.
•
The intensity of input signals can vary due to the following factors:
Microphone properties and adjustments
Background noise
Speaker’s distance from microphone
Speaker’s manner of speech
• The AGC option is applicable to all participants using Audio+ resources.
• The AGC option is enabled in the “system.cfg” in the AUDIO PLUS FLAGS section. By default, the AGC flag is set to YES, and when defining new participants, the AGC option is selected.
In some cases, you may need to disable AGC for a participant during the conference (if the line is too noisy and affects the quality of the audio achieved by the AGC mechanism). You can enable or disable AGC using the participant right-click menu or from the Participant Properties dialog box.
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To disable AGC for an On Going Conference participant:
1.
In the Status or Monitor panes, right-click the participant icon, and then click Turn off AGC.
2.
Alternatively, disable AGC from the Participant Properties dialog box: a.
In the Status or Monitor panes, right-click the participant icon.
b.
Click Properties.
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
c.
Click the Advanced tab.
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d.
Clear the AGC check box to disable the AGC feature for this participant.
e.
Click OK to apply the change.
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Video Management Operations
Controlling Video Layout
During the conference, operators can adjust several video layout parameters on the participant level and on the conference level.
Changing Video Layout for the Participant
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In Continuous Presence conferences, Personal Layout is a customized display layout that is viewed only by the participant for whom it was defined. Video display layouts available for the conference and Personal Layouts are determined by the type of the Continuous Presence mode that was selected for the conference at reservation stage (during the conference definition) -
Classic or Quad Views. You can modify the Personal Layout for a participant using the following applications:
MGC Manager - the operator selects the personal layout for a participant in the Participant Properties - Video Sources dialog box.
WebCommander - the meeting organizer selects the personal layout for a participant in the On Going Conference window. For more information, see the MGC WebCommander User’s Guide.
Click&View - participants can change the layout from their endpoint by entering the appropriate DTMF codes.
Personal Layout is disabled if Same Layout was selected for the conference.
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To modify the Personal Layout for a participant using MGC Manager:
1.
Right-click the icon of the connected participant you want to modify and then click Properties.
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Video Sources tab.
The Participant Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
3.
Select the Personal Layout option.
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4.
Click the arrow next to the number of squares/panes to be displayed on the participant’s screen.
The available video layouts for the selected view are displayed.
5.
Click the desired layout.
The Video Layout pane is updated in the Participant Properties - Video
Sources dialog box.
You may video force participants to the video layout window using the standard
method as described in “Video Forcing on the Participant Level” on page 6-42.
6.
Click Apply or OK and close the dialog box.
The new layout is displayed on the participant’s endpoint. However, the layout selected for the conference remains unchanged, and is viewed by all conference participants in Conference Layout view.
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7.
If required, repeat this procedure to modify Personal Layouts for other participants.
• Quad Views layouts are available only when the conference is defined as
Continuous Presence - Quad Views.
•
The Visual Effects selected for the conference apply to personal layout at the time of change and if Visual Effects are modified for the conference they are not applied to the Personal Layout.
Changing the Video Layout for a Continuous Presence Session
During Continuous Presence conferences, you can change the video layout that was set for the conference.
To change the video layout during a Continuous Presence conference:
1.
In the Browser pane, expand the On Going Conference list.
2.
Right-click the On Going Conference icon, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
3.
Click the Video Sources tab.
The Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
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4.
To select another video layout, determine the number of windows to appear on the screen, and click the arrow next to the numbered Video
Layout icon.
A pop-up menu appears, displaying the available video layouts for the selected number of windows.
5.
Click the desired video layout.
6.
Click Apply to save these changes and modify additional properties or click OK to confirm and exit the Conference Properties dialog box.
The video layout is updated for all participants/endpoints.
The Continuous Presence - Classic layout can display maximum of nine video windows. The Continuous Presence- Quad Views layout can display maximum of sixteen video windows. If there are more participants than windows, voice activated switching can occur.
Setting the Auto Video Layout
During Continuous Presence video conferences you can select or deselect the
Auto Layout option.
When this option is activated, the system automatically selects the conference layout based on the number of participants in the conference. When a new video participant is connected or disconnected, the conference layout automatically changes to reflect the new number of video participants. Audio
Only participants do not affect the selected layout.
When the option is deactivated, the system uses the previously selected conference layout.
For details of the layouts that are automatically selected by the system for
different numbers of connected participants, see “Auto Layout” on page 4-75.
•
Software CP conferences cannot be set to Auto Layout.
•
The Auto Layout feature can be used with Lecture Mode (for the lecturer display), but cannot be enabled with Lecture Show.
• Auto Layout can be used with Same Layout and Conference On Port (COP).
In this mode, the system selects the layout as if one additional participant was added to the conference to show the self view of the speaker. For example, in a standard CP conference, if there are five participants in the conference, the system shows only four windows, as the speaker does not see him/herself.
However, in Same Layout or COP mode, Auto Layout selects a layout for five participants (and not four) to show the speaker.
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Modifying Video Layouts in Lecture Mode Settings
During Continuous Presence conferences, you can select the Lecture Mode,
Lecture Show, or Presentation Mode settings, change their properties, or
deselect them. For a detailed description, see Chapter 10, “Lecture and
Lecture Mode, Lecture Show, and Presentation Mode are disabled in Software
Continuous Presence conferences.
Video Forcing
In Continuous Presence conferences, the operator can select which participant will appear in each of the video layout windows.
Video forcing can be applied at the conference level or at the participant level.
Video forcing at the conference level applies to all the conference participants while video forcing at the participant level applies only to the participant whose video layout is being modified.
•
•
•
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Video Forcing Guidelines
A participant cannot appear in two or more windows at the same time.
When attempting to select a participant who was already selected in another window, the system clears the participant from the first window and assigns the participant to the second window.
Video forcing performed at the participant level overrides the conference forcing.
A participant cannot view him/herself in a layout window, unless the
Same Layout option is checked.
A participant should be assigned to the same type of layout window for the conference layout as that in the participant level. This is especially important when the video layout is set to mixed view images, such as
1+4, 1+5, 1+7, and 1+8 (applicable to the Classic mode).
When changing the Video Layout at the conference level, the video forcing settings are cancelled, and video switching is audio-activated.
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Video Forcing on the Conference Level
•
•
There are two methods to perform video forcing at the conference level:
In the Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box
From the Conference right-click menu
To define Video Forcing in the Conference Properties:
1.
Right-click the On Going Conference icon, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Video Sources tab.
The Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
The video layout selected for the conference
Video layout window
If Auto
Select is selected, the system chooses the participant
The name of the participant currently viewed in this window
3.
In the Video Layout pane, in the window to which you want to force a participant, select the participants name from the list.
The participant selected for a certain video window is viewed in this window until further changes take place.
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4.
Repeat the previous step to force participants to other windows.
Windows that are not assigned any participant display the current speaker and last speakers. Selecting the Black Screen option displays a dark grey window instead of a participant.
5.
To cancel the video forcing for a window, select Auto Select from the participants list. In such a case, the switching between participants is audio activated.
To Video Force interactively:
1.
Right-click the On Going Conference icon, and then click Video Force
(Drag & Drop).
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The Video Layout window opens, showing the currently selected layout.
2.
In the Browser pane, drag and drop the participant icon from the On
Going Conference to the appropriate video layout window in the Video
Layout window.
The participant name appears in the field at the bottom of the video layout windows.
You can also video force participants to the video windows by selecting the participants name from the window’s list.
3.
Click Apply to update the conference video layout and continue with forcing to other windows, or click OK to apply the changes and exit this dialog box.
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Video Forcing on the Participant Level
For each conference participant you can select the participants to be viewed in each of the video layout windows assigned to them.
1.
Right-click the icon of the participant whose video layout you want to force, and then click Properties.
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Video Sources tab.
The Participant Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
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Name of the participant currently forced to this window
3.
In the Video Layout pane, select from the Participant list the name of the participant to be viewed in the selected window.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
The participant selected for a certain video window is constantly viewed in the window until further changes take place.
4.
Repeat the previous step to select the participants to be viewed in the other windows. Windows that were not assigned any participant will display the current speaker and previous speakers, according to the conference settings.
5.
To cancel the video forcing in a desired window, click Auto select from the Participant list.
6.
Click OK to apply the changes and exit this dialog box,
Video Forcing at the Participant level overrides Video Forcing at the Conference level.
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Conference Level Operations
Adding New Participants to a Conference
•
Occasionally you may be required to add a participant after a conference has begun. To do this, you can use one of the following methods
Define a new participant:
•
—
— using the conference right-click menu using the conference toolbar
— using the Conference Properties dialog box
Add a defined participant from the Participant Database or from a
Participant Template file.
Copy a participant from another conference or a conference template.
•
For detailed information on using databases and templates, see the MGC
Manager User’s Guide Volume II, Chapters 6 and 7 respectively.
For detailed information on defining participants, see Chapter 4, “Defining
When defining a participant, during an On Going Conference, only the participant properties relevant to the conference to which the participant is added are enabled. For example when defining a participant during an On Going Audio
Only conference, only audio participants can be defined.
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To define a new participant using the conference right-click menu:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list, right-click the icon of the conference to which to add the participant, and then click New
Participant. Alternatively, use the shortcut key (default key is <F8>).
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Set up the required properties in the Identification and Advanced tabs of the Participants Properties dialog box.
3.
Click OK.
The new participant is added to the conference. The participant's name is listed in the Monitor and Status panes of the main window.
To define a new participant from the conference toolbar:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list, click the icon of the conference to which to add the participant, and then click the New Participant button on the Conference toolbar.
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Repeat the steps 2 and 3 as in the previous procedure.
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To define a new participant from the Conference Properties dialog box:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list, right-click the icon of the conference to which to add the participant, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Participants tab.
The Conference Properties - Participants dialog box opens.
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3.
Click the New button.
The Participant Properties dialog box opens.
4.
Set up the required properties in the Identification and Advanced tabs of the Participants Properties dialog box.
5.
Click OK.
The new participant is listed in the Conference Participants list.
6.
Click OK to complete the conference editing and return to the MGC
Manager main window.
The participant's name appears in the Monitor and Status panes of the main window.
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To add a Participant Template to the conference:
You can add a participant template to the conference from the Participant database or from a Participant Template file.
1.
In the On Going Conferences list, right-click the conference icon, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Participants tab.
The Conference Properties - Participants dialog box opens. The participants list is displayed according to the selected Reservation template. However, you can change the Database Group or the
Participant Template file to display additional participant templates.
3.
To add a participant from another Group in the database: a.
Click the From database button.
The Open Parties in database dialog box opens. b.
Select the desired Group from the Group list and click OK.
The list of Participant templates in displayed in the Pre-defined
Participants box in the Conference Properties – Participants dialog box.
4.
To add a participant from a Participant Template file, a.
Click the Browser button.
The Open dialog box opens. b.
Select the appropriate Participant Template file from the browser list, and click Open.
The list of Participant templates is displayed in the Pre-Defined
Participants box in the Conference Properties - Participants dialog box.
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5.
In the Pre-defined Participants list, select the participant to add to the conference, and then click the Move (>>) button.
The participant is added to the Conference Participants list.
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6.
Click OK to complete the selection.
To copy the participant properties from an On Going Conference or
Reservation:
1.
In the Browser pane, expand the Reservations or the On Going
Conferences list, and then expand the On Going Conference icon to list its participants.
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2.
Right-click the icon of the participant to copy, and then click Copy
Participant, or use the appropriate shortcut key (the default key is
<Ctrl>+<C>).
3.
Right-click the conference icon to which to copy the participant, and then click Paste Participant, or use the appropriate shortcut key (the default key is <Ctrl>+<V>).
The participant’s details are copied to the selected conference under the same name.
Alternatively, to paste the participant while changing the participant’s name and other parameters: a.
Click Paste Participant As.
The Participant - Properties dialog box opens.
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b.
Change the participant’s parameters, and then click OK.
The participant is added to the conference with the new parameters.
When defining a participant, during an On Going Conference, only the participant properties relevant to the conference to which the participant is added are enabled. For example when defining a participant during an On Going Audio
Only conference, only audio participants can be defined.
For detailed information on defining participants, see “Defining
Participant Properties” on page 4-101.
To copy the participant properties from a Database Reservation template:
You can copy a participant from a participant template to a conference.
1.
Open the Reservation in Database window, as described in Chapter 3,
“Templates Database” on page 3-33.
2.
Expand the Groups tree until you locate the Reservation template containing the participant that you wish to copy.
3.
Expand the Reservation template icon to list its participants.
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4.
Right-click the icon of the participant to copy, and then click Copy or use the appropriate shortcut key (the default key is <Ctrl>+<C>).
The participant details are copied to the clipboard.
Alternatively, to copy the participant under a new name: a.
Click Copy As.
The Participant - Properties dialog box opens.
b.
Change the participant’s name, and then click OK.
The participant’s details will be copied to the clipboard under the new name.
5.
In the On Going Conferences list, right-click the conference icon to which you wish to copy the participant, and then click Paste.
The participant’s details will be copied to the new conference under the same name.
Alternatively, to copy the participant’s details to the new conference under a new name: a.
Click Paste Participant As
The Participant - Properties dialog box opens.
b.
Type the name that you wish to save the participant as, or modify any of the participant’s properties, such as the User Defined fields. c.
Click OK.
The participant’s details will be copied to the On Going Conference, under the new name.
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To copy the participant Properties from a Database Participant template:
1.
Open the Participants in Database window as described in Chapter 3,
“Templates Database” on page 3-33.
2.
Expand the Groups tree until you locate the participant you want to copy.
3.
Right-click the icon of the participant to copy, and then click Copy or use the appropriate shortcut key (the default key is <Ctrl>+<C>).
The participant is copied to the clipboard.
Alternatively, to copy the participant under a new name: a.
Click Copy As.
The Participant - Properties dialog box opens.
b.
Type a new name for the participant, or modify any of the participant’s properties, such as the User Defined fields.
c.
Click OK.
The participant is copied to the clipboard under the new name.
4.
In the On Going Conferences list, right-click the conference icon to which to copy the participant and then click Paste Participant.
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The participant’s details will be copied to the new conference under the same name.
Alternatively, to copy the participant’s details to the new conference under a new name: a.
Click Paste Participant As
The Participant - Properties dialog box opens. b.
Type the participant name, or modify any of the participant’s properties, such as the User Defined fields.
c.
Click OK.
The participant’s details will be copied to the new conference under the new name, or with the modified properties.
To move the participant’s details using the drag and drop method:
1.
In the MGC Manager, expand the On Going Conferences or Reservations list until you locate the source conference from which to copy the participant.
—
—
In the Reservations database, expand the Groups tree until you locate the source conference from which to copy the participant.
In the Participants database, expand the Groups tree until you locate the participant to copy.
2.
In the MGC Manager, expand the On Going Conferences list until you locate the destination conference to which to copy the participant.
3.
Click the icon of the participant that you want to copy and then drag the participant icon to the icon of the destination conference.
The participant is copied to the new location.
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Muting Dial-In Participants Upon Connection
You can set a conference to automatically mute all dial-in participants that were not defined prior to or during the On Going Conference. This feature, referred to as the Mute “Meet Me” Parties feature, can be enabled during conference scheduling or during the On Going Conference.
This option is applicable to undefined participants connecting to a Meeting Room,
Meet Me per Conference or Entry Queue Access conference.
This feature does not apply to standard pre-defined dial-in participants.
•
•
•
During an On Going Conference this feature can be enabled or cancelled in one of the following methods:
From the conference right-click menu
From the Conference Properties dialog box
From the chairperson DTMF input device (remote control/telephone), pressing the appropriate DTMF code (default code for enabling this feature is *86 and for cancelling it #86)
To enable Mute ‘Meet Me’ Parties from the Conference right-click menu:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list.
2.
Right-click the icon of the conference whose dial-in participants connecting to the conference are to be muted, and then click
Mute ‘Meet Me’ Parties.
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From this point on, all incoming parties are automatically muted by the
MCU and the appropriate icon is displayed in the Audio column.
Participants remain muted until you manually unmute them.
To cancel Mute ‘Meet Me’ Parties from the Conference right-click menu:
When the Mute “Meet Me” Parties option is cancelled, undefined participants who dial in, are not muted. However, the participants who were previously muted by the MCU using this feature, are not automatically unmuted when this option is cancelled.
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list.
2.
Right-click the icon of the conference for which you want to cancel the
Mute “Meet Me” Parties operation, and then click Unmute ‘Meet Me’
Parties.
To enable Mute ‘Meet Me’ Parties from the Conference Properties dialog box:
1.
In the Monitor pane, Status pane or Browser pane, right-click the conference icon, and then click Properties.
2.
Click the Settings tab.
The Conference Properties - Settings dialog box opens.
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If only a few fields are displayed in the General Settings box, click the
Advanced >> button to display all fields.
3.
Select the Mute ‘Meet Me’ parties check box.
4.
Click OK.
From this point on, all incoming parties are automatically muted by the
MCU and the appropriate icon is displayed in the Audio column.
Participants remain muted until you manually unmute them.
To cancel Mute ‘Meet Me’ Parties from the Conference Properties dialog box:
1.
In the Monitor pane, Status pane or Browser pane, right-click the conference icon, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Settings tab.
The Conference Properties - Settings dialog box opens.
3.
Clear the Mute ‘Meet Me’ parties check box and then click OK.
Muting Audio for a Conference
The MGC Manager enables you to mute several participants at the same time, using the Conference Properties – Video Sources dialog box. This option is advantageous when you need to mute many participants during a conference.
In this dialog box, the system lists all the participants currently connected to the conference. You can manually select the participants to be muted by selecting the check boxes. Alternatively, you can mute all the participants that are not video forced (selected for display in one of the Video Layout window by selecting the Check not Forced Parties button. For example, in a lecture conference, the lecturer can be forced in one window, while all the remaining participants (that are not video forced) are muted.a
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To mute audio at the conference level:
4.
In the Browser pane, Monitor pane or the Status pane, right-click the On
Going Conference icon, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
5.
Click the Video Sources tab.
The Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
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The Audio Muted Participant box lists all the participants currently connected to the conference. A clear check box indicates that the participant's audio channel is in the normal mode (unmuted), while a checked box indicates that the participant's audio channel is muted.
6.
Select the check boxes of the participants to be muted.
Alternatively, to mute all the participants except those who are video forced (that is, those who are displayed in one of the video layout windows) click the Select Unforced Participants button. All the participants that are not video forced are checked. You can now unmute and mute an individual participant in the Audio Muted Participants box.
7.
Click OK.
The participants’ audio icon in the Audio column in the Monitor and Status panes now indicates that the audio channel was muted by the operator.
Locking/Unlocking a Conference
•
•
The operator or chairperson can lock or unlock an On Going Conference to dial-in participants. In addition, you can lock a conference during setup
(whether you are defining a new conference in the Reservation template or in the Conference Properties dialog box) and, if required, unlock it while it is ongoing. The purpose of conference locking is to:
Limit the number of dial-in participants connecting to the conference
Prevent additional participants from connecting to the conference once all the required participants are connected
• Save resources
You can lock and unlock the conference from the right-click menu, from the toolbar or from the Conference - Properties dialog box.
Alternatively, the chairpersons can lock or unlock a conference from their endpoint using the appropriate DTMF code (the default code to lock a conference is *7, and the default code to unlock a conference is #7).
To lock a conference from the Conference right-click menu:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list.
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2.
Right-click the icon of the conference to lock, and then click Lock
Conference.
The Locked Conference icon indicates the new status of this conference in the Status column in the Monitor and the Status panes.
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To lock a conference from the Conference Properties dialog box:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list, right-click the icon of the conference to lock and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Settings tab.
The Conference Properties - Settings dialog box opens.
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If only a few fields are displayed in the General Settings box, click the
Advanced >> button to display all fields.
3.
Select the Conference Lock check box.
The Locked Conference icon indicates the new status of the conference in the Status column in the Monitor and Status panes.
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To lock a conference using the Conference toolbar:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list, and then click the icon of the conference to lock.
2.
Click the Lock Conference button on the Conference toolbar.
The Locked Conference icon indicates the new status of this conference in the Status column in the Monitor and Status panes.
The Lock Conference button indicates the current lock status of the conference.
In the example, the conference is unlocked. Placing a cursor on top of the button displays a tooltip with the operation that will be performed once the button is clicked.
To unlock a locked conference from the Conference right-click menu:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list.
2.
Right-click the icon of the conference to unlock, and then click Unlock
Conference.
The status of this conference in the Status column in the Monitor and the
Status panes is updated to Unlocked and the conference icon reverts to regular.
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To unlock a conference using the Conference Properties dialog box:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list, right-click the icon of the conference to unlock, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Settings tab.
3.
Clear the Conference Lock check box.
The conference status is updated in the Monitor and Status panes.
To unlock a locked conference using the Conference toolbar:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list, and then click the icon of the conference to unlock.
2.
Click Unlock Conference button on the conference toolbar.
The regular conference icon indicates the new status of this conference in the Status column in the Monitor and Status panes.
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Changing the Conference and Chairperson Password
During an On Going Conference, the conference and/or chairperson password can be modified by the chairperson or participant (depending on the permission configuration) using DTMF codes or by the operator via the MGC
Manager. For DTMF operations, see “Using DTMF Codes During a
To modify the conference or chairperson password:
1.
Right-click the On Going Conference icon, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the General tab.
The Conference Properties - General dialog box opens.
3.
Enter a new conference and/or chairperson password, and click OK.
From this point on, dial-in participants have to enter the new password otherwise they will not be able to connect to the conference.
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Alternatively, the chairperson can change the Conference and/or
Chairperson password using the appropriate DTMF code. (The default code to change passwords is *77.)
Changing the Conference Duration
At times, operators may find it necessary to extend the duration of a conference or terminate a conference before its scheduled completion time.
The conference can be manually or automatically extended or terminated.
For a description of how to automatically extend or terminate a conference, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume. II, Chapter 1, “Extending the
Conference Duration”.
Extending a Conference Manually
You can manually extend the conference duration even after the conference has started.
To extend an On Going Conference:
1.
In the Browser, Monitor or Status panes, right-click the icon of the conference whose duration you want to extend, and then click
Properties.
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The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
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2.
Click the Scheduler tab, and then modify the conference Ending Time.
3.
Click OK to apply the settings.
The Conference Properties dialog box closes. The conference’s duration is adjusted to extend until the Ending Time you defined in the Scheduler.
The time format is derived from the Operating System time format defined in the
Regional Settings.
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Terminating a Conference Manually
You can manually end the conference before its scheduled end time. Usually, this option is used when all the participants disconnect from the conference, or if the meeting organizer has requested it.
To terminate a conference manually:
1.
In the Browser, Monitor or Status panes, expand the On Going
Conferences list, right-click the icon of the conference to end, and then click Terminate.
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Alternatively, use the shortcut key (The default key is <Del> or click the Terminate button on the Conference toolbar.
A dialog box opens prompting you to confirm the action.
2.
Click Yes.
The conference is terminated. The conference name and its icon are removed from the On Going Conferences list.
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Enabling the End of Conference Reminder
The End of Conference Reminder icon appears before the end of the conference, reminding you to extend the conference if necessary. The icon remains on display until the conference ends. This icon is displayed at a pre-defined time before the end of the conference.
The timing of the end of conference reminder is defined in the Conf Alert function in the Options menu.
To enable the End of Conference reminder:
1.
On the Options menu, click Conf Alert.
The Conference End Time Alert dialog box opens.
2.
Set the time period (in minutes) before the end of the conference to display the End of Conference Reminder icon. For example, if you enter
5, the End of Conference Reminder icon will be displayed five minutes before the end of the conference. Entering 0 disables the appearance of the icon.
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3.
Click OK to apply the settings.
The system will display the End of Conference Reminder icon x minutes
(where x is the number of minutes entered in this dialog box) before the end of the conference.
Changing the Conference Billing Code
During an On Going Conference, the billing code can be modified by the chairperson or the operator via the MGC Manager.
To modify the Billing code:
1.
Right-click the On Going Conference icon, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the General tab.
The Conference Properties - General dialog box opens.
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3.
Enter a new Billing code, and click OK.
From this point on, the modified Billing code is applicable to this conference.
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Changing the Conference User Defined Parameters
During an On Going Conference, the User Defined fields can be modified by the chairperson or the operator via the MGC Manager. The User Defined 1, 2 and 3 fields enable you to enter general information about the conference, such as the company name, the contact person name, the contact person’s
E-mail or telephone number, or any required information.
The User Defined fields are displayed only if the Show User Defined fields option in the Conference Properties is selected in the Database Manager User Defined
Defaults. The titles of the User Defined fields can also be modified in the
Database Manager -> Defaults -> User Defined Defaults and then loaded to the
MGC Manager application.
To modify the Conference User Defined fields:
1.
Right-click the On Going Conference icon, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties - General dialog box opens.
2.
Modify the information in the User Defined fields, and then click OK.
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Adding Remarks During an On Going Conference
Operators can add remarks during an On Going Conference in the Conference
Properties - General dialog box. Remarks entered previously by the operator or other operators can be read during the On Going conference. Remarks can also be added from the Web via the WebCommander application. The remarks are added to the CDR file, for retrieval during the billing stage.
Remarks are added in the On Going Conference Properties - General dialog box, in the Remarks field. Previous remarks written for the conference are displayed in the Remarks History box, in the ascending order (latest entry at top of the list).
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To enter a remark during an On Going Conference.
1.
Expand the On Going Conference list, right-click the On Going
Conference definition you want to update, and click Properties.
The On Going Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the General tab.
The On Going Conference Properties - General dialog box opens.
3.
Enter text (up to 300 characters) in the Remarks box.
4.
To add multiple remarks, click Update Remark (which moves the previous remark to the Remarks History box and writes it to the CDR file) and then repeat step 3.
5.
Click OK.
The dialog box closes and the new remark is written to the CDR file and moved to the Remarks History box.
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Broadcasting Annex D Still Video Image (Slide)
An endpoint with Annex D capabilities can send an Annex D still video image (slide) to the MCU to be broadcast to all other participants in a
Transcoding or a Continuous Presence video conference.
•
•
When an endpoint sends the Annex D image, the following operations are performed by the MCU:
The MCU automatically switches the video layout to Full Screen (1x1)
The MCU video forces the sender to be seen by all participants when an
MCV (Multipoint Command Visualization) signal is sent from the endpoint
•
•
•
The MCU transmits the Annex D image in full 4CIF quality to all the connected conference participants
An Annex D slide can be transmitted by an endpoint using one of the following methods:
The endpoint first requests the chair token and becomes the chairperson.
Sometimes during the conference, while acting as the chairperson, the endpoint may send the Annex D still image.
The endpoint sends an MCV signal to the MCU requesting the
Chairperson. If the request is accepted by the MCU, the endpoint becomes the chairperson and transmits the still image. To release the
Chair token and restore the conference to its previous state the Cancel-
MCV command is sent by the endpoint. This procedure conforms to the
H.320 standard.
• The endpoint sends an Annex D image without an MCV signal, or a request for the chair token prior to the image transmission. The MCU recognizes the incoming Annex D image, processes it and broadcasts it to all other participants. In such a case, only the participants who can view the sender can see the Annex D still image.
The Annex D image is sent to all endpoints. If an endpoint has two screens, the still video image is viewed on one screen while the live video will be seen on the second screen, without being interrupted. If the endpoint has only one screen, the live video is interrupted for a few seconds to display the still image. The image is stored in the endpoint’s memory and can be viewed at the discretion of the individual participants. At the end of the transmission, the conference video is restored.
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The image handling process takes a number of seconds (a long time, relatively) since a full 4CIF image is created while the VCP video card receives four instances of the same still image and transmits them. The estimated processing time for an Annex D image is 2 seconds.
When the request to send the Annex D image is received, the Video MCU can be in one of the following states:
Table 6-1: Annex D Image Processing and Video MCU State
Video MCU state when receiving
Annex D image
Video MCU behavior
The Annex D sender is video muted.
Some of the other endpoints are video muted.
The chair request /image transmission is denied.
The request is accepted. These participants are able to see the image, but are not seen by other participants.
The Lecture Mode is ON and the sender of the Annex D image is not the lecturer.
The chair request /image transmission is denied.
The Lecture Mode is ON and the sender of the Annex D is the lecturer.
The request is accepted.
The Video Force feature is enabled, and a participant other than the sender is selected in the full screen (1x1).
The request for Annex D overrides the forced video therefore the Annex D processing continues.
The operator selects (forces) an endpoint other than the sender, in the full screen window at the conference level.
The chair request /image transmission is denied. (According to H.320 recommendation.)
•
•
•
The following operations can be performed during the transmission of Annex
D images:
Speaker changes, in order to return to the proper image upon the completion of the Annex D transmission
Video mute requests from participants
Add/delete participants by the operator
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The following requests or commands will be ignored during an Annex D broadcast:
Video forcing by the operator, at the conference level and at the participant level
Video forcing by the chairperson, at the conference level and at the participant level
Video forcing by an endpoint at the conference level
Request to mute any endpoint (including the slide sender)
Request to start or end the Lecture mode
Changing the Lecture mode parameters
Changing the Video Layout parameters
To run this feature, video cards of version 1.4x and higher, are recommended.
Sending an Annex D image using video cards of version 1.2x and below (1 MB cards), will cause the VCP of the slide sender to stop encoding the video while receiving the slide. During this time, the image of the sender freezes at the remote sites.
Table 6-2 lists the transmission standards supported by Annex D.
Table 6-2: Annex D Format Support
Standard/
Conference
Type
H.320/H.261
H.320/H.263
H.323/H.261
Video
Switching
Continuous
Presence
Software
Continuous
Presence
Supported
Supported
N/A
Supported
Supported
N/A
Supported
Supported
Not supported
H.323/H.263
Supported
Supported
Not supported
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Printing Conference Data
Once a reservation is made, the system allocates the appropriate resources to the conference. You can print this data, for example the conference name, ID, start time, duration, line rate, or the participant parameters - to a printer, file or clipboard (to be used by other applications).
The printed data of reservations can be sent to the conference participants in advance, letting them know the actual conference settings and the dial-in numbers they will use when connecting to the conference.
The printed data can be used to keep record of all On Going Conferences and planned activities for the MCU or operators.
You can print data for a single On Going Conference or Reservation, or for all the On Going Conferences or Reservations.
Before printing conference information to a printer, make sure that a default printer is defined in your workstation.
To print details of a single conference:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list or the Reservations list.
2.
Print conference details using one of the following options:
— In the Reservations list, right-click the reservation whose data you want to print, and then click Print Reservation.
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— In the On Going Conferences list, right-click the conference whose data you want to print, and then click Print Reservation Data.
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The Print dialog box opens.
3.
In the Name Of Operator field, enter the name of the operator who initiated the report.
4.
In the Report To box, select the report destination:
—
—
—
File - to print the conference data to a text file
Printer - to print the conference data to a printer
Clipboard - to copy the conference data to the clipboard for use by other applications
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5.
Click OK.
—
If File is selected, the Save As dialog box opens.
—
—
Select the destination folder. The system assigns the conference name as the default file name. However, you can define another file name. Click Save.
If Printer is selected, the Print dialog box opens. Select the required printer and then click OK. The conference data is printed using the printer's current settings.
If Clipboard is selected, the conference data is copied to the clipboard, from where it can be pasted in other text processing applications.
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The following is a sample of Reservation or Conference information. The first section lists the Reservation general parameters and the second section lists the Participants parameters.
Operator Data
-------------
OperatorName - Duke
Reservation Data
----------------
Reservation Name - Polycom
Id - 1122
Conf. Entry Password -
Web/Chairperson Password -
Start Time - Feb 10, 2004 07:07:00 PM
Duration - 02:00:00
Line Rate - 2B
Restrict - No
Audio Alg - Auto
Video Protocol - Auto
Video Format - Auto
Frame Rate - Auto
T120 Rate - None
Attended - None
AV Message Name -
Operator Conference - No
Talk Hold Time - 1.5
Audio Mix Depth - 3
Video Layout - Single Frame
Lecture mode - Off
VideoSession - Video Switching
Cascade Mode -
Participants - Lynne
-----
Connection Type - Dial Out
Interface Type - H323
Service Name - 323
IP - 172.22.132.183
Signaling port - 1720
Alias name -
Alias Type - H323 Id
Channel Width - 64 kbps
Number of Channels - 2
Bonding Mode - Auto
Chair - No
Voice - Data
Node Type - Terminal
Restrict Only - No
Duke IP
-------
Connection Type - Dial Out
Interface Type - H323
Service Name - 323
IP - 172.22.133.39
Signaling port - 1720
Alias name -
Alias Type - H323 Id
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Channel Width - 64 kbps
Number of Channels - 2
Bonding Mode - Auto
Chair - No
Voice - Data
Node Type - Terminal
Restrict Only - No
To print details of all On Going Conferences or Reservations:
1.
Print details using one of the following options:
— In the Reservations list, right-click the Reservation icon, and then click Print All.
— On Going Conferences list, right-click the On Going Conferences icon, and then click Print All.
The Print All dialog box opens listing the On Going Conferences or
Reservations currently handled by the MCU whose data can be printed.
2.
To exclude conferences from the printing session, clear the check box next to the name of the conference or reservation.
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3.
Click OK.
The Print dialog box opens.
4.
Enter your name as the report initiator, select the report destination, and then click OK.
If File is selected as the printing destination, the data of all the conferences are printed to the same text file.
—
If File is selected, the Save As dialog box opens.
—
—
Select the destination folder. Specify the file name and then click
Save.
If Printer is selected, the Print dialog box opens. Select the required printer and then click OK. The conference data is printed using the printer's current settings.
If Clipboard is selected, the conference data is copied to the clipboard, from where it can be pasted in other text processing applications.
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Managing Question-and-Answer Sessions
The Question-and-Answer (Q&A) session provides a method of organizing the participants questions or comments during a lecture or a large conference.
Usually during a large conference or lecture, all participants excluding the lecturer or the main speaker, are muted by the system. A participant who wants to ask a question or comment on the subject being discussed, presses the appropriate code on the DTMF input device (the default code is *22) to enter the Q&A queue. The participants are placed in the Q&A queue in the order in which they have requested to ask a question.
You can also place participants in the Q&A queue from the MGC Manager application using the Q&A Toolbar.
Once in the Q&A queue, you can select the participant to ask the question or let the next participant in line ask the question. If the participant is muted by the MCU (in the Exclusive Speaker mode), you have to unmute the participant before you let him or her ask the question.
You can stop the questioner any time during the question or you can end the current Q&A session using the appropriate code on the DTMF input device or by selecting the appropriate function in the MGC Manager application.
You can change the position of the participants in the queue, moving a selected participant’s position up or down the queue or to the first or last position in the queue.
• A Q&A session requires the use of a DTMF input device.
• The Q&A session managing options are applicable only to conferences with an assigned IVR Service (running on an Audio+ card).
Controlling Q&A Queues with the Toolbar
You can easily manage the Q&A queues using the dedicated toolbar. Enable this toolbar by clicking a participant icon in an On Going Conference or by clicking the icon of a participant waiting in the Q&A queue.
The Q&A toolbar is detailed in Table 3-8 on page 3-19.
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Adding Questioners to Q&A Queues
•
•
Participants can be added as questioners to the Q&A queue using one of the following options:
Questioners are added to the Q&A queue once they press the appropriate
DTMF code on their DTMF input device (default DTMF code is *22).
An appropriate audio message is played to confirm the participant addition to the Q&A queue.
Questioners can also be added the queue manually from the MGC
Manager application. In the Browser, Status or Monitor panes, right-click the icon of the participant to add to the queue, click Q&A Management, and then click Add Participant to Q&A.
The participant icon changes, to indicate that the participant was added to the
Q&A queue.
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In addition, the Monitor pane displays information on the participant’s position in the Q&A queue and how long the participant has been waiting in the queue to ask the question.
The Q&A Position column shows the order of the participants who have requested to ask a question in the Q&A queue.
The Q&A Waiting Time column displays the length of time the participant has been waiting in the Q&A queue.
In the above figure, the Q&A columns were moved to the left. By default, these columns are located on the right of the Monitor and Status panes and you need to use the scrolling arrows to display them.
Changing a Participant’s Position in the Q&A Queue
You can change the position of any participant in the Q&A queue when you want certain participants (such as participants designated as VIP) to ask questions first, and others to be moved to the end of the queue.
•
To change the participant’s position in the Q&A queue:
Select the participant to move by clicking the Participant icon, and then, on the Q&A toolbar, click:
— or
—
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• Alternatively, change the position of a participant in the Q&A queue by right-clicking the Participant icon, clicking Q&A Management, and then clicking the position to which the participant should move.
—
—
—
—
Using the right-click menu, you can move the participant to the following positions in the Q&A queue:
First position
Last position
Up one position
Down one position
Allowing Participant Questions
•
•
Participants in the Q&A queue can ask a question after the permission is granted to them by the conference chairperson or the operator.
The chairperson enters the appropriate code on the DTMF input device to let the first participant in the queue ask the question. The default code for this action is *23. An audio confirmation is played.
The operator lets the first participant in the queue ask a question using one of the following methods:
—
Click the Next Questioner button toolbar.
on the Question-and-Answer
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— Right-click the Conference icon, then click Next Questioner.
•
On occasion, the operator can disregard the participants position in the queue and allow them to ask the question. To do this, the operator uses one of the following methods.
—
Click the Participant icon and then click the Ask Question
— button on the Question-and-Answer toolbar.
Right-click the Participant icon and then click Ask Question.
, click Q&A Management,
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The selected participant’s icon now indicates the change of status to current
questioner:
Ending Participant Questions
•
•
•
Ending the questioner session can be done by participants or by the chairperson.
The participant can indicate that they have completed asking the question and are waiting for the answer. To do this, the participant enters the appropriate code on the DTMF input device. The default code for this action is #22.
The chairperson can stop the current questioner by pressing the appropriate DTMF code on the DTMF input device. The default DTMF code for this action is #23.
The operator can end the questioner session by right-clicking the Current
Questioner icon, clicking Q&A Management, and then clicking Stop
questioner session.
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• The operator can end the questioner session by clicking the Current
Questioner icon and then clicking the Stop Questioner icon on the
Q&A toolbar.
The selected participant’s icon reverts to the passive/normal status.
Removing Participants from the Q&A Queue
•
•
You can remove a participant from the Q&A queue at any time during the
Q&A session. In such a case, the session will continue as before but the participant will not be able to ask questions in this session. You can remove a participant in one of the following ways:
Right-click the participant’s icon, click Q&A Management, and then click Remove Participant from Q&A.
Select the participant’s icon, and then click the Remove Participant from
Q&A button on the Q&A toolbar.
The participant’s Q&A icon is replaced by the standard participant icon
(according to the participant’s role).
•
Clearing Q&A Queues
The chairperson and the operator can clear the Q&A queue at any given time during the Q&A session (remove the participants currently waiting to ask questions, from the queue) using the following methods:
The chairperson can enter the appropriate code on the DTMF input device. The default code for this action is #24.
•
The operator can click the Clear Q&A button on the Q&A toolbar.
The Q&A queue is emptied and all participant Q&A icons are replaced by standard participant icons (according to their role).
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Managing Voting Sessions
•
•
In a voting session, participants express their preference on a set of choices using the touch-tone keypad or remote control during an On Going
Conference. The system uses digits to correlate participant votes to the items for which they are voting.
A voting session can include up to 10 choices for one subject. Each choice is assigned a digit (between 0 to 9) and a descriptive title. For example, in an employees meeting, the employees have to vote for one of the benefit plans suggested by the management. Each plan is assigned a digit (for example, if there are 5 plans, the choices can be 0 to 4) and a short description.
•
A voting session consists of three main stages:
Preparation stage -
Before the voting session begins, the operator or the chairperson creates the list of choices and their descriptions. The operator or the chairperson then informs the conference participants of the choices available for selection and the digit assigned to each option.
Voting stage - When voting, each participant enters the digit that represents the participant’s choice, using the DTMF input device. As each vote is counted, the information is presented on-line in the Voting window.
Results stage - When the voting is completed, the final results can be saved to a file.
Voting sessions are available in IVR enabled conferences (that are run on
Audio+ cards) and require the use of a DTMF input device.
Conducting a Voting Session
The operator or the chairperson manages the voting session.
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To manage a voting session conference:
1.
In the Browser, Status or Monitor panes, right-click the conference icon, and then click Voting.
Voting settings
The Voting dialog box opens.
Command buttons
Voting results
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The Voting dialog box is divided into three main sections:
—
—
The Voting Settings pane - where you define the voting session parameters such as the voting subject and choices, and whether the voting is anonymous.
The Voting Results pane - where the system displays the voting results, updating them as the voting session progresses. You can select the viewing mode of the voting results.
—
Command buttons - where you click a button according to the operation to be performed.
2.
In the Voting Settings pane, define the voting session parameters as follows:
Table 6-3: Voting Parameters
Field/Option
Title
Choices
Anonymous
Vote
Start Time
Description
Type in the Voting subject. This title is also used as the file name when saving the results to a file.
The digits 0 to 9 on the left (which cannot be modified) represent the digit that should be pressed on the telephone keypad or the remote control.
Enter a descriptive text for each of the choices to be selected during the voting session. For example, for digit 0 enter the first choice, for digit1 enter the second choice, etc.
Note: This text will appear in the voting results and is saved in the text file together with the voting results.
Select this check box to conduct an anonymous voting session.
Displays the voting session start time.
3.
Present the voting choices to the conference participants.
Once the voting choices are clear to all, you can start the voting itself.
4.
Click Start Voting.
Alternatively, the chairperson can start the voting session from the touchtone telephone or remote control (once the voting session parameters are
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defined by the Operator or via the Web browser) by entering the appropriate DTMF code (the default code is *81).
Each participant casts their vote using the DTMF input device, by entering the code that was assigned to their preferred choice.
You can cancel the voting anytime during the voting session by clicking the
Cancel Voting
button or by entering #82 on the DTMF input device.
The results are shown in the Voting Results pane.
votes choices
Table 6-4 describes the voting results options.
Table 6-4: Voting Results Display Options
Field/Option
Number of participants
Number of voters
Description
Displays the number of participants currently connected to the conference.
Displays the number of participants who have already voted. This number is updated continuously according to the number of voters.
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Table 6-4: Voting Results Display Options (Continued)
Field/Option
Show results as percentage with reference to:
Show results as number of votes
Details Results
Description
Select this check box to display the number of votes for each choice as percentage. If checked, select the category from which to calculate the percentage:
• Voters Only - Displays the percentage of participants who voted for each choice, out of the total number of voters.
• All Participants - Displays the percentage of participants who voted for each of choice, out of the total number of connected participants.
Select this option to display the absolute number of votes cast for each choice.
Click this button to display a summary of the voting results.
Note: Detailed results can be viewed only when the
Stop Voting button has been clicked to complete the voting stage.
5.
Click the Stop Voting button to conclude the voting session.
Alternatively, end the voting session by entering the appropriate code on the DTMF input device. The default code for this action is #81. At this point you can display the voting results on-screen and choose to save them to a file.
6.
Click the Details Results button to display the full information about the results of the voting session.
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The Voting Details window opens. For each option, the system displays the total number of votes.
Number of votes per choice
Names of participants who voted for this choice
—
If the vote was not anonymous, you can view the names of the participants who have voted for each of the listed choices. To display names, click the [+] icon next to the choice name.
—
If the vote was anonymous, the system displays only the number of votes for each choice.
7.
Click OK to close the Voting Details window.
8.
In the Voting window, click the Save Results button to save the results to a text file.
The Save As dialog box opens. The File Name field displays the default name, derived from the voting session’s title. You can modify this file name. The file can be saved only in the text or ASCII format (*.txt).
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9.
Using the standard Windows conventions, select the destination folder for the file, and then click Save.
10. At this point you can perform one of the following operations in the
Voting window: a.
Click OK to exit the voting session.
b.
Click Restart Voting to restart the voting on the same subject if the first voting session was interrupted or there is a need to recount the votes.
c.
Click New Vote to create a voting session for a new subject/item.
•
To view the voting results file:
Using any word processor, open the text file.
The following is a sample of a voting results text file.
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Using DTMF Codes During a Conference
During an On Going Conference participants can perform various operations using touch-tone signals (DTMF codes).
•
Participants can perform various operations using DTMF codes only if an IVR
Service is assigned to the conference.
• The definition of operations that can be performed by all conference participants or just by the chairperson is done in the IVR Service - DTMF
Codes assigned to the conference.
• The DTMF codes and the permission to use them can be modified for individual IVR Services.
Table 6-5 lists the operations that can be performed by all participants or the
chairperson during an On Going Conference.
Table 6-5: Operations performed during a conference using DTMF codes
DTMF Function
DTMF
Code
Request private assistance
To request private assistance, press: star, zero.
Request assistance for conference
To request operator's assistance for the conference, press: zero, zero.
*0
00
Mute my line
To mute your line, press: star, six.
Unmute my line
To unmute your line, press: pound, six.
*6
#6
Lock conference
To lock the conference to dial-in participants, press: star, seven, zero.
Unlock conference
To unlock the conference, press: pound, seven, zero.
*70
#70
Permission
Everyone
Chairperson
Everyone
Everyone
Chairperson
Chairperson
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Table 6-5: Operations performed during a conference using DTMF codes
DTMF Function
DTMF
Code
Secure conference
To switch the conference to secure mode, press: star, seven, one.
Unsecure conference
To cancel the secure mode, press: pound, seven, one.
*71
#71
*9
Increase my broadcasting volume
To increase your volume, press: star, nine.
Decrease my broadcasting volume
To decrease your volume, press: pound, nine.
Mute All except me
To mute all participants except yourself, press: star, five.
Cancel Mute All except me
To cancel mute settings of all participants except yourself, press: pound, five.
Change password
To change the chairperson or conference password, press: star, seven, seven.
#9
*5
#5
*77
Place conference on hold
To place the conference on hold, press: star, one.
Reinstate on hold conference
To reinstate a conference on hold, press: pound, one.
*1
#1
*86 Mute dial-in participant
To mute dial-in participants, press: star, eight, six.
Cancel Mute dial-in participant
To cancel the muting of dial-in participants, press: pound, eight, six.
Start voting session
To start a voting session, press: star, eight, one.
Stop voting session
To end a voting session and get the results, press: pound, eight, one.
#86
*81
#81
Permission
Chairperson
Chairperson
Everyone
Everyone
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
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Table 6-5: Operations performed during a conference using DTMF codes
DTMF Function
DTMF
Code
Permission
New voting session
To start a new voting session, press: star, eight, two.
Cancel voting session
To cancel the voting session, press: pound, eight, two.
Ask a question
To ask a question, press: star, twenty two.
Cancel my question
To cancel a question, press: pound, twenty two.
*82
#82
*22
#22
Next in line question
To let the next questioner ask a question, press: star, two three.
End current question
To terminate the current question, press: pound, two three.
*23
#23
*24
Cancel all questions
To cancel all questions, press: star, two, four.
Dial out to invitee
To dial out to invitee, press: star, four.
*4
Chairperson
Chairperson
Everyone
Everyone
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Admit invitee and continue dial-out
To admit an invitee and continue dial-out press: star, one.
Disconnect invitee and continue dial-out
To disconnect an invitee and continue dial-out, press: star, two.
*1
(submenu)
Chairperson
*2
(submenu)
Chairperson
Admit invitee and return to the conference
To admit an invitee and return to the conference, press: star, three.
Disconnect invitee & return to conference
To disconnect an invitee & return to conference press: star, four.
*3
(submenu)
Chairperson
*4
(submenu)
Chairperson
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Table 6-5: Operations performed during a conference using DTMF codes
DTMF Function
DTMF
Code
Play Menu
To play the DTMF help menu, press: star, eight, three.
(To enable this feature the relevant file must be assigned to the function in the IVR Message Service.)
*83
*32
Enable Roll Call
To enable Roll Call, press: star, three, two.
Disable Roll Call
To disable Roll Call, press: pound, three, two.
Roll Call - review names
To initiate the roll call and playback of the participant names, press: star, three, three.
Roll Call - stop review names
To end playback of participant names, press: pound, three, three.
# 32
*33
#33
Start Dial Out
To start the dial-out, press: star, two, five.
Conference Termination
To end the conference, press: star, eight, seven.
*25
*87
Start Click&View
To start the Click&View application, press: star, star.
**
Change to Chairperson
To change the status of a participant to Chairperson, press: star, seven, eight.
*78
Increase my listening volume
To increase your volume, press: star, seven, six.
Decrease my listening volume
To decrease your volume, press: pound, seven, six.
*76
#76
Permission
Everyone
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Chairperson
Everyone
Everyone
Everyone
Everyone
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Table 6-5: Operations performed during a conference using DTMF codes
DTMF Function
Override Mute All But Me*
To enable participants to unmute their endpoints while the Exclusive Speaker Mute mode is imposed.
* To enable this function, a DTMF code must be configured.
These operations are listed and defined in the
IVR
Service - DTMF Codes
dialog box. The same operations are also available from the MGC Manager application.
For a description of the IVR Message Service setup, see Chapter 6, “IVR and Entry Queue Services”.
SilenceIT Menu
The DTMF code to be used to play the SilenceIT menu. This code is used by the participant that who is muted due to a noisy line.
Unmute and Return to Conference
Unmutes and returns the participant to the conference.
Return to Conference Muted
Returns the muted participant to the conference while remaining muted.
Adjust SilenceIT Sensitivity and Unmute
Used by the muted participant to return to the conference unmuted while reducing the noise detection sensitivity. This option should be used if you do not want the system to identify a faint noise as a noisy line.
Disable SilenceIT and Unmute
Disables the SilenceIT option, unmutes the line of the participant who is placed on hold by the SilenceIT mode and returns the participant to the conference.
9
1
2
3
4
DTMF
Code
Permission
Everyone
Everyone
Everyone
Everyone
Everyone
Everyone
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Table 6-5: Operations performed during a conference using DTMF codes
DTMF Function
DTMF
Code
*73
Permission
Chairperson
Start Recording
Starts a recording session.
Stop Recording
Stops a recording session.
Pause Recording
Pauses a recording session.
*74
*75
Chairperson
Chairperson
These operations are listed and defined in the IVR Service - DTMF Codes dialog box. The same operations are also available from the MGC Manager application.
For a detailed description of IVR enabled conferences, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide Volume II, Chapter 2, “IVR and Entry Queue Services”.
Changing the Conference or Chairperson Password
During an On Going Conference, the conference password or the chairperson password can be modified by the chairperson or by a participant (depending on the user permissions), using DTMF codes.
When the user enters the DTMF code which activates the password modification process, a voice message instructs the user to select whether to modify the conference password or the chairperson password.
A sequence of voice messages and chairperson actions follows, to complete the password modification. Table 6-6 describes this sequence:
Table 6-6: Password Modification DTMF/IVR Sequences
User Action IVR Message
Chairperson or participant enters the
“change password” DTMF code.
Chairperson or participant enters 1.
“Press one to change conference password. Press two to change the chairperson password. Press nine to exit the menu.”
“Please enter the new conference password. Press the pound key to complete.”
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Table 6-6: Password Modification DTMF/IVR Sequences (Continued)
User Action IVR Message
Chairperson or participant enters 2.
“Please enter the new chairperson password. Press the pound key when complete.”
Chairperson or participant enters 9 and exits the menu.
Chairperson or participant enters the new password. Password confirmation request.
Chairperson or participant confirms the password. System confirms update.
While confirming the new password, chairperson or participant enters the existing password.
“Please re-enter the new password.
Press the pound key to complete.”
“The password has been successfully changed.”
“The new password is invalid.”
•
•
•
If the user exits without confirming the password, the password is not updated.
Changing passwords is not possible when a conference is in any of the following modes:
Voting session
Invite session
Roll Call session
•
A participant is waiting in the Entry Queue
In an Entry Queue, both the conference and chairperson password need to be unique and cannot be identical to any other conferences that are accessed via the Entry Queue.
Managing Secure Mode Conferences
In the Secure mode, joining the conference, monitoring the conference or controlling the conference in any way, is denied to outside participants, including operators. In addition, operators cannot view the participants list or
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any conference properties while the conference is in the Secure mode.
However, operators can terminate the conference even in this mode.
Special icons are used to indicate that a conference is in Secure mode. For a
list of these icons see Table 5-7 on page 5-27.
Chairpersons can enable or disable the Secure mode for an On Going
Conference, using the appropriate DTMF codes on the touch-tone telephone.
While the conference is in a Secure mode, the chairperson and conference participants can perform various operations using the appropriate DTMF codes, such as voting or question-and-answer sessions. These operations will not be displayed in the MGC Manager monitoring panes. Once the chairperson secures or unsecures the conference, an appropriate voice message may be played indicating that the conference is secured.
The voice message will be played only if it is configured in the IVR Message
Service and if the appropriate audio file has been downloaded to the Audio card.
•
•
•
•
When the chairperson secures the conference, the following operations cannot be performed by operators or outside participants:
Join or attend the conference
View and control the participants of the conference
View and monitor the conference properties
Implement Voting
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Operations Performed During On Going Gateway
Sessions
•
•
•
On the conference level, you can terminate the gateway session in the same way as with the standard conference.
On the participant level, you can perform the following operations, in the same way as with the standard conference:
Mute or unmute the participant audio channel. For details, see page 6-26.
Mute or unmute the participant video channel. For details, see page 6-27.
Delete the participant from the conference (this will cause the termination of the gateway session).
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7
Meet Me per Conferences and
Meeting Rooms
This chapter discusses Meet Me Conferences and Meeting Rooms. Meet Me
Conferences are conferences that allow undefined dial-in participants to connect to them by dialing a predefined number.
Meeting Rooms are reserved conferences, based on Meet Me Conferences without resource allocations. Meeting Room conferences are defined once but can be activated many times, when required.
When using the Meet Me Per Conference option, there is no need to specify the capabilities of each endpoint – they are automatically detected and are assigned the conference parameters. Any participant who dials the conference number can connect to the conference until all the MCU resources are utilized or the maximum number of participants per conference is reached. However, resources may be reserved for a specific number of undefined participants. In such a case, additional undefined participants may be allowed to join the conference if there are enough resources available.
When the participant connects to the conference, all the channels with the same Calling Line Identifier (CLI) number are identified as pertaining to the same participant. In BONDING, each incoming call is identified as a new participant, as one CLI number is used for all channels.
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Defining a Meet Me Conference
The Meet Me Per Conference option is enabled in three stages:
• Enabling the Meet Me Per Conference option in the Conference
Properties - General dialog box.
•
• Specifying that undefined participants may connect to the conference in the Conference Properties - Participants dialog box and defining the number of participants (if any) for which MCU resources should be reserved. You can also define the maximum number of participants allowed in the conference.
Defining the conference dial-in number(s) in the Conference Properties -
Meet Me Per Conference dialog box
.
To define a new Meet Me Conference:
1.
Connect to an MCU and expand its options tree.
2.
Right-click the On Going Conferences icon, and then click New
Conference.
The Conference Properties - General dialog box opens.
You can also create a Meet Me Reservation or Reservation template.
3.
Define the conference general parameters such as conference Name,
Duration, Passwords (if required), and Numeric ID. You may also define the user defined fields if they are enabled in your system. For more
details, see Chapter 4, “To define the conference General parameters:” on page 4-37.
The numeric ID (or the conference name) is used as part of the dialing string by
H.323 dial-in participants in the Advanced dial-in mode. For details, see “Dialing
Into the Conference in the H.323 Environment” on page 7-11.
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4.
Select the Meet Me Per Conf check box.
5.
Select the conference type (Standard or Meeting Room), Media (Audio
Only or Video), Network, and Video Session, as described for On Going
Conferences. For details see Table 4-4, “Conference Properties -
6.
Click the Settings tab.
The Conference Properties - Settings dialog box opens.
7.
Define the conference settings parameters as for any Standard video
conference. For more details see Table 4-5, “Conference Properties -
Settings Parameters,” on page 4-45.
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8.
Click the Participants tab.
The Conference Properties - Participants dialog box opens.
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9.
If required, add defined participants to the conference as for On Going
Conferences. For more details, see Table 4-8, “Conference Properties -
Participants Options,” on page 4-66.
10. Define the following participant parameters:
The number of participants is limited by the maximum number of participants set in the Max Participants field, or by the maximum number of participants allowed for the conference (16 or 30 in a large Video Switching conference running on the standard Audio card) or by the MCU resources being used up.
—
—
Select the Allow Undefined Parties check box to allow participants to connect to the conference without prior setting of their parameters
(i.e., “undefined” participants).
In the Min Participant box, define the number of participants for which the system should reserve resources. This option is enabled when the Allow Undefined Parties option is selected. If you enter
“0”, no resources will be reserved for the conference. However,
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— participants are able to connect to the conference if there are available resources.
The minimum number of participants the system reserves resources for takes into account the defined participants. For example, if two participants are defined and resources for three undefined participants are needed, enter five (5) as the minimum number of participants.
The Max Participants option allows you to limit the number of participants that can connect to the conference. By default, this option is set to Auto to allow as many participants as possible.
In the Max Participants box, enter the maximum number of participants that can connect to the conference at one time.
During an On Going Conference, you can also limit the number of participants by preventing additional dial-in participants from connecting to the conference by locking the conference in the Conference Properties - Settings dialog box or from the On Going Conference right-click pop-up menu. For more details see
Chapter 6, “Locking/Unlocking a Conference” on page 6-68.
11. If you are defining a Continuous Presence and/or Lecture Mode conference or, if you want to use visual effects in the conference, click
the Video Sources tab. For more details see Chapter 4, ”Video Sources” on page 4-71.
Define the Video Layout and other video settings.
12. If required, click the Resource Force tab to select the cards to handle the conference. This step is required only when the MCU contains standard
Audio and Audio+ cards and standard Video and Video+ cards and you want to override the automatic selection of resources by the MCU.
For more details see Chapter 4, “Resource Force” on page 4-82.
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13. Click the Meet Me Per Conf tab.
The Conference Properties - Meet Me Per Conf dialog box opens.
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Defining Conference Dial In Numbers
The conference phone numbers may be assigned by the operator or automatically by the system. When allocated by the system, a single number, which is derived from the dial-in numbers defined in the ISDN Network
Service, is assigned to the conference. The assigned dial-in number can only be viewed in the Status or Monitor panes of the Main Window, once the conference or reservation is saved on the MCU. This number is then given to all the conference participants to use for connecting to the conference. You can manually assign a dial-in number to the conference in the Conference
Properties - Meet Me Per Conf dialog box.
If participants in the same conference use different ISDN Network Services, the conference may be assigned different dial-in numbers for each of the
ISDN Network Services used to connect to the conference. In such a case, use the manual allocation method.
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If the conference includes T1-CAS audio only participants and the MCU is configured to allow T1-CAS participants in video conferences, you can manually allocate the dial-in number for the T1-CAS participants.
T1-CAS participants are only able to dial-in to a conference using a Meet Me
Conference.
The list of dial-in numbers assigned to the conference is displayed in the
Meet-Me Services table. The first column displays the ISDN Network Service name. The Dial-in Number (1) and Dial-in Number (2) columns display the first and second dial-in numbers assigned to the conference, for each listed
Network Service.
If no dial-in number is defined, the system automatically assigns the first free number in the dial-in numbers range defined in the default ISDN Network Service.
Before you manually allocate dial-in number(s) to the conference, check the
ISDN Network Service for the dial in numbers that can be allocated to conferences.
This procedure is optional and should be used only if you want to allocate a specific number to the conference. Otherwise, skip this procedure and the
MCU automatically allocates the dial-in number.
To manually allocate a dial-in number to the conference:
1.
In the Conference Properties - Meet Me per Conf dialog box, in the Meet
Me Service - ISDN Service pane, click the Plus button. The Meet Me
Service dialog box opens.
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2.
Define the dial-in numbers to be assigned to the conference as follows:
Table 7-1: Meet Me Service Options
Option
Service Name
Dial-in Number
(1)
Dial-in Number
(2)
Description
Enter the name of the ISDN Network Service or the
T1-CAS Network Service to be used by participants to connect to the conference exactly as it is defined in the
Network Services list (the system is case sensitive).
Enter the first dial-in number to be assigned to the conference. This number must be defined in the dial-in numbers range defined for the selected ISDN Network
Service or the T1-CAS Network Service. For more details regarding the dial-in numbers range, see the
MGC Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 3.
Note: When connecting ISDN lines via a private PBX to the MCU, the PBX may truncate the dialed numbers.
In that case, the dial-in numbers defined in the ISDN
Network Service may include only part of the dialed string. The operator must add the truncated digits to the dial-in number conveyed to the participant.
Enter the second dial-in number to be assigned to the conference. This number is optional.
3.
Click OK. The dial-in numbers are added to the table in the Meet Me
Service - ISDN Service pane.
4.
If participants use more than one ISDN Network Service to connect to
the conference, repeat steps 1 to 3 to define dial-in numbers for these
additional ISDN Network Services.
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To manually assign H.323 Service Prefixes to the conference:
H.323 dial-in participants can dial into Meet Me Conferences by simply dialing the H.323 Prefix (from the IP Network Service) and the conference
1.
In the Conference Properties - Meet Me per Conf dialog box, in the Meet
Service dialog box opens.
2.
Define the dial-in H.323 Service Prefix to be assigned to the conference as follows:
Table 7-2: H.323 Network Service Options
Option
H.323 Network
Service Name
H323 Service
Prefix
Description
Enter the name of the IP Network Service to be used by participants to connect to the Conference exactly as it is defined in the IP Network Services list (the system is case sensitive).
Enter the H.323 prefix (from the IP Network Service) to be assigned to the conference. This number must be defined in the H323 dialog box of the selected IP
Network Service.
3.
Click OK. The H.323 Service Prefix is added to the table in the Meet Me
Service - H.323 Service pane.
4.
If participants use more than one IP Network Service to connect to the conference, repeat steps 1 to 3 to define H.323 Service Prefixes for these additional IP Network Services.
5.
In the Conference Properties dialog box, click OK to complete the conference definition.
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To delete a service name or dial-in number from the conference:
1.
In the Conference Properties - Meet Me per Conf dialog box, select the
ISDN/IP Network Service name or dial-in number to delete.
2.
Click the associated Minus button.
The service name and dial-in numbers are removed from the conference definition.
Connecting to a Meet Me Conference
Dial-in participants can be defined or undefined before a conference starts.
Dial-out participants can only be defined. If Auto Detect is selected for the dial-out participant, you may define the participant’s name and phone number and the system will automatically detect the participant capabilities and connect him/her accordingly. Dial-in “undefined” participants may connect to the conference if “Allow Undefined Participants” is selected in the
Participants tab and if there are available resources. The conference may also include defined dial-in participants. These participants are identified by their
CLI number (ISDN) or Alias (H.323).
When the Auto Rate Detect option is active for a dial-out participant, the system automatically detects the participant’s line rate, and connects the participant at the line rate appropriate to the endpoint, up to the maximum line rate defined in the conference settings. This option is advantageous when all participants are connected at the same line rate defined for the conference.
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Conference1
Dial-in Number 9251222
925
122
2
9251222
92
51
22
3
ISDN
Conference2
Dial-in Number 9251223
Figure 7-1: Direct Dial-in (Meet Me Conference)
Dialing Into the Conference in the H.323 Environment
The IP Network Service for H.323 is registered in the gatekeeper using a prefix. In a Meet Me Conference, a participant must enter the H.323 Service
Prefix followed by the conference numeric ID or conference name (H.323 ID format) as the dial-in string. For example, if the H.323 Service prefix is 100 and the conference numeric ID is 1234, the dial-in string that is dialed in by the participant is 1001234. When a participant dials in, the call arrives at the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper identifies the IP Network Service and tries to connect to the first free IP card. If the resource is available, the gatekeeper forwards the string that was dialed by the endpoint to the MCU. According to the string that was dialed in (the system ignores the prefix), the system searches for a Meet Me Per Conf - Allow Undefined Participants conference with this numeric ID. If such a conference exists, the system connects the participant to the appropriate conference. If no such conference exists, the call is rejected.
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If you are using the conference name to dial in, the gatekeeper ignores the letters in the dialed string and uses just the digits to identify the Network
Service. The call is forwarded to the MCU with the conference name, which is used by the MCU to identify the destination conference.
•
Currently, Polycom PathNavigator, RadVision and VCON gatekeepers are known to support the Prefix option. Using gatekeepers of other brands may cause problems when running such a conference.
•
Sharing of resources between MGC323 modules is unavailable. If five ports are taken by currently defined participants, it will be impossible to add a sixth participant who requires two ports for the same conference.
•
The number of undefined dial-in participants is limited by resource availability and the maximum number of participants allowed for the conference.
Figure 7-2 illustrates the H.323 dial-in.
Figure 7-2: Meet Me Per Conference H.323 Participants Dial-in
Monitoring Meet Me Conferences
When an undefined participant in a Meet Me Conference dials into the conference, the system tries to connect the participant using the Bonding or
H.221 protocol. If the connection uses the Bonding protocol, during the negotiation with the endpoint the number of additional channels to be connected is communicated, and the connection proceeds as in a standard
Bonding connection.
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If no Bonding is used, the MCU tries to connect the endpoint using the H.221 standard (aggregation). If this fails, the connection with the endpoint is terminated.
When connecting to the conference, the name of an Undefined participant appears in the format <conference name_(X)> where X is the participant’s sequential number. For example, if the conference name is Finance, the name of the first participant to connect to the conference is “Finance_(000)”.
In the Monitor pane the participant Phone /IP Address column shows the number or IP address dialed by a participant to connect to the conference. In a
Meet Me Conference Pxxxx is the participant CLI number as identified by the
MCU and Myyyy is the conference/MCU number dialed by a participant to connect to the conference.
In a dial-out connection, this column shows the participant’s number dialed by the MCU to connect the participant to the conference.
All the operations that can be performed during a standard conference may be performed during an On Going Meet Me Conference.
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Meeting Rooms
A Meeting Room is a reservation set to Meet Me Per Conference.The conference is saved on the MCU in passive mode, without using any of the system resources. When the first participant dials into the conference, the conference is automatically activated. Other participants may join the conference by dialing in. If dial-out participants are also defined for the conference, the system automatically dials out to these participants the moment the conference is activated. The operator or conference initiator may lock the conference to additional dial-in participants at any time.
The Meeting Room is set by default to Allow Undefined Parties and a 2 hour duration. It is generally intended as a dial-in conference and can have any of the available conference attributes. It is recommended to define it as an Auto
Terminate conference. You can select the number of times the Meeting Room may be activated. The Meeting Room remains in sleep mode (passive) in between activations.
The dial-in numbers allocated to the Meeting Room can be automatically allocated by the MCU based on the dial-in numbers allocated to the MCU by the carrier and defined in the ISDN Network Services. Alternately, they can be allocated manually in the service section, as described for the Meet Me Per
Conference mode. In the same way, the H.323 Network Service prefix can be automatically or manually assigned to the Meeting Room. For details see
“Defining Conference Dial In Numbers” on page 7-6.
For details about creating connections to a Meeting Room by means of an
Entry Queue, see “Defining a New Entry Queue” on page 8-7.
An IVR-enabled Meeting Room can be configured to start only when the chairperson connects to the Meeting Room. In that case, participants connecting to the Meeting Room conference prior to the chairperson’s connection are placed on hold, hear background music (when available) and see the Welcome video slide (in video Meeting Room conferences). If the chairperson does not connect in a predefined time period the conference is automatically terminated. The time period (default is 20 minutes) is defined in the “system.cfg”: Greet and Guide/IVR section by the
LEADER_WAITING_TIME_OUT
flag
.
The conference is automatically terminated when the last participant quits the conference (if Auto Termination is selected or in an IVR-enabled conference, when the chairperson exits the conference), or manually by the operator, or conference initiator. Once the conference is terminated, the MCU checks the
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conference recurrence setting. If the conference is still valid for re-activation, the conference resumes its passive state, waiting for another initiating call.
Otherwise, the conference is deleted from the MCU upon termination of the conference.
An operator may cancel the conference via the MGC Manager to prevent its re-activation.
•
The Meeting Room is not erased when the MCU is reset.
•
Meeting Rooms can be defined only if the appropriate Customer Permission is defined in the “system.cfg” file.
Defining a New Meeting Room
To define a new Meeting Room:
1.
Connect to an MCU and expand its tree.
2.
Right-click the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues & SIP Factories icon, and then click New Meeting Room.
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The Conference Properties - General dialog box opens.
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The Meeting Room option is automatically selected in the Conference
Type box. The Meet Me Per Conference check box is automatically checked (and cannot be cleared).
The MCU box displays the name of the MCU to which you are connected, and on which the Meeting Room is saved.
3.
Define the Meeting Room Name and Duration.The default Duration is set to 2 hours but may be modified. The maximum duration that can be set for a Meeting Room is 99 hours.
4.
Define the Billing Code if applicable.
5.
Select whether the Meeting Room has Entry Queue Access or not. If you select this check box, the Meet Me per Conference check box is enabled. Clear this check box if you do not want to allocate an additional
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dial-in number (for direct dial-in) to the conference, where access to the conference is only through the Entry Queue.
If the Meeting Room is accessed via an Entry Queue, its line rate must be the same as the Entry Queue properties, otherwise participants will not be able to move from the Entry Queue to the Meeting Room.
6.
In an Entry Queue Access conference or an IVR-enabled conference with password request, enter the Conference Entry Password and the
Chairperson Password (optional). If you leave these fields blank, the
MCU allocates them once the Meeting Room is saved to the MCU.
7.
Enter the conference Numeric ID. If left blank the system automatically allocates the Numeric ID once the Meeting Room is saved on the MCU.
8.
If relevant, enter the information in the User Defined fields.
9.
Define the Media type as Audio or Video and Audio.
10. Select the video session type as in a standard video conference. For more
details see Chapter 4, “To define the conference General parameters:” on page 4-37.
11. Click the Settings tab.
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The Conference Properties - Settings dialog box opens.
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The Meeting Room settings are defined in the same way as a Standard
On Going Conference.
12. Define the correct conference Line Rate. It is recommended to enable the
Auto Termination parameters for this type of conference to make sure that the conference ends when participants are no longer connected to the conference.
13. If the MCU includes an Audio+ card and you want participants to control their conference via their endpoints, assign an IVR Service to the
Meeting Room.
When an IVR Service is assigned, the Start Conf. Requires Chairperson and Terminate After Chairperson Exits options are enabled.
14. Click the Participants tab to define the participant connection to the conference.
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The Conference Properties - Participants dialog box opens.
The Allow Undefined Parties check box is automatically selected to allow participants to connect to the conference without the prior setting of their parameters (i.e., “undefined” participant). In such a case, participants can connect to the conference until the maximum number of participants in a conference is exceeded.
15. In the Min Participant box, define the number of participants for which the system reserves resources once the conference is activated. The system takes into account the number of defined participants, therefore, if the conference includes one defined participant and you want to save resources for four participants, enter five (5) in this box. If you enter 0, no resources are reserved for the conference. However, participants are able to connect to the conference if there are available resources. The number of participants is limited by the maximum number of participants set in the Max Participants box or by the maximum number of participants allowed for the conference.
16. In the Max Participants box, enter the maximum number of participants that can connect to the conference at one time. By default, this option is
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set to Auto to allow as many participants as possible. Enter the required number.
17. If required, add pre-defined participants to the Meeting Room. For more information, see Chapter 4, “Adding Participants to the Conference” on page 4-56.
18. If you have selected Continuous Presence as the conference Video
Session, click the Video Sources tab to select the appropriate Video
19. Click the Meet Me Per Conf tab.
The Meet Me Per Conf dialog box opens.
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This dialog box enables you to define the Meeting Room’s specific parameters.
20. Select the Limited Sequences check box to limit the number of activations. If this check box is cleared, the number of activations is unlimited, and the Meeting Room can be saved on the MCU forever or until deleted from the MCU.
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21. In the Number of Occurrences box choose any number of Meeting Room activations. 0 means that the conference has an unlimited number of activations and can be in sleep mode (passive) forever.
1 means that the conference will be activated once, and then it will be deleted from the system. 2 or more means that the conference will be activated twice or more, and the conference will remain in sleep mode
(passive) in between recurrences.
When Meeting Rooms are accessed through the Entry Queue without the participants accessing the Meeting Room directly, do not allocate a dial-in number to the Meeting Room. This saves the dial-in numbers used.
22. If you want to manually assign dial-in numbers to the conference in the
Conference Properties - Meet Me Per Conf dialog box, follow the detailed instructions beginning with
“Defining Conference Dial In Numbers” on page 7-6.
23. Click OK in the Meeting Room Properties dialog box to complete the
Meeting Room definition.
24. The new Meeting Room is added to the Meeting Rooms list.
• If you try to define a Meeting Room without the appropriate customer permission, a system indication is displayed, informing that you do not have the Virtual Conference Suite installed in your system.
• The number of Meeting Rooms is limited to about 2000.
• The Meeting Room will fail to start when the dial in number allocated to the conference is in use by another reserved conference, or if the MCU has run out of resources.
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Managing Meeting Rooms
The Meeting Rooms are listed under the Meeting Rooms icon.
Listing Meeting Rooms
To view existing Meeting Rooms:
1.
Connect to the MCU and expand its tree.
2.
Click the plus [+] icon next to the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues & SIP
Factories icon. The system displays the list of Meeting Rooms, Entry
Queues and SIP Factories.
Once the first participant connects to a Meeting Room, it is activated and is also added to the On Going Conferences list to enable the operator to monitor its status and its participants.
An Active Meeting Room
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Monitoring active Meeting Rooms is similar to monitoring any other Meet Me
Conference. For details, see “Monitoring Meet Me Conferences” on page 7-
Meeting Room Icons
The following icons indicate the different statuses of Meeting Rooms:
Table 7-3: Meeting Room Types and Icons
Icon
(green)
(green)
Description
Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues & SIP factories. A category in the MCU tree that lists the Meeting Rooms, Entry
Queues and SIP Factories defined in the system.
Active Meeting Room - Video. A video Meeting Room that was activated when the first participants or chairperson connected to it.
Active Meeting Room - Audio. An Audio Only Meeting
Room that was activated when the first participants or chairperson connected to it.
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Table 7-3: Meeting Room Types and Icons (Continued)
Icon
(gray)
(gray)
Description
Passive Meeting Room - Video. A video Meeting Room that is in a passive mode, waiting to be activated. This
Meeting Room uses both Audio and Video media.
Passive Meeting Room - Audio. An Audio Only Meeting
Room that is in a passive mode, waiting to be activated.
Meeting Room Right-Click Functions
Most of the right-click functions on the Meeting Rooms icon are displayed in other menu options and are discussed elsewhere in this manual.
The following options are available when right-clicking the Meeting Rooms icon:
Table 7-4: Meeting Room Right-Click Options
Right-click
Option
New Participant
Description
Copy Meeting
Room
Paste Participant
Paste Participant
As
Delete
Adds a new participant to the Meeting Room. For details,
see Chapter 6, “Adding New Participants to a Conference” on page 6-44.
Copies the Meeting Room properties to a template, another MCU or the same MCU under a different name.
Pastes participant properties from the clipboard into a
Pastes participant properties from the clipboard into the
Meeting Room while changing the participant name or
Deletes the Meeting Room from the MCU.
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Table 7-4: Meeting Room Right-Click Options (Continued)
Right-click
Option
Print Meeting
Room
Description
Properties
Prints the Meeting Room information to a printer, to a file, or copies the data to the clipboard. For details, see
Chapter 6, “Printing Conference Data” on page 6-75.
Modifies the Meeting Room properties. For details, see
Chapter 4, “Defining a New Video Conference” on page 4-
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8
Entry Queues, Operator
Conferences, and Attended
Conferencing
Entry Queues and Entry Queue Services
An Entry Queue (EQ) is a special routing lobby to which one or several dial-in numbers are assigned for both video and audio endpoints, including
PSTN, VoIP, H.320, H.323, SIP and T1-CAS endpoints. Participants with the same capabilities (audio only or video line rate, video protocol, video format, etc.) dial the same dial-in number and they are routed to the appropriate conference according to the conference numeric ID or the conference password they enter (depending on the MCU configuration).
An Entry Queue Service must be assigned to the Entry Queue to enable the voice prompts guiding the participants through the connection process. For video Entry Queues, the Entry Queue Service can include a video slide that is displayed to the participants while staying in the Entry Queue (during their connection process).
The Entry Queue remains in a passive state when there are no callers in the queue (in between connections) and is automatically activated once a caller dials its dial-in number.
Attended and Unattended Conferences and Entry Queues
Conferences can be attended or unattended. In unattended mode, connection to the conference is automatic and the whole conference can be run without operator intervention. In attended mode, the operator connects participants to the conference, and actively manages the conference. Conferences are set as attended when assigning an IVR Service set to attended mode.
Entry Queues can also be attended or unattended. For conferences accessed by an Entry Queue, the attended or unattended mode of the Entry Queue determines the connection mode of the conference. In an unattended Entry
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Queue, the routing to the destination conference is automatic. In attended
Entry Queues, routing to the destination conference is done by the operator and requires the presence of an Operator conference.
•
The initial setting of an Entry Queue or conference as unattended or attended is done in the definition of the Entry Queue Service or IVR Service, by selecting or clearing the “On-hold for Operator Assistance” option in the
Welcome Message dialog box. When selected, callers have to wait for the operator’s assistance in order to connect to the conference. If this check box is cleared, the connection process is automatic. For a detailed description of the Entry Queue or IVR Service definition, see the MGC Manager User’s
Guide, Volume II, Chapter 2, “IVR and Entry Queue Services”.
• Unattended conferences can also be created using SIP factories. For more information see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 3, “SIP
Factories”.
When an Entry Queue or conference is unattended, the participants are guided to the conference using menu-driven scripts that are part of the Entry Queue
Service or IVR Service. DTMF codes entered using the telephone touch-tone keypad or the endpoint’s DTMF input device, usually a remote control, are the callers input to voice prompts. The operator is not involved in the connection process unless the participant fails to enter the destination conference password or numeric ID (depending on the system configuration) and the operator assistance option is enabled in the Entry Queue Service or
IVR Service.
With some endpoints (video and IP telephones), the participants can add the conference numeric ID or conference password to the dial-in number to form one string in TCS4 or H.323ID format. Using this string the participant can connect directly to the conference without accessing the Entry Queue first.
Operator Conferences
An Operator conference is a side conference that enables the operator to assist participants without disturbing the On Going Conferences and without being heard by other conference participants. The operator can move a participant from the Entry Queue, conference IVR Queue, Participants Queue, Welcome
Queue (Greet and Guide), or On Going Conference to a private, one-on-one conversation in the Operator conference. An Operator conference can have up to two participants only: the operator and a participant. An Operator conference is required to manage attended conferences.
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Entry Queue Access
When the Entry Queue Access option is designated for an Audio Only or
Video conference, all the participants connecting to that conference are first connected to an Entry Queue. From the Entry Queue they are routed to their conference according to the conference numeric ID or conference password they enter (depending on system configuration), or they wait for operator assistance. In addition, an IVR Service can be assigned to the conferences accessed from the Entry Queue.
Using an Entry Queue minimizes the number of dial-in numbers that the
MGC unit must have available to handle conferences and dial-in participants.
In addition, it enables service providers to advertise their services with one or two telephone numbers that can be used for all the conferences (for example,
1-800-POLYCOM).
The Entry Queue is defined separately in the MGC Manager application, and for each Audio Only conference or Video conference you select whether it is accessed via an Entry Queue and/or IVR Service depending on your configuration.
Video switching conferences that are accessed from an Entry Queue must have the same video, audio algorithm and line rate properties as defined for the Entry
Queue used for accessing these conferences. If you offer more than one type of video switching conference, it is recommended that you define more than one
Entry Queue, one for each conference type or set of parameters.
•
•
•
Entering a conference via an Entry Queue involves the following three stages:
Dialing to the Entry Queue
Routing from the Entry Queue to the conference
Entry to the conference
One or several dial-in numbers are allocated to an Entry Queue (for ISDN participants). H.323 participants use a dial-in string, and SIP participants use a URI. In addition, a numeric ID is assigned to each conference and a conference password and chairperson password may be defined. The dial-in number (which is usually the same for all participants regardless of the conference they attend), the dial-in string or the URI, and the appropriate conference numeric ID and/or passwords are communicated to the conference participants.
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Dialing in to the Entry Queue
The participants dial the Entry Queue dial-in number, dial-in string or URI that was communicated to them and enter the Entry Queue lobby.
ISDN participants dial the Entry Queue dial-in number.
H.323 participants dial a string of the format:
<H.323 Service Prefix><Entry Queue Numeric ID>
SIP participants dial a URI of the format:
<Entry Queue name>@<domain name>
•
When a SIP participant dials from within the same domain, they only need to enter the Entry Queue name.
• For more information about dialing in to Entry Queues when using Microsoft
Office Communicator or Windows Messenger version 5.1, refer to the
Polycom—Microsoft Deployment Guide.
Routing from the Entry Queue to the Conference
Attended participants wait for the operator to connect them to the conference.
•
Unattended participants can be routed to their destination conference in one of the following methods:
Using the conference numeric ID
•
Using the conference password
The Entry Queue routing method is set by a flag in the system.cfg (for detailed description of the system.cfg flags, see the MGC Administrator’s
Guide, Chapter 5, “Edit system.cfg”).
A Numeric ID is assigned to all conferences and Meeting Rooms, regardless of the routing method, for IP participant dial-in and for billing purposes (and added to the CDR file).
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Conference Numeric ID Routing
When participants connect to the Entry Queue they are requested to enter the target conference Numeric ID. According to this conference ID, participants are routed to the appropriate conference.
MCU
Conference1
Numeric ID: 1234
Password: 34567
IP Endpoint
92
51
22
2
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
9251222
Network
92
51
22
2
1234
1234
1300
Numeric ID: 1222
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
IP Network Service
Prefix - 925
Conference2
Numeric ID: 1300
Password: 71356
Figure 8-1: Conference Access Via Entry Queue Using Numeric ID
Password Routing
When participants connect to the Entry Queue they are requested to enter the target conference password. According to this password, participants are routed to the appropriate conference.
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MCU
Conference1
Numeric ID: 1234
Password: 34567
Chairperson: 89900
IP Endpoint
92
51
22
2
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
9251222
Network
92
51
22
2
Numeric ID: 1222
ISDN/PSTN
Endpoint
IP Network Service
Prefix - 925
Conference2
Numeric ID: 1300
Password: 71356
Figure 8-2: Conference Access via Entry Queue using the Conference Password
Conference Entry
When no IVR Service is assigned to the conference, or if the assigned IVR service is not configured to prompt for passwords, participants are moved directly from the Entry Queue to the conference.
When an IVR Service that is configured to prompt for passwords is assigned to the conference, participants are guided to the conference by voice prompts.
For Conference Numeric ID routing, the participants are requested to enter the target conference/chairperson password. They can also be prompted for additional information such as their billing code. For password routing participants may be requested to enter the required chairperson password or wait to be automatically connected to the conference. They can also be prompted for additional information such as their billing code.
If a participant fails to connect to the target conference, and the Operator’s
Assistance option is enabled in the IVR Service assigned to the conference, the participant is moved to the Participant’s Queue to wait for operator assistance.
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Defining a New Entry Queue
If the destination conference is set to Video Switching, its audio, video, and line rate settings must be identical to the Entry Queue settings, otherwise participants cannot move to the target conference.
• Entry Queues can only be defined in MCUs containing an Audio+ card.
• If you have not already done so, define the Entry Queue Message Service in the MCU - IVR Services before defining the Entry Queue. For more details, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 2, “IVR and Entry
Queue Services”.
•
Entry Queues can be encrypted. For more details, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1, “Media Encryption”.
• The definition of the Audio Only Entry Queue is described in the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition, Chapter 5.
To define a new Video Entry Queue:
1.
Connect to an MCU and expand its tree.
2.
Right-click the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues and SIP Factories icon, and then click New Entry Queue.
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The Entry Queue Properties dialog box opens.
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3.
Define the following parameters:
Table 8-1: Entry Queue Definitions Parameters
Option Description
Entry Queue Settings
Name
Enter the name of the Entry Queue using up to 20 characters.
If the name is already used by another Entry Queue,
Meeting Room, or conference an error message is displayed when completing the Entry Queue definition.
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Table 8-1: Entry Queue Definitions Parameters (Continued)
Option
Numeric ID
Entry Queue
Service
Cascade
Description
A Numeric ID is a unique number assigned to the
Entry Queue identifying it to the system. It is used as part of the dialing string by IP participants to connect to the Entry Queue. A Numeric ID can be assigned either automatically or manually.
To manually assign the Numeric ID, use the number of digits defined in the appropriate flag in the
“system.cfg” file.
If the Numeric ID is already in use in another Entry
Queue or conference, an error message is displayed.
If you do not manually assign the Numeric ID, the
MCU assigns one after the completion of the Entry
Queue definition. The assignment is done once, when the Entry Queue is saved on the MCU.
Note:
If the MCU is configured to support only automatic assignment of Numeric Conference IDs, this field is disabled and the system automatically assigns a
Numeric ID after you save the Entry Queue on the
MCU.
Select the name of the Entry Queue Service for playing audio prompts and displaying the video slide to participants waiting in the Entry Queue. Leave this field blank to use the default Entry Queue Service (if an Entry Queue Service was set as default).
Note:
• The same Entry Queue Service can be used for
Audio Only and Video participants
Select this check box to define an Auto Cascade
Entry Queue.
Defining an Auto Cascade Entry Queue is part of the setup process to enable automatic cascading of Ad
Hoc conferences. For details see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 3, “Ad Hoc Auto
Cascading”.
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Table 8-1: Entry Queue Definitions Parameters (Continued)
Option Description
VTX 1000
Select this check box to create a VTX 1000 enabled
Entry Queue.
Participants connecting to VTX 1000 enabled Entry
Queues are initially assigned wide band resources. If the endpoint is not identified as VTX, the wide band resources are subsequently released.
Ad Hoc
Profile
Select this check box to enable Ad Hoc conferencing. When an Ad Hoc conference needs to be created, the Target Conference properties are taken from the Profile assigned to the Entry Queue.
For more details, see the MGC Manager User’s
Guide, Volume II, Chapter 3, “Ad Hoc Conferencing and External Database Authentication”.
Note:
•
Profiles must be defined before enabling the Ad
Hoc conferencing option.
• The Entry Queue can also be used for standard conferencing. In that case, participants can be moved to target conferences with properties identical to the Target Conference Setting
Properties defined in the Entry Queue.
Select the Profile to be used for the definition of the target conference in Ad Hoc conferencing.
The Profiles list includes all the profiles currently saved on the MCU.
Note: Profiles must be defined before enabling the
Ad Hoc conferencing option.
Target Conferences
Audio Only
Select this check box to create an Audio Only Entry
Queue whose target conferences are Audio Only conferences. Select this option if your MCU has only
VoicePlus capabilities.
Note: Audio Only participants can also connect via a video Entry Queue.
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Table 8-1: Entry Queue Definitions Parameters (Continued)
Option
IP Only
Encryption
Video Switching
Description
Select this check box to create an IP Only Entry
Queue, whose target conferences are IP Only conferences. The target conferences can be set as
VoIP conferences (Audio Only, IP Only) or Software
Continuous Presence (video). For a detailed description of SWCP, see the MGC Manager User’s
Guide, Volume II, Chapter 1, “Software Continuous
Presence Settings”.
Select this check box to encrypt this Entry Queue.
When enabled, only encrypted participants can join this Entry Queue, while non-encrypted participants are disconnected from the MCU. For more details about encryption and encrypted Entry Queues, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 1, “Media Encryption”.
Select this option to set the Entry Queue as a Video
Switching Entry Queue, and save video resources
(as no video ports are used for participant connections). The participants connect to this Entry
Queue using the line rate and video settings of the
Entry Queue. Therefore, to move from the Entry
Queue to a destination Video Switching conference, the destination conference line rate and video settings must be identical to the Entry Queue settings, otherwise the endpoint will experience connection failure.
If the participants are moved from a Video Switching
Entry Queue to Transcoding or Continuous Presence conference, they retain the video settings of the
Entry Queue, hence not using the endpoint’s best capabilities. To use the endpoint’s highest capabilities, set a different Video Switching Entry
Queue for each combination of line rate and video settings used by most endpoints, or define a
Transcoding or Continuous Presence Entry Queue
(using video resources).
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Table 8-1: Entry Queue Definitions Parameters (Continued)
Option Description
Transcoding/
Continuous
Presence
Select this option to define a Transcoding/
Continuous Presence Entry Queue. When participants connect to this Entry Queue, they use the MCU’s video resources.
Participants connecting to this Entry Queue maintain their highest capabilities when moved to a
Transcoding or Continuous Presence conference.
If the target conference is a Video Switching conference, the audio, video, and line rates of the
Entry Queue and the target conference must match or the endpoints will not be able to connect to the target conference.
Target Conference Settings
Audio Alg.
Video Format
Select the audio algorithm for the Entry Queue. If target conferences are Audio Only conferences, select G.711. If IP Only, you have an additional option G.723/G.729. If set to Auto the system tries to connect the participants using the best possible audio algorithm, selecting it in the following order:
G.728, G.722, G.711.
Select the Video Format for the Entry Queue according to the target conference settings. The
Video Format options are enabled only when defining a Video Switching Entry Queue and when the video protocol is H.261 or H.263.
Select Auto to let the system select the appropriate video format according to the participant properties.
Select one of the video formats to force the participant to connect using one of these frame resolutions.
For a detailed description of the Video Format
options, see Chapter 4, “Video Format” on page 4-
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Table 8-1: Entry Queue Definitions Parameters (Continued)
Option
Frame Rate
Video Protocol
Annexes
Description
Select the Frame Rate for the Entry Queue according to the target conference settings.
This option is enabled only for Video Switching conferences set to H.261, H.263, or H.264.
Select Auto to let the system select the appropriate frame rate. Select one of the frame rates to force the participant to connect using this frame rate. For a detailed description of the frame rates values, see
Chapter 4, “Frame Rate” on page 4-63.
Select the video compression protocol of the Entry
Queue according to the target conference settings.
Auto - select this option to let the system automatically select the appropriate compression method for connecting the participant to the target conference.
For a detailed description of the Video Protocol
options, see Chapter 4, ”Video Protocol” on page 4-
Annexes are additions to the Video Format when using the H.263 Video Protocol, increasing the quality of the video display.
Line Rate
Select the Annexes for the Entry Queue if these annexes are used in target conferences. Annexes N,
P and F are enabled only when defining a Video
Switching Entry Queue and the Video Protocol is set to H.263. For more details on Annexes, see
Chapter 4, “Annexes” on page 4-64.
Select the maximum line rate at which the endpoint will connect to the Entry Queue and the target conference. For a Video Switching Entry Queue, select the highest line rate common to all participants. For Transcoding and Continuous
Presence Entry Queues, set the line rate to the highest line rate that can be used by the participants in the conference.
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Table 8-1: Entry Queue Definitions Parameters (Continued)
Option
Line Rate (cont.)
Restricted
Network Services
Table
Description
If the target conference is Video Switching, the Entry
Queue line rate must be the line rate that is set for the target conference to enable the participant to move from the Entry Queue to the target conference.
Select this option to enable participants using
Restricted lines (the Line Rate for each channel is 56
Kbps instead of 64 Kbps) to connect to the Entry
Queue and be moved to a Video Switching conference set as Restricted lines.
The Network Services table displays the list of ISDN/
PSTN dial-in numbers assigned to the Entry Queue.
Dial-in numbers are relevant to ISDN participants only.
IP participants use a dialing string composed of the H.323 Network Service
Prefix and the Entry Queue Numeric ID. H.323 participants can dial in to an
Entry Queue by dialing the IP Network Service Prefix and the Numeric ID of the
Entry Queue using the following format: [(Prefix) (Entry Queue Numeric ID)].
For more information, see “Connecting to the Entry Queue” on page 8-19.
4.
Click the Plus button to assign dial-in numbers to the Entry Queue.
The Meet Me Service dialog box opens.
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5.
Define the ISDN dial-in numbers assigned to the Entry Queue.
Table 8-2: Dial-in Numbers Table
Option
Service Name
Dial-in number
(1)
Dial-in number
(2)
Description
Type the name of the ISDN Network Service to be used by participants to connect to the Entry Queue exactly as it is defined in the ISDN Network Services list (the system is case sensitive).
Enter the first dial-in number to be assigned to the
Entry Queue. This number must be part of the dial-in numbers range defined for the selected ISDN Network
Service. For more details regarding the dial-in numbers range, see the MGC Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 3.
Note: When connecting ISDN lines via a private PBX to the MCU, the PBX may truncate the dial-in number.
The operator must know the digits which are truncated by the PBX and convey them to the participant.
Type the second dial-in number to be assigned to the
Entry Queue. This number is optional.
6.
Click OK.
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The dial-in numbers are added to the Network Services Table.
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7.
Repeat the steps 4 to 6 to define additional dial-in numbers for the Entry
Queue. Up to 16 numbers may be assigned to the Entry Queue.
To delete a dial-in number from the Entry Queue:
1.
Select the service name or dial-in number to delete in the Entry Queue
Properties dialog box.
2.
Click the Minus
The service name and phone numbers are deleted.
If no Dial-in numbers are manually assigned by the operator, the MCU automatically allocates the dial-in numbers from the dial-in numbers range defined in the default ISDN Network Service.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
3.
Click OK to complete the Entry Queue definition.
The new Entry Queue is added to the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues &
SIP Factories list.
Listing Entry Queues
All Entry Queues are listed in the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues & SIP
Factories list. To save dial-in numbers, usually a limited number of Entry
Queues are defined per MCU.
To view the list of Entry Queues:
1.
In the Browser pane of the main window, expand the MCU tree.
2.
Expand the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues & SIP Factories tree.
A list of Entry Queues, Meeting Rooms and SIP factories is displayed below the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues &SIP Factories icon.
The number of Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues and SIP Factories currently defined for the selected MCU is displayed between parenthesis next to the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues &SIP Factories icon. Each
Entry Queue is identified by a name and icon .
You can also view the list of Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues and SIP
Factories in the Status pane. This enables you to easily retrieve the dialin numbers assigned to the Entry Queue and is especially useful when the dial-in numbers were automatically allocated by the system.
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3.
To view the list of Entry Queues in the Status pane, click the Meeting
Rooms, Entry Queues & SIP Factories icon.
The list of Entry Queues, Meeting Rooms and SIP Factories is displayed in the Status pane.
The dial-in number allocated to the Entry Queue is listed in the Dial-in
Number column. This is the number that should be used by all ISDN/
PSTN callers connecting to conferences which are accessed from the
Entry Queue. If more than one Entry Queue is defined (for example, when the audio messages and prompts are played in different languages or for different video settings), the dial-in number determines which
Entry Queue is used to access the conference.
In addition, the H.323 Service Prefix is displayed, as well as the Entry
Queue numeric ID. Using these two numbers, you can compose the dialing string for H.323 endpoints. In the example shown here, the Entry
Queue named Engineering is assigned the numeric ID 5555, and the
Service Prefix is 925, hence, the dialing string from H.323 endpoints is
92555555.
Although the list displays a conference password and a chairperson password, they are not relevant to the Entry Queue, only to the Meeting
Rooms that are displayed in the same list.
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Connecting to the Entry Queue
ISDN Participants
If the conference is set as Entry Queue Access, ISDN participants connect to the conference by dialing the Entry Queue dial-in number.
•
•
•
Entry Queue Access for an ISDN TCS4 participant
An ISDN video participant with TCS4 support can dial in to an Entry Queue and connect to the destination conference in one action, without the need to listen to IVR messages or input additional DTMF codes.
The Entry Queue dial-in number is entered as the dial-in number for the connection.
To bypass the Entry Queue IVR service, the following dial string is input as additional information in TCS4 format (in the Extension field):
[Conference Numeric ID]
If the conference is assigned a Conference Entry Password or
Chairperson Password, the participant may bypass the Conference IVR service as well, by adding the password to the dial string, separated by the pound (#) symbol:
[Conference Numeric ID]#[Entry/Chairperson Password]#
For example, if the Entry Queue dial in number is 925 1000, the
Conference Numeric ID is 5678 and the Conference Entry Password is
4444, the dial-in number will be 9251000 and the TCS4 string will be
5678#4444#.
H.323 Participant
H.323 dial-in participants can dial into Entry Queues by simply dialing the
H.323 Service prefix and the Entry Queue Numeric ID or name. For example, if the prefix is 100 and the Entry Queue numeric ID is 2356, the participant dials 1002356. If using the Entry Queue name (Polycom) the dialing string is
100POLYCOM. When a participant dials in, the call is transferred to the gatekeeper, where, using the prefix, the gatekeeper identifies the MCU. If the resource is available, the gatekeeper forwards the dialed string (numeric ID or
Entry Queue name) to the MCU. According to this string, the MCU searches for the appropriate Entry Queue and connects the participant to the Entry
Queue. If no such Entry Queue or conference exists, the call is rejected.
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Once the participants connect to the Entry Queue they are routed to their conference by entering the numeric ID of the target conference.
MCU
H323 module A
Entry Queue
Numeric ID: 2356
Name: POLYCOM
H323 module B
LAN
1002356
Gatekeeper
Network
Service A -
Prefix = 100
Dials: 1002356 or 100POLYCOM
Figure 8-3: H.323 Endpoint Dial-in to Entry Queue
•
•
•
H.323 participants can also bypass the Entry Queue voice messages and the conference IVR messages by adding the correct Numeric ID of destination conference and, if necessary, Conference Entry Password to the initial dial string.
To access an Entry Queue, input the Network Service Prefix and
Numeric ID assigned to the Entry Queue in the dial string:
[Network Service Prefix][EQ Numeric ID]
To be routed directly to the conference, add the Numeric ID of the destination conference to the dial string:
[Network Service Prefix][EQ Numeric ID] [##Destination
Conference Numeric ID#]
To be routed directly to the conference and bypass the Entry Queue and the conference IVR queue, add the Conference Entry password, enclosed by pound signs, to the dial string:
[Network Service Prefix][EQ Numeric ID] [##Destination
Conference Numeric ID#][#Password#]
For example, if the Network Service Prefix is 23, the Conference
Numeric ID of the Entry Queue is 2000, the Conference Numeric ID of
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the destination conference is 6577 and the Conference Entry Password is
4444, the dial string will be: 232000##6577##4444#
SIP Participants
The Entry Queue registers with the SIP proxy. Usually, for SIP conferencing, an Ad Hoc Entry Queue is used. In this scenario, the first participant dials the
Entry Queue and creates a new conference, while the other conference participants dial directly to the conference using the conference name or numeric ID. The SIP participant uses the Entry Queue URI to access the
Entry Queue.
The Entry Queue URI is dialed in the format: Entry Queue name@domain name. For example, [email protected], when the Entry Queue name is
EQ1.
When dialing from a Microsoft Windows Messenger endpoint (which does not have DTMF capabilities), the first participant (who creates the new conference in Ad Hoc conferencing) enters the Entry Queue name followed by the target conference name and the numeric ID in the format:
EQ name(target conference name)(target conference numeric ID).
For example, EQ1(sales)(12345). In this example, the Entry Queue name is
EQ1, and a new On Going Conference by the name sales with the numeric ID
12345 will be created on the MCU.
You do not need to add the domain name to the conference name as it is automatically added by Microsoft Windows Messenger when sending the request to the SIP server.
The other conference participants will enter either sales or 12345 to connect to the On Going Conference.
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Enabling Entry Queue Access for Conferences
On Going Conferences are accessed from an Entry Queue if the Entry Queue
Access option is selected during the conference definition in the Conference
Properties - General dialog box.
To enable an Entry Queue Access conference during the conference definition:
In the Conference Properties - General dialog box, select the Entry Queue
Access check box.
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The routing from the Entry Queue to the conference is done either according to the conference numeric ID or the conference password, depending on the system configuration. According to the selected routing method, you must assign this conference a numeric ID and/or conference password.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
If the routing method is password, define a conference and chairperson password or leave it blank, and the MGC Manager will allocate a password automatically.
Even if the routing method is according to conference password, a numeric
ID is assigned to the conference. If you leave the Numeric ID field blank, the
MGC Manager will automatically allocate a Numeric ID. The Numeric ID length is defined in the “system.cfg”.
If no IVR is assigned to the conference or the assigned IVR Service is not configured to prompt for conference Entry Password, you do not need to define one.
The Web or Chairperson Password can be assigned to the conference if the conference is monitored from the WebCommander application or if an IVR
Service is assigned to the conference and you want to enable the chairperson functionality.
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Using an Existing Entry Queue to Define a Target
Conference
You can define a new On Going Conference, Reservation, or Meeting Room
Conference using an existing Entry Queue, ensuring that the target conference will have the same properties as the Entry Queue. This results in a smooth connection between the Entry Queue and target conference.
To define a new On Going Conference, Reservation, or Meeting Room
Conference using an existing Entry Queue:
1.
Expand the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues & SIP Factories tree.
A list of Entry Queues, Meeting Rooms and SIP Factories is displayed below the Meeting Rooms, Entry Queues & SIP Factories icon.
2.
Right-click the Entry Queue icon to be used for creating the new target conference, then click Create Reservation From Entry Queue.
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The Conference Properties - General dialog box opens.
The conference name is derived from the Entry Queue name and the conference properties are taken from the Entry Queue properties. You can modify the conference name by entering a new name.
3.
In the Numeric ID box enter the conference numeric ID. If left blank, the system automatically assigns a numeric ID (depending on the
“system.cfg” settings).
4.
If required, define the Conference Entry Password and the Chairperson
Password. If left blank the system automatically allocates them (if configured in the “system.cfg” settings). These passwords are required if an IVR service is assigned to the conference and is configured to prompt for them. Otherwise, you can leave these parameters blank.
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5.
If required, enter general information in the User Defined fields. For
more details see Chapter 4, ”User Defined 1-3” on page 4-40.
6.
Click the Scheduler tab to define the conference start date and time. For
more information, see Chapter 9, “Rescheduling Reservations” on page 9-11.
The current date and time are shown in the Scheduler dialog box. Do not change them if you want to start an On Going Conference.
7.
Click the Settings tab.
The Conference Properties - Settings dialog box opens.
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The dialog box displays the conference properties as defined for the Entry
Queue.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
You can modify the current line rate and video settings if required, although it is not recommended, as the conference will not be compatible with the Entry Queue.
Select the IVR Service for the conference. If no IVR Service is selected, participants access the conference directly from the Entry Queue without password prompting, and the chairperson functionality is disabled for the conference.
8.
Complete the conference definition and click OK.
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Operator Conferences
In attended conferences, participants accessing the Entry Queue or the conference IVR queue are moved to the Participants Queue where they wait for the operator to assist them. The operator then moves the participants from the Participants Queue to the destination conference. During an On Going
Conference the operator can take part in the conference and perform various operations, such as conduct a voting session, manage a Question-and-Answer session, and place participants on hold.
An active Operator conference is required to assist participants during an attended conference.
A chairperson using DTMF codes or the WebCommander application can perform some conference management tasks in an unattended conference
where no operator is required. These functions are described in Chapter 6,
“Operations Performed During On Going Conferences”. However, a
chairperson cannot assist or manage participants.
Operator Functions Requiring an Active Operator Conference
On Going Attended Conferences require an active Operator conference to run on the same MCU as the attended conference. The attended mode is usually defined in the Entry Queue Service or the IVR Service as “On-hold for
Operator Assistance”. In attended conferences, the MGC Manager operator is usually responsible for connecting participants to their destination conferences, placing participants on hold, and tending to participants in need of operator assistance. The Participants Queue management tools allow easy management of participants waiting in the queue.
All participants in the Entry Queue, Attended and On Hold stages and those who have requested or need the operator’s assistance appear in the
Participants Queue. You can view the participants' statuses either by expanding the Participants Queue tree or by clicking the Participants Queue
Window button. For more information regarding the Participants Queue
window, see “The Participant’s Queue Window” on page 8-39.
The system simultaneously lists the participants of all the On Going
Conferences waiting in the Participants Queue. Only one participant at a time can be moved to the Operator conference for assistance.
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When participants require or request operator assistance, or while the operator attends a participant, the participant’s icon changes and it appears with a special exclamation point in the Name column.
•
•
•
In addition, a special icon is displayed in the Status column of the Monitor and Status panes, indicating the status of the participant (Wait for Assistance,
Attended, or Hold).
A participant can request help using the appropriate DTMF code from his/her touch tone telephone or the endpoint’s DTMF input device. The participant can request Private assistance (default DTMF code *0) or Conference assistance (default DTMF code 00).
Participants waiting in the Participants Queue or conference for assistance are moved to the Operator conference for a one-on-one conversation with the operator.
•
For more information regarding the Participant Status icons, see Chapter 5,
“Additional Participant Statuses” on page 5-19.
In attended mode, the MGC Manager operator can perform one of the following actions:
Once the participant connects to the Entry Queue or conference IVR
Queue, he/she enters the Participants Queue, where he/she is moved by the operator to the Operator conference for assistance.
After a short conversation with the operator, the operator can move the participant to the appropriate conference (Home conference), or place him/her on hold to wait until other participants in the conference are assisted.
The operator can connect participants belonging to the same destination conference to their conference simultaneously by selecting the appropriate participants and moving them to the Home conference
(interactively or using the right-click menu).
The operator can move a participant from an On Going Conference to the
Operator conference for a one-on-one conversation.
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Defining an On Going Operator Conference
An On Going Operator Conference can be defined directly from the On
Going Conferences right-click pop-up menu. In that case, the Operator conference name is derived from the operator name currently connected to the
MCU from the same workstation.
To define an Operator Conference:
1.
Connect to an MCU and expand its tree.
2.
Right-click the On Going Conferences icon, and then click New
Operator Conference.
The Conference Properties – General dialog box opens.
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The conference type is set to Operator. The name of the On Going
Operator Conference or Reservation is taken from the Operator’s login name. This name cannot be modified. No password is required.
Only one Operator Conference can be run for each login name at any time.
3.
You can modify the conference duration.
4.
In the Media box, select Audio to create an Audio Only Operator conference. This type of conference is described in the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition. Select Video, Audio to create a video
Operator conference.
The Operator conference is automatically set to Transcoding, supporting all available network connections. These parameters cannot be modified.
5.
Click the Settings tab.
The Conference Properties – Settings dialog box opens.
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In an Operator conference, all fields not relevant to the operator conference such as, T.120 Rate, Attended, Msg Service Type and Name, Video Format and
Frame Rate are disabled.
6.
Select the Encryption check box to enable encryption at the conference level.
The conference encryption setting is part of the conference reservation and cannot be changed once the conference is running. The participants’ encryption options, however, may be changed.
7.
Define the remaining parameters as described in Chapter 4, “Conference
8.
Click the Participants tab.
The Conference Properties - Participants dialog box opens.
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In an Operator Conference, only one participant is defined - the operator.
The operator adds the second participant interactively during an On
Going Conference.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
9.
Define the operator as a new participant, or if the operator is already defined in a Participant Template file or in the Participant database, add
10. If required, select the Resource Force tab to define the resources to be
used in the conference as described in “Resource Force” on page 4-82.
By default, the Operator conference is scheduled to run on the Standard
Audio card. To enable the operator to assist participants in an Entry
Queue/IVR Queue or an IVR enabled conference, the operator must run on the Audio+ card. In that case, select the Advanced card type in the
Conference Properties - Resource Force dialog box.
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11. Click OK. The Operator conference is added to the list of On Going
Conferences.
To save this conference for future use, copy the conference to a Group in the
Reservations database by selecting the Copy Conf. option from the right-click pop-up menu. For more details, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II,
Chapter 8, “Templates Handling”.
The Operator conference is identified by two icons:
- Video Operator conference.
- Audio Only Operator conference.
The Operator icon
Operator conference.
is used to identify the operator participating in an
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Defining an Operator Reservation
You can define an Operator reservation directly. The definition procedure is similar to the definition of an On Going Operator Conference.
To define a new Operator Reservation:
1.
Expand the MCU tree.
2.
Right-click on the Reservations icon, and then click New Operator
Reservation.
The Reservation Properties - General dialog box opens.
3.
Define the conference Media and Duration as described in the section,
“Defining an On Going Operator Conference” on page 8-30.
4.
Click the Scheduler tab.
The Conference Properties – Scheduler dialog box opens.
5.
Define the conference Start Date and Time.
6.
Define the remaining parameters as described in “Defining an On Going
Operator Conference” on page 8-30.
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Starting an Operator Conference from a Reservation Template
To start an Operator Conference from an Operator Reservation template:
1.
Connect to the MCU.
2.
Log in to the Database. For more details about Logging into User tables, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 7, “Logging into the User Tables of the Database”.
3.
Display the Reservation in the Database window. For more details about
Opening a Reservation in the Database window, see the MGC Manager
User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 7, “Logging into the User Tables of the
Database”.
4.
In the Reservations database, click the plus [+] icon next to the Groups icon to expand the Groups tree, until you locate the Group containing the
Operator Reservation template.
The Operator Reservation template is listed together with the standard
Reservation templates, and is identified by an Audio
Operator Conference template icon.
5.
To list the participant in the Operator Reservation template, click the plus
[+] icon next to the Operator Reservation icon.
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6.
Right-click the Operator Reservation icon, and then click Start
Immediately to start an On Going Operator Conference, or click Start to schedule an Operator Conference reservation to start sometime in the future.
If you have selected Start, the Conference Properties - Schedule dialog box opens.
— Define the conference Start Date and Time and click OK.
The Operator conference is added to either the On Going Conferences or the Reservations list as relevant. The conference name is automatically taken from the operator’s login name and not from the Operator
Template name.
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Attended Conferencing
When participants connect to an Entry Queue or IVR-enabled conference they initially hear a welcome message. If the Entry Queue or IVR-enabled conference is set to attended mode (the Entry Queue service or the IVR service is configured to “wait for Operator Assistance”), they are then moved to the Participant’s Queue where they must wait for an operator to attend to them.
The participants can be in one of the following stages: Greeting (Welcome),
Attended, On Hold, or Conferencing. The operator controls the participant connection to the conference moving the participant from one stage to another. The move is performed either interactively using drag-and-drop, using the right-click pop-up menu, or the using appropriate buttons on the
Participants Queue toolbar. Special icons are used to indicate the participant status in an attended conference.
Greeting - In the Greeting stage, participants connect to the Entry Queue or directly to an IVR-enabled conference. They hear a Welcome message, view a
Welcome video slide, and are then moved to the Participants Queue where they wait for the operator to connect them to the conference.
Attended - In the Attended stage, participants are moved to the Operator conference, where after a short conversation with the participant, the operator moves each participant to the appropriate conference (Home conference) or places them on hold.
On Hold - In the On Hold stage, participants wait in the Participant’s Queue where they hear background music, view the same Welcome video slide, and wait for the operator’s assistance. Participants are also placed on hold and moved to the Participant’s Queue when they enter the wrong conference
Numeric ID (while in the Entry Queue) or the wrong password. This option must be enabled in the Entry Queue or the IVR Service and an Operator conference must be running on the MCU.
Conferencing - In the Conferencing stage, the participant is already connected to the On Going Conference. During the conference, operator assistance can be requested via DTMF codes, but only if it is already configured in the IVR Service assigned to the conference. For information about configuring IVR Services, refer to the MGC Manager User’s Guide,
Volume II, Chapter 2, “IVR and Entry Queue Services”.
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The Participant’s Queue Window
•
•
•
The Participants Queue window lists all the participants waiting for the operator’s assistance. Participants are automatically added to the Participants
Queue in the following circumstances:
The IVR/Entry Queue Service is set to attended mode (On Hold for
Operator assistance) and the operator is required to connect the participant to the conference
The participant fails to connect to the conference by entering the wrong conference Numeric ID or conference password and waits for the operator’s assistance
The participant requests Operator’s Assistance during the On Going
Conference
• The participant is placed on hold
The Participants Queue provides robust tools for the operator to manage participants waiting for assistance. The Participants Queue is organized in one list. Participants waiting in the Participants Queue can be listed in the Status pane, or in a separate window. This enables you to list the On Going
Conferences in the Status pane while assisting the participants waiting in the
Participants Queue.
The Participants Queue management options are available only if an Operator conference is active and running on the MCU.
The main working tool is the Attended Participant dialog box that opens when a participant is being attended by the operator. This dialog box enables the operator to enter the participant name, general information, indicate the participant status (VIP yes/no), change the listening or broadcasting volume and move the participant to the destination conference (Home conference).
The Attended Participant dialog box also provides tools to easily filter the list of On Going Conferences for the appropriate destination conference, create a new On Going Conference, start an existing Meeting Room, and place a participant on hold. When moving the participant to the destination conference, the next participant waiting in the Participants Queue can be automatically moved to the Operator conference (to the Attended stage) speeding up the operator’s work.
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Listing Participants in the Participants Queue Window
The Participants Queue list contains all the participants who are currently waiting for operator assistance and the participant that is currently being assisted by the operator in the Operator conference.
When starting the MGC Manager for the first time in a new installation or after upgrading to version 6.0 the Participants Queue window is automatically displayed (empty). To bring the window on top, from the window menu, select the Participants Queue window.
•
To display the Participants Queue window:
On the Main toolbar, click the Participants Queue Window icon
The Participants Queue window opens.
.
The following participant parameters are displayed in the Participants
Queue window:
Table 8-3: Participants Queue Parameters
Field/Option
Name
State
Queue Access
Time
Description
The participant’s name and an icon indicating the participant status. Possible statuses are On Hold,
Attended, or Wait. For more information about
participant statuses, see Chapter 5, “Additional
Participant Statuses” on page 5-19.
The reason the participant is moved to the
Participants Queue, and the connection status.
The date and time the participant entered the
Participants Queue.
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Table 8-3: Participants Queue Parameters (Continued)
Field/Option
Destination
Conference
Operator
Called Number
VIP
Description
The name of the destination conference, when known, or the name of the Entry Queue to which the participant has connected. The conference name is known when the participant was connected to the conference and is moved from the conference to the
Participants Queue or the Operator conference. For example, when the participant has requested assistance.
The login name of the operator who is assisting the participant. This information is useful when there are several operators logged into the same MCU (from different computers).
The number the participant has dialed. Usually identifies the dial-in number assigned to the Entry
Queue or Meeting Room.
Indicates whether the participant status is defined as
VIP.
The Participants Queue window can be moved to any position on screen and you can configure its size as you can do with the MGC Manager
Main Window and the Templates window.
The new placement of the window at the time you close the MGC Manager application is saved for the next time you start MGC Manager - it is displayed in the same location.
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Using Participants Queue Filters
You can determine the types of participants to be displayed in the Participants
Queue window by creating filters that set criteria according to which participants appear/do not appear in the list.
Use this option if you want to view participants connecting to a specific Entry
Queue according to the Entry Queue’s dial-in number, or to list all the participants of the selected status(es).
Filters may be used in two modes: when you are connected to the database and locally without logging into the database.
When you are connected to the database, filters created and saved in the past may be used for the current session.
If you are not connected to the database, you can only create a filter to be used immediately and locally - without an option to save the filter for future use or add it to the list of filters.
Two types of filters may be defined: personal filters and public filters.
Personal filters are created by all the operators and are for their personal use.
Public filters may only be defined by a database user with permission to create public filters and who has logged into the database.
For more details about defining permissions to create public filters, see the
MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 6, “Defining Permissions”.
To define Participants Queue filters:
The default Filter is All; all participants waiting in the Participants Queue appear in the Participants Queue window. You can create a new filter and save it for future use.
1.
Log into the database.
2.
In the MGC Manager window, from the Filter toolbar, in the Filter list select New Filter.
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3.
Click the Participants Queue Filter button.
The Participants Queue Filter dialog box opens.
4.
Define the filtering options. You can select the status(es) of participants to be monitored or select to monitor the participants that dialed specified dial-in numbers.
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You can define the following filtering parameters:
Table 8-4: Participants Queue Filter Parameters
Field/Option Description
Filter Name
Enter the name of the filter.
If you are modifying the parameters of an existing filter, enter a new name to modify the filter name.
Participant Status in Participants Queue
Help Request
Select this check box to display participants who have requested help.
Waiting for
Operator
Assistance
Select this check box to display participants who are waiting for the Operator Assistance because they failed to enter the correct conference numeric ID,
Conference or Chairperson password, or because they need to be connected to the conference as the
Entry Queue Service or IVR Service is set to attended mode.
On Hold
Select this check box to display participants who have been placed on hold.
Welcome (no wait)
Select this check box to display participants who are in Welcome (no wait) status.
Welcome (wait)
Select this check box to display participants who are in Welcome (wait) status
Attended
Select this check box to display participants who are currently being attended.
Dial-In Numbers
Dial-In Numbers
Define the dial-in numbers used by participants to access Entry Queues, Meeting Rooms, or conferences. Only participants dialing these numbers are displayed in the Participants Queue window.
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Table 8-4: Participants Queue Filter Parameters (Continued)
Field/Option
Dial-In Numbers
(cont.)
Description
To define the dial-in numbers:
1. Click the plus [+] icon to add a range of dial-in numbers.
The Add Dial-in Range dialog box opens.
2.
In the First Phone Number box enter the first dial-in number in the range of numbers to be used for filtering.
3.
In the Last Phone Number box enter the last dial-in number in the range of numbers to be used for filtering.
To use one number, enter the same dial-in number in the First and Last Phone Number boxes.
4.
Click OK.
The dial-in numbers range appears in the
Participants Queue Filter dialog box.
Repeat steps 1-4 to define additional dial-in number ranges to be filtered.
To remove a range of dial-in numbers, select the range to remove and click the minus [-] icon.
When no dial-in number ranges are defined in the filter, dial-in number is not used as a criterion for displaying a participant in the Participants Queue window.
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Table 8-4: Participants Queue Filter Parameters (Continued)
Description Field/Option
Actions
Add to Personal
Favorites
Add to Public
Favorites
This check box is selected by default.
Select this check box to save the filter for future use and add it to the list of filters that you can use. When viewing the list of Filters in the Filter list in the MGC
Manager Toolbar, the Filters are labeled Personal:
[Filter Name].
This check box appears only if you have the permission to create/modify Public filters.
Select this check box to save this Filter as a Public
Filter for use by all users. When viewing the list of
Filters in the Filter list in the MGC Manager Toolbar,
Public Filters are labeled
Public: [Filter Name].
5.
Click the Preview button to apply the filter to the Participants Queue before saving it and adding it to the Favorites list.
6.
If you are not satisfied with the filtering options, you can modify them and preview the results before saving the filter.
7.
Click OK to save the filter in the Favorites list.
To use filters:
You can filter the list of participants displayed in the Participants Queue window at any given time by selecting a different filter from the list of saved filters.
You must be logged into the appropriate databases to use existing, pre-defined
filters. For more information on how to log into the database see Chapter 3,
“Templates Database” on page 3-33.
• To filter the Participants Queue window, select a filter from the list.
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The Participants Queue window displays only the participants that match the selected filter.
To modify a filter:
You can modify your personal filters or public filters (if you have the appropriate permission and you are logged into the database).
1.
In the Filters list, select the filter to modify, and then click the
Participants Queue Filter button. The Participants Queue Filter dialog box opens.
2.
Select or deselect any of the filter criteria as needed.
3.
Click the OK button.
To delete a filter:
You can delete a personal filter or a public filter (if you have the appropriate permission and you are logged into the database).
1.
In the Filters list, select the filter to delete, and then click the Delete
Filter button. A confirmation dialog box opens.
2.
Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
The filter is removed from the Filters list.
The Attended Participants Dialog Box
In attended conferences, all participants connecting to the Entry Queue or directly to an IVR enabled conference are automatically placed in the
Participants Queue where they wait for the operator to connect them to the conference.
To connect the participant to the appropriate conference, the operator has to move the participant to the Operator conference (Attend state) so he/she can talk to the participant and find out the name or details of the destination conference. In addition, the operator usually needs to enter the participant’s general parameters such as name, E-mail, billing information, and more.
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Once the information is entered and the target conference is identified, the participant is moved to that conference, and the operator moves the next participant in line to the Operator conference.
An active Operator conference must run on the same MCU as the Participants
Queue to be able to assist Participants waiting in the Participants Queue.
•
To move a participant to the Operator conference:
In the Participants Queue list (in the Browser pane) or in the
Participants Queue window, double-click the icon of the participant you want to move to the Operator conference.
The participant is automatically moved to the Operator conference and the Attended Participant window opens.
Attended Participant parameters
Operator options
Conferences list
Action options
In the Attended Participant area, enter the participant name, and general information (User Defined fields), change the participant status to VIP and/or chairperson, and modify the listening and broadcasting volumes.
In the Operator area, you can modify your listening and broadcasting volumes.
In the Conferences area, you can list all the On Going Conferences,
Meeting Rooms, and Reservations, depending on the selected listing criteria and search the list for the required destination conference.
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Once the destination conference is located, you can move the participant to that conference or place the participant on hold.
If the Auto Attend Next Participant check box is selected, the next participant waiting in the Participants Queue is automatically moved to the Operator conference when the current attended participant is moved out of the Operator conference (either to the destination conference, placed on hold, or disconnected).
The following parameters and functions are displayed in the Attended
Participants dialog box:
Table 8-5: Attended Participant Dialog Box Fields
Field/Option Description
Attended Participant
Participant Name
VIP
Chairperson
User Defined 1-4
(Title)
If the participant is undefined, the system-assigned participant name is displayed in this field. Type the name of the participant, using up to 80 characters.
Select this check box to change the participant status to VIP.
Select this check box to designate this participant as the conference Chairperson.
In any or all of the four User Defined fields, enter general information for the participant, such as the participant’s E-mail address, telephone number, company name, location, or any required information.
The titles of the User Defined fields can be modified in the Database Manager -> Defaults -> User
Defined Defaults and loaded to the MGC Manager application. For details of defining the titles see the
MGC Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 6,
“Defaults”. For a description on how to load the user defined default titles,
User Defined Default Set to the MGC Manager
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Table 8-5: Attended Participant Dialog Box Fields (Continued)
Field/Option
Broadcasting
Volume
Listening Volume
Disconnect
Apply
Description
If necessary, adjust the level of sound transmitted by this participant, heard by the operator (and later by other participants).
To adjust the volume, move the slider. The volume scale is from 1 to 10, where 1 is the weakest and 10 the strongest volume. The volume of each endpoint’s audio at connection time is set to 5. One movement of the volume slider increases or decreases the volume by one unit, equivalent to
3db.
If necessary, adjust the level of sound heard by this participant.
To adjust the volume, move the slider. The volume scale is from 1 to 10, where 1 is the weakest and 10 the strongest volume. The volume of each endpoint’s audio at connection time is set to 5. One movement of the volume slider increases or decreases the volume by one unit, equivalent to
3db.
Click this button to disconnect the participant from the MCU.
If you have modified any of the participant volume levels (Broadcasting or Listening), click this button to apply the changes and affect the participant volume.
If any of the other participant properties were modified, click this button to update the Participant
Properties - Identification parameters.
Operator
Broadcasting
Volume
Listening Volume
Join
If necessary, adjust the level of sound transmitted by the operator to this participant.
If necessary, adjust the level of sound heard by the operator.
To join a conference, select the conference in the
Conferences list and then click this button.
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Table 8-5: Attended Participant Dialog Box Fields (Continued)
Field/Option
End Join
Mute/Unmute
Audio
Conferences
Search Value
Description
Click this button to end the Join operation.
Click this button to mute the operator audio.
Search In
Conferences List
Enter the first letters of a conference name or the information in one of the User Defined fields to determine the conferences to be listed according to the selected Search In criteria.
Select the list that is to be used to search for the destination conference according to the Search
Value.
•
Ongoing meetings - the system searches for the destination conference in the list of On Going
Conferences running on the connected MCU.
•
Ongoing meetings + 12h reservations - the system searches for the destination conference in the list of On Going Conferences and
Reservations scheduled to start in the next 12 hours on the connected MCU.
•
Ongoing + MRs - the system searches for the destination conference in the list of On Going
Conferences and Meeting Rooms on the connected MCU.
• All: Ongoing Meetings + 12h + MRs - the system searches for the destination conference in the list of On Going Conferences, Meeting
Rooms and Reservations scheduled to start in the next 12 hours on the connected MCU.
This table displays the result of the search according to the Search Value and Search In criteria.
To move the participant to the destination conference, select the conference from the list and then click the Move button (or use the displayed shortcut key).
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Table 8-5: Attended Participant Dialog Box Fields (Continued)
Field/Option
Conferences List
(cont.)
New Conference
Start Meeting
Room
Description
Note: if the participant’s destination conference is known, for example when the participant has requested help, the destination (Home) conference is automatically listed. Click the To Home Conf button to move the participant back to his/her original conference.
Click this button to create a new On Going
Conference and move this participant to it.
The Conference Properties - General dialog box opens, letting you define the conference parameters.
You can move a participant to a Meeting Room only if the Meeting Room is active. However, the first participant connecting to the Meeting Room cannot be moved from the attended Participants Queue to the Meeting Room unless it is first manually activated.
To manually activate a Meeting Room:
1. In the Search In list, select an option to list
Meeting Rooms.
2. In the Conferences list, select the Meeting Room to activate and then click the Start Meeting
Room button.
Actions
Auto Attend Next
Participant
Select this check box to automatically attend to the next participant in line. When the current attended participant is moved to his/her destination or Home conference, the system automatically moves the next participant in line to the Operator conference.
The sequential order of participants in the queue is determined by the Next By selection.
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Table 8-5: Attended Participant Dialog Box Fields (Continued)
Field/Option
Next By
Description
Determines the sort order of the Participants Queue.
When the Auto Attend Next Participant is selected, this field determines who is the next participant in line that should be automatically moved to the
Operator conference.
The list may be sorted according to the following criteria:
•
Time - The amount of time participants have been waiting in the Participants Queue. This is the default sorting criteria. When a participant is placed on hold, his/her time counter is reset.
• Name - The Participants Queue list is sorted by the participant name
•
VIP + Time - Participants identified as VIP are listed first (and the VIP list is sorted by time). The remaining (Standard) participants are sorted according to the amount of time they have been waiting in the queue.
•
Requested Help + Time - Participants who have requested the operator’s assistance are listed first (and the list is sorted by time). The remaining (Standard) participants are sorted according to the amount of time they have been waiting in the queue.
• VIP + Requested Help + Time - Participants identified as VIP are listed first (and the VIP list is sorted by time). Participants that have requested the operator’s assistance are listed next. The remaining (Standard) participants are sorted according to the amount of time they have been waiting in the queue.
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Table 8-5: Attended Participant Dialog Box Fields (Continued)
Field/Option Description
Include On Hold
Participants
To Home Conf. /F3
Click this button to move the participant to his/her original conference, when the conference is known
(without selecting the conference name).
The participant’s destination conference is known in advance when participant is defined prior to conference start, or when the participant was moved from the conference to the Participants Queue for assistance.
Hold /F4
Select this check box to include participants placed on hold in the list of participants to which the Auto
Attend Next Participant option applies. When selected, the participants placed on hold will be attended according to the selected sort order (Next
By), as all other participants waiting in the queue.
When cleared, participants placed on hold will not be automatically moved to the Operator conference for assistance and you have to manually select them in the Participants Queue.
Click this button to place the participant on hold.
When placed on hold, the participant hears background music and an icon indicating that the participant is on hold is displayed in the Status column of the Monitor and Status panes. In addition, the participant icon in the Participants Queue window changes to On Hold.
Note: When placing a participant on hold, the waiting time in the queue is reset to zero.
Move /F5
Click this button to move the participant to the selected conference in the Conferences list.
Next /F6
Close
This button is disabled when the Auto Attend Next
Participant option is selected.
Click this button to attend the next participant listed in the Participants Queue sorted according to the
Next By criteria.
Click this button to close the dialog box.
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•
Initially, the command buttons are displayed with the default shortcut keys. If you modify the shortcut key configuration, the command button shortcut key display is updated accordingly.
•
You cannot close the Attended Participant dialog box when a participant is being attended (and is currently located in the Operator conference). To close this window you must first move the participant from the Operator conference to the destination conference (click the Move button) while clearing the Auto Attend Next Participant check box.
•
To connect a participant to his/her destination conference:
In the Conferences area of the Attended Participant window, select the destination conference of the attended participant, and then click the
Move button.
•
•
The participant moves to the selected conference.
Alternatively, press the selected shortcut key combination as it appears on the Move button (the default shortcut key is <F5>).
If the participant’s conference is not running, you can click New
Conference in the Conferences area to start a new conference for the participant, then select the conference and click Move.
If the participant’s Meeting Room is not active, select the Meeting Room from the list and then click Start Meeting Room. Once the Meeting
Room is active click Move.
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• When you move the attended participant to his/her
Home/destination conference and he/she is also the last participant in the
Participants Queue, the following message appears:
• If the Participants Queue includes only On Hold participants the following message is displayed:
Click Yes to attend a participant that was placed on hold. Click No to leave the participant on hold in the Participants Queue.
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•
To move a participant to the Home conference:
In the Attended Participant window, click the To Home Conf. button.
•
Alternatively, press the selected shortcut key combination as it appears on the To Home Conf. button (the default shortcut key is <F3>).
When you move the presently attended participant to his/her
Home conference and he/she is the last participant in the Participants
Queue, the following message appears:
•
If the Participants Queue includes only On Hold participants the following message is displayed:
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Click Yes to attend a participant that was placed on hold. Click No to leave the participant on hold in the Participants Queue.
•
To place a participant On Hold:
In the Attended Participant window, click the Hold button.
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•
Alternatively, press the selected shortcut key combination as it appears on the Hold button (the default shortcut key is <F4>).
When you place the presently attended participant on hold and he/she is the last participant in the Participants Queue, the following message appears:
Click Yes to attend a participant that was placed on hold. Click No to leave the participant on hold in the Participants Queue.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Attended Participants Management
•
•
•
Operators can manage attended participants by performing the following operations:
Move a participant to an Operator conference (Attend a participant).
Move a participant to the Home (destination) conference.
Place a participant on Hold.
Attended participant operations can be performed in many ways. The participants can be selected from different places, and the operations can be performed using different tools.
•
The participants can be selected from the following places:
Browser, Status, and Monitor pane, On Going Conference list
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• Browser and Status pane, Participants Queue list
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• Participants Queue window
•
•
•
•
•
The operations can be performed using the following methods:
Using the participant right-click menu
Using the Participants Queue toolbar
Using shortcut keys
Using drag and drop (only applicable to moving a participant to the
Operator or Home conference)
Double-clicking the participant’s icon (only applicable to moving a participant to the Operator conference)
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Performing Operations using the Right-Click Menu
Moving a Participant to the Operator Conference
To move a participant to the Operator conference from the On Going
Conferences list:
1.
In the Browser, Status, or Monitor panes, display the list of participants in the On Going Conference.
2.
Right-click the icon of the participant to be moved to the Operator conference, and then click Attend.
The participant is moved to the Operator conference while his/her icon remains in the conference list and in the Participants Queue list. An exclamation point appears next to the Participant icon in the Name column of all panes and in the conference tree.
In addition, the Attended icon is displayed in the Status column of the Participants List in the Monitor and Status panes.
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To move a participant to the Operator conference from the Participants
Queue tree or Participants Queue window:
1.
Display the list of participants in the Participants Queue in the Browser or Status pane, or in the Participants Queue window.
2.
Right-click the icon of the participant to be moved to the Operator conference, and then click Attend or Attend with Details.
If you click Attend, the participant is moved to the Operator conference and still appears in the Participants Queue.
If you click Attend with Details, the participant is moved to the
Operator conference and still appears in the Participants Queue. In addition, the Attended Participant window opens. For more details, see
“The Attended Participants Dialog Box” on page 8-47.
The participant is moved to the Operator conference while his/her icon remains in the conference list and in the Participants Queue list. An exclamation point appears next to the Participant icon in the Name column of all panes and in the conference tree.
In addition, the Attended icon is displayed in the Status column of the Participants Queue in the Monitor and Status panes.
Moving a Participant to the Home Conference
To move a participant to his/her Home conference from the Ongoing
Conference list or the Operator conference list:
1.
In the Browser, Status, or Monitor panes, display the list of participants in the conference.
2.
Use one of the following options:
a.
Using the Move Participant option in the right-click menu:
— Right-click the icon of the participant to be moved to the Home conference, and then click Move Participant.
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A list of conferences appears.
— Click the name of the Home conference to which to move the participant.
b.
Using the To Home Conference option in the right-click menu:
Right-click the icon of the participant to be moved to the Home conference, and then click To Home Conf.
The participant connects to the Home conference and is removed from the Participants Queue and/or the Operator conference. The Attended or
Hold icon in the Status column of the Monitor and Status panes disappears.
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To move a participant to his/her Home conference from the Participants
Queue tree or the Participants Queue window:
1.
Display the list of participants in the Participants Queue in the Browser or Status pane, or in the Participants Queue window.
2.
Move the participant to the Home conference using one of the following options:
a.
Using the Move option in the right-click menu:
—
Right-click the icon of the participant to be moved to the Home conference, and then click Move.
A list of conferences appears.
— Click the name of the Home conference to which to move the participant.
b.
Using the To Home Conference option in the right-click menu:
Right-click the icon of the participant to be moved to the Home conference, and then click To Home Conf.
The participant connects to the Home conference and is removed from the Participants Queue and/or the Operator conference. The Attended or
Hold icon in the Status column of the Monitor and Status panes disappears.
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Placing a Participant On Hold
A participant can be placed on hold while in the Participants Queue or when participating in an Operator conference.
Usually, the participant waiting in the Entry Queue or Participants Queue is first assisted by the operator and is then placed on hold until all the participants pertaining to the same conference are assisted and placed on hold.
Once all the participants are on hold, they can all be connected at the same time (in one operation) to the conference.
In addition, a participant in an On Going Conference can be placed on hold when he/she is to be excluded from the conference for a short period. To do so, you have to first move the participant from the conference to the Operator conference and then place him/her on hold.
To place a participant on Hold in the Operator conference:
1.
In the Browser, Status, or Monitor pane, display the list of participants in the Operator conference.
2.
Right-click the icon of the participant to be placed on hold, and then click Hold.
The Participant icon changes to Hold in the Status column of the Home conference participants list in the Monitor and Status panes, and in the
Participants Queue.
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To place a participant on hold in the Participants Queue tree or the
Participants Queue window:
1.
Display the list of participants in the Participants Queue in the Browser or Status pane, or in the Participants Queue window.
2.
Right-click the icon of the participant to be placed on hold, and then click Hold.
The Participant icon changes to Hold in the Status column of the Home conference participants list in the Monitor and Status panes, and in the
Participants Queue.
Performing Operations using the Participants Queue Toolbar
•
•
•
You can perform operations using the Participants Queue toolbar from the following panes and lists:
Browser, Status, and Monitor panes, On Going Conferences list
Browser and Status panes, Participants Queue list
Participants Queue window
To move a participant or place him/her on hold using the Participants
Queue toolbar:
1.
Select the icon of the participant to be operated on.
2.
Click the relevant button in the Participants Queue toolbar, as follows:
Table 8-6: Participants Queue Toolbar Buttons
Button Operation
To move the participant to the Operator conference.
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Table 8-6: Participants Queue Toolbar Buttons (Continued)
Button Operation
To place the attended participant on Hold.
To move the participant to the Home (destination) conference.
For further details on the individual operations refer to the explanations in the
section “Performing Operations using the Right-Click Menu” on page 8-61.
Performing Operations using Shortcut Keys
•
•
•
You can perform operations using shortcut keys from the following panes and lists:
Browser, Status, and Monitor panes, On Going Conferences list
Browser and Status panes, Participants Queue list
Participants Queue window
To move a participant or place him/her on hold using shortcut keys:
1.
Select the icon of the participant to be operated on.
2.
Use the appropriate shortcut key, as follows:
Table 8-7: Shortcut Keys
Default
Shortcut
Key
<F2>
<F3>
<F4>
Operation
To move the participant to the Operator conference.
To place the attended participant on Hold.
To move the participant to the Home (destination) conference.
For further details on the individual operations refer to the explanations in the
section “Performing Operations using the Right-Click Menu” on page 8-61.
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Moving a Participant Interactively
•
•
•
You can drag and drop a participant to the Operator or Home conference from the following panes and lists:
Browser, Status, and Monitor pane, Operator conference list
Browser and Status pane, Participants Queue list
Participants Queue window
To drag and drop a participant to the Operator conference:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list in the Browser pane, to display the Operator Conference icon.
2.
Drag the icon of the participant to the Browser pane and drop it on the
Operator Conference icon.
To drag and drop a participant to the Home conference:
1.
Expand the On Going Conferences list in the Browser pane, to display the Home Conference icon.
2.
Drag the icon of the participant to the Browser pane and drop it on the
Home Conference icon.
Moving a Participant to the Operator Conference by Double-
Clicking the Participant’s Icon
•
•
You can move a participant to the Operator conference by double-clicking the participant’s icon in the following panes and lists:
Browser and Status pane, Participants Queue list
Participants Queue window
•
To move a participant to the Operator conference by double-clicking the participant’s icon:
Double-click the icon of the participant you want to attend.
The participant is automatically moved to the Operator conference, and
the Attended Participant window opens. For more details, see “The
Attended Participants Dialog Box” on page 8-47.
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Moving Multiple Participants to the Home Conference
When several participants are placed on hold, they can all be selected (using standard Windows multi-selection options), and then moved to the appropriate conference together.
To move several participants who are on hold to the Home conference:
1.
List the participants who are on hold in the appropriate conference or in the Participants Queue tree, or the Participants Queue window.
2.
Select the participants that are on hold.
3.
Move the selected participants to their destination conferences, using one of the following methods:
a.
Using the To Home Conference option in the right-click menu:
—
Right-click the icon of one of the highlighted participants, and then click To Home Conf.
b.
Using the Move option in the right-click menu:
— Right-click the icon of one of the highlighted participants, and then click Move.
—
—
A list of conferences appears.
Click the name of the conference to which to move the participants.
c.
Using the Participants Queue toolbar:
—
Click the icon of one of the highlighted participants.
—
Click the To Home Conf. button on the Participants
Queue toolbar.
d.
Dragging and Dropping the Participant icon:
—
—
Expand the On Going Conferences list in the Browser pane, to display the Home Conference icon.
Drag the icons of the participants to the Browser pane and drop them on the Home Conference icon.
The selected participants are immediately connected to the conference.
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9
Conference Reservations
A Reservation is a conference scheduled to start later. Reservations enable you select the conference start date and time or define a recurrent reservation.
Scheduling a conference reservation involves defining the conference parameters, assigning the conference to an MCU, setting the date and time at which the conference is to start and the duration of the conference. How you schedule a conference reservation depends on a number of factors, as shown in Table 9-1.
The MGC Manager allows you to set up and run conferences in mixed networks: H.323, SIP, ISDN, T1-CAS, ATM, and MPI (serial connection). The type of network used is defined individually for each participant in the conference.
Table 9-1: Factors in Deciding Conference Reservation Methods
For these conditions Do this
The conference parameters are stored in a Reservation template
Start the conference from a template. You can start the conference immediately (On Going Conference) or start it at a later time (Reservation).
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Table 9-1: Factors in Deciding Conference Reservation Methods (Continued)
For these conditions Do this
There is no
Reservation template containing a conference with the properties needed for this conference
If the conference is to start immediately, you can define an On Going Conference. For more
details,see Chapter 4, “Defining On Going
Conferences”. Alternatively, define a conference
Reservation in which the current date and time are selected as the conference start date and time. For
more details, see “Defining a New Reservation” on page 9-3.
Define a new Reservation directly. For more details,
see “Defining a New Reservation” on page 9-3.
Define a new Reservation template either in the
Database or in a Reservation Template file and use this reservation template to start a new On Going
Conference or schedule a reservation. For instructions on setting up a Reservation template in the database, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide,
Volume II, Chapter 7, “Defining a Reservation
Template in the Database”. For instructions on setting up a Reservation template in a Reservation
Template file, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide,
Volume II, Chapter 8, “Creating a new Reservation
Template file”.
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Defining a New Reservation
To schedule a new Reservation directly:
1.
Connect to an MCU and expand its tree. For details, see Chapter 3,
“Connecting to an MCU” on page 3-21.
2.
Right-click the Reservations icon, and then click New Reservation.
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The Reservation Properties - General dialog box opens, allowing you to define the general parameters of the Reservation.
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3.
In the Name box enter the Reservation name.
Define the Reservation type, duration and other general parameters as for
an On Going Conference. For more details, see Table 4-4, “Conference
Properties - General”, on page 4-37.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
4.
Click the Scheduler tab.
The Reservation Properties - Scheduler dialog box opens.
The Scheduler dialog box is used to define the reservation’s date and time.
5.
Define the Scheduler parameters as follows:
Table 9-2: Scheduler Parameters
Option
Starting Date
Description
By default, the system displays the current date as the scheduled date. If the current date and time is selected for the Reservation it becomes an On
Going Conference. To select a date on which the conference should start, use the arrows in the calendar heading to select the month, and then click the required day.
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Table 9-2: Scheduler Parameters (Continued)
Option
Starting Time
Reservation
Recurrence
Description
By default, the system displays the current time as the start time of the conference. To select a time at which the conference should start, set the starting time using the time format taken from the operating system. Highlight the hours or minutes in the box and either use the spin buttons to modify the displayed time, or type a time directly.
Click this button to define a recurrent reservation and the frequency at which the reservation occurs.
For more details, see “Recurrent Reservations” on page 9-17.
6.
Click the Settings tab.
The Reservation Properties - Settings dialog box opens.
7.
Define the Settings parameters, as for the On Going Conference. For
details, see Chapter 4, “Conference Settings” on page 4-44.
8.
Click the Participants tab.
The Reservation Properties - Participants dialog box opens.
9.
Select the conference participants from the list, or define new
participants in the Participants dialog box, as described in Chapter 4,
10. If you are defining a Continuous Presence reservation, click the Video
Source tab. Otherwise, skip this step.
The Reservation Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
11. Select the desired video layout and the required visual effects (only applicable to conferences run on the Video+ card), as described in
Chapter 4, “Video Sources” on page 4-71.
12. Optional. To force the system to use a specific audio, video, or data card of the selected MCU, click the Resource Force tab.
The Reservation Properties - Resource Force dialog box opens.
13. Select the appropriate card type to handle the conference. For more
information, see Chapter 4, “Resource Force” on page 4-82.
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The MGC Manager provides a digital recording option with the Polycom
Conference Recorder, enabling recording of the conference audio channel of both Audio Only and video conferences. For more information, see the MGC Manager User’s Guide, VoicePlus Edition,
Chapter 8, “Recording”.
Completing the Reservation Definition
14. To complete the Reservation definition procedure, click OK from any
Reservation Properties dialog box.
When adding a new participant to a Reservation, the system checks whether a participant with the same name is already defined in any of the other conferences scheduled for the same time. If the participant name already exists in any other conference scheduled to run at the same time, the Participants
Scheduling Conflicts window opens. For more details see Chapter 4, “Resolving
Scheduling Conflicts” on page 4-86.
The reservation is saved on the MCU, and it is added to the Reservations list.
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Listing the Current Reservations
To list the reservations currently scheduled on an MCU:
1.
Connect to an MCU on which the Reservation was scheduled and expand its tree.
2.
Double-click the Reservations icon, or click the plus [+] icon next to the
Reservations icon. The Reservations list for the selected MCU is displayed.
Once a Reserved conference starts, it is moved to the On Going Conferences list.
Reservations Icons
Each reservation in the Reservations list is identified by an icon and its name. Table 9-3 describes the reservation icons used to identify the reservation type.
Table 9-3: Conference Reservation Icons
Icon Description
Conference Reservations category. Includes the list of all reservations currently scheduled on the MCU.
Video Conference Reservation. A reserved video conference scheduled to start at a designated time.
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Table 9-3: Conference Reservation Icons (Continued)
Icon Description
Audio Reservation. A reserved Audio Only conference scheduled to start at a designated time.
Audio Operator Conference Reservation. A reserved
Audio Only Operator conference scheduled to start at a designated time.
Video Operator Conference Reservation. A reserved video Operator conference scheduled to start at a designated time.
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Deleting a Reservation
If the conference reservation is cancelled before it has started, you can remove it from the Reservations list on the MCU and free the MCU resources for other conferences.
To delete a Reservation:
1.
In the Browser pane, expand the Reservations list.
2.
Right-click the Reservation icon to delete, and then click Delete.
A confirmation dialog box opens.
3.
Click Yes to delete the reservation or No to cancel the deletion operation.
If you have selected Yes, the reservation is removed from the
Reservations list.
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Rescheduling Reservations
In some cases, you may want to reschedule a conference reservation so it will start earlier, immediately, or later than scheduled.
If the MCU time is changed, for example, to adjust to daylight savings time, the reservations are automatically updated.
To reschedule a conference reservation:
1.
Expand the Reservations list or double-click the Reservations icon.
2.
Right-click the Reservation icon, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
3.
Click the Scheduler tab to define the conference start date and time.
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The Scheduler dialog box opens.
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4.
Select the required date and start time.
To start the conference immediately, change the date to the current date and the starting time to the current time.
5.
Click OK.
The Conference Properties dialog box closes.
If the conference start Date and Time is scheduled in the future, the conference remains in the Reservations list.
If the reservation is scheduled to start immediately, the conference is launched, and it is moved from the Reservations list to the On Going
Conferences list.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Scheduling a Conference Reservation from a
Reservation Template (Database)
You can use Reservation templates to schedule a conference Reservation to automatically start at a predefined date and time.
To schedule a conference Reservation using a Database Reservation template:
1.
Connect to the MCU on which to run the reservation. If you are already connected and logged in, continue with step 4 on page 9-14, otherwise
connect to the database as described in steps 2 through 3.
2.
Click Login on the Database menu.
The Database Login dialog box opens.
For a detailed description of the database login process and default login names,
see Chapter 3, “Templates Database” on page 3-33.
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3.
Enter your Login Name and Password and click OK.
4.
On the Database menu, click Open D.B. Reservation Template and then select the database storing the Reservation Template.
The Reservations in Database window is displayed.
5.
Expand the Groups hierarchy until you locate the desired Reservation template.
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6.
Right click the Reservation template icon that you want to schedule and then click Start.
The Conference Properties - General dialog box opens, allowing you to modify the conference general parameters.
7.
Select the MCU on which to run the conference.
If only one MCU is connected to the MGC Manager, the MCU is displayed in the
MCU box. If several MCUs are connected, they are listed alphabetically, and the first MCU on the list is displayed in the MCU box.
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If required, modify the conference name, duration and passwords. You can also add Remarks to the conference or read the notes added to the
Reservation Template when created. For more details, see Table 4-4,
“Conference Properties - General”, on page 4-37.
8.
Click the Scheduler tab to define the conference start date and time.
The Scheduler dialog box opens.
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The current date and time are displayed. To define an On Going
Conference, skip this tab.
To schedule the conference to start later, select the start date and time for
the conference start. For more details, see Table 9-2, “Scheduler
At this point, if no changes are required in the template you can complete the conference definition. Otherwise, the remaining tabs are the same as for On
Going Conferences, continue with step 6 on page 9-6.
9.
Click OK.
The Reservation is saved on the selected MCU.
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Recurrent Reservations
•
•
•
You can preset conferences to occur repeatedly. To do this, you need to set the frequency that you wish the conference to occur while defining the reservation parameters. The MGC Manager automatically creates duplicates of the original reservation, scheduling them according to the selected recurrence frequency. The number of duplicate reservations depends on the number of repeats defined for the reservation.
A recurring reservation can be defined in three ways:
During the definition of a new reservation.
By modifying the properties of an existing reservation.
By using a reservation template from the Reservation database or the Res
Template file.
Defining the Reservation Recurrence Properties
The reservation’s basic parameters are defined using standard parameter
settings, as described in “Defining a New Reservation” on page 9-3. The
recurrence parameters of a reservation are defined in the Reservation-
Properties Scheduler tab.
To define Recurring Conference Properties:
1.
Define a new Reservation or display the properties of an existing reservation or reservation template.
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2.
Click the Scheduler tab.
The Reservation Properties - Scheduler dialog box opens.
Select the date and the start time of the first reservation in the sequence.
Click this button to define the frequency at which the reservation occurs.
3.
Define the start date and time parameters of the first reservation in the recurrence pattern.
For example, if you are planning a weekly reservation that occurs every
Monday, you need to select the date and time of the first Monday on which the conference will occur. When defining a Monthly reservation, the appropriate day of the month must be selected before defining the frequency at which the reservation occurs.
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4.
Click the Reservation Recurrence button to define the frequency at which the reservation occurs.
The Reservation Recurrence dialog box opens.
5.
The following parameters may be defined:
Table 9-4: Reservation Recurrence Parameters
Field Description
Recurrence Pattern
Select the frequency (Daily, Weekly or Monthly) at which the reservation occurs.
If Daily is selected, the system automatically highlights all the days of the week. To remove a certain day of the week from the recurrence schedule, click the desired day to clear its check box.
If Weekly is selected, the system automatically checks the day of the week according to the current day set in the Scheduler dialog box. You can also define the recurrence interval in weeks.
For example, if you want the reservation to occur bi-weekly, enter the value 2 in the Week(s) box. To define a twice a week recurring reservation, click the check box of the additional day of the week at which the conference is to be repeated and set the recurrence interval to 1.
If Monthly is selected, the system automatically sets the current day as defined in the Scheduler dialog box.
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Table 9-4: Reservation Recurrence Parameters (Continued)
Field
Recurrence Pattern
(cont.)
Description
The reservation recurrence parameters change to let you select the recurrence pattern; choose either the specific “day” (default) of every x month(s) or a specific sequence, such as the “first”, “Thursday” of every x month(s).
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Range of
Recurrence
Day dd of every x months - Repeats a conference on a specified day of the month at a specified monthly interval. For example, if the first reservation is scheduled for the 6th of the current month and the monthly interval is set to 1, the monthly reservation will occur on the 6th of each of the following months.
The 1st-last weekday of every x months -
Repeats a conference on a particular week, on a specified day of the week at a specified monthly interval. For example, a recurrent meeting on the third Monday of every two months.
End After: x Occurrences - Ends a repeating reservation after a specific number (X) of occurrences.
End By: dd/mm/yy - Specify a date for the last occurrence of the recurring reservation. The MGC
Manager calculates the number of occurrences according to the selected frequency and the date range.
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6.
Click OK.
7.
Define the remaining conference parameters (if you are defining a new reservation directly) using the standard workflow, as described in
Chapter 4, “Defining On Going Conferences” on page 4-34.
Once the reservation has been defined, the system automatically creates the recurring reservations. The name of each recurring reservation is derived from the name of the first reservation, followed by sequential numbers, using the format <name>_X, where X is its sequential order.
For example, if the first reservation is named “Marketing”, and the number of occurrences is three, the system creates three reservations, naming the first Marketing _1, the second Marketing _2, and the third
Marketing _3.
The name of each of these reservations cannot be modified. However, the parameters of an individual recurrent conference can be modified.
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Deleting Recurring Reservations from the Reservations List
When setting up recurring reservations, these reservations can be deleted as a group.
You can delete an individual reservation out of the recurrence reservation
occurrences using the standard Delete procedure. For details, see “Deleting a
To delete a recurring reservation from a recurrent reservation icon:
1.
Right-click one of the recurrent reservations icons, and then click Delete
All Reservation Recurrences.
A confirmation box opens.
2.
Click Yes to delete all recurring reservations.
To delete a recurring reservation from the Reservations icon:
1.
Right-click on the Reservations icon, click the Delete All Reservation
Recurrences option to open the list of recurrent reservations, and then select the reservation whose occurrences you wish to delete.
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A confirmation box opens.
2.
Click Yes to delete all recurring reservations.
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10
Lecture and Presentation Options
•
•
•
This chapter describes three options for viewing a lecturer/presenter in full screen during a conference:
Lecture Mode - all participants view the lecturer in full screen while the lecturer views all conference participants in either a Continuous
Presence layout or, for conferences defined as Video Switching, by scrolling through the other participants in full screen.
Presentation Mode - Continuous Presence conferences may be defined to switch automatically to display the current speaker in full screen.
Lecture Show - broadcasting audio and video streams are muted for all conference participants besides the lecturer, who is viewed in full screen.
Lecture Mode
Lecture Mode enables automatic switching between the conference participants in the speaker window, allowing the conference speaker to see all the other conference participants (including Continuous Presence layout) while he/she is speaking. The lecturer is the only one seen by all the other participants throughout the conference, in full screen. While the lecturer is speaking, the system automatically switches between participants according to a predefined interval, showing them sequentially in the lecturer’s video window. Lecture Mode is set at the conference level only.
Lecture Mode and Lecture Show are disabled in a Software Continuous
Presence conference.
•
The following features are available in Lecture Mode:
Selection of the conference lecturer
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Chapter 10 - Lecture and Presentation Options
•
•
•
Availability in Video Switching, Transcoding and Continuous Presence -
Classic conferences (in Continuous Presence - Classic conferences running on a standard Video card, this option is unavailable for asymmetrical video layouts in which at least one window is larger than the others, such as 3+1, 5+1, 8+1, etc.)
The automatic switching is suspended when one of the participants begins talking, and it is resumed automatically when the lecturer resumes talking
Can be activated/deactivated during an On Going Conference
Lecture Mode Definition
A conference can be set to Lecture Mode when defining a new On Going
Conference, Reservation or Reservation template.
To define a conference as Lecture Mode:
1.
Set the conference as a Standard conference.
2.
Define the Conference Properties - General, Schedule, Settings and
Participants parameters as described in Chapter 4, “Defining a New
Video Conference” on page 4-35.
3.
Ensure that a participant to be designated as the conference lecturer is added to the list of conference participants in the Conference Properties -
Participants dialog box.
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4.
Click the Video Sources tab to display the Lecture Mode parameters.
The Conference Properties – Video Sources dialog box opens.
When the Same Layout is selected, Lecture Mode options are disabled.
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Chapter 10 - Lecture and Presentation Options
5.
Define the following parameters:
Table 10-1: Lecture Mode options
Option
Lecture Mode
Description
The following options are available:
• None - Disables the Lecture Mode.
• Lecture Mode - Enables the Lecture Mode.
When enabling the Lecture Mode, an indication, the Lecture Mode icon, appears at the top right corner of the dialog box.
Timer
Interval
Lecturer name
• Presentation Mode - Enables Presentation
Mode. When enabling the Presentation Mode, an indication, the Presentation Mode icon, appears at the top right corner of the dialog box.
For more information, see “Presentation Mode” on page 10-9.
•
Lecture Show - Enables the Lecture Show. You must add at least one participant before selecting the Video Sources tab to activate this option.
When enabling the Lecture Show, an indication, the Lecture Show icon, appears at the top right corner of the dialog box.
For more information, see “Lecture Show” on page 10-14.
Select the Timer check box to enable the automatic switching between participants.
This option is enabled when the Timer option is checked. Define the number of seconds a participant is to be displayed in the lecturer window before switching to the next participant.
Select the Lecturer name from the drop-down list.
The list displays the names of all the participants defined for the conference.
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6.
Click OK to confirm the conference settings.
Forcing is enabled at the Conference level only. It applies only to the video layout viewed by the lecturer (as all the conference participants see only the lecturer in full picture).
If an asymmetrical Video layout is selected for the lecturer (i.e. 3+1, 4+1, 8+1), each video window contains a different participant (i.e. one cannot be forced to a large frame and to a small frame simultaneously).
Lecture Mode Monitoring
A conference in which the Lecture Mode is enabled is started as any other conference. The conference runs as an audio activated Video Switching/
Transcoding/Continuous Presence conference until the lecturer connects to the conference. In Continuous Presence conferences, the selected video layout at the time of the reservation is the one that is activated when the conference starts. Once the lecturer is connected, the conference switches to the Lecture Mode.
The order in which the system switches from one participant to another is defined by the order in which the participants were added to the conference.
The switching occurs according to the time interval defined for the conference. In a Continuous Presence conference all the participants are displayed on the lecturer screen, hence the Timer is insignificant. The Timer is active when the number of participants exceeds the number of windows in the selected video layout. In that case, when the switching is performed, the system refreshes the display while replacing the last active speaker with a speaker who was invisible during the last display interval.
When one of the participants is talking, the automatic switching is suspended, showing the current speaker, and it is resumed when the lecturer resumes talking.
If no lecturer is selected for the conference (Auto Select), the speaker becomes the conference lecturer with all the inherent prerogatives and adopts the lecturer’s status, including the video forcing options in Continuous Presence conferences.
If the lecturer is disconnected during the On Going Conference, the conference resumes the audio activation mode.
•
During the On Going Conference you can:
Enable or disable the Lecture Mode
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Chapter 10 - Lecture and Presentation Options
• Select a new lecturer
If the Lecture Mode is used in a Video Switching conference, only the lecturer can send an Annex D still image. Otherwise, the request to broadcast an Annex D still image is rejected.
Below is an example of a conference in Lecture Mode.
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Participant designated as the Lecturer
Lecture Mode conference status indication
To control the Lecture Mode during an On Going Conference:
1.
Right-click the On Going Conference icon, and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Select the Participants tab and ensure that there is at least one Participant in the Conference Participants list.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
3.
Click the Video Sources tab.
The Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
Icon indicating that
Lecture Mode is active
4.
You can perform one of the following operations:
—
—
—
—
Enable or disable the Lecture Mode - from the Lecture Mode dropdown list, select None to disable the Lecture Mode or select
Lecture Mode to enable it.
Change the video layout for the lecturer (in Continuous Presence mode) by selecting another video layout.
For conferences running on a standard video card, the asymmetrical video layouts such as 3+1, 4+1, 5+1 and 8+1 are disabled in Lecture
Mode. The selected layout affects only the lecturer display. The other participants only view the speaker (lecturer or the active speaker) in full screen.
Select the conference lecturer by choosing his/her name from the
Lecturer name drop-down list. The list includes the names of all the conference participants currently connected to the conference.
Enable or disable automatic switching between participants displayed on the lecturer monitor window by selecting or clearing the Timer check box.
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Chapter 10 - Lecture and Presentation Options
— Change the number of seconds a participant is displayed in the lecturer window before switching to the next participant by entering a new value in the Interval field.
In the Status column of the Monitor and Status area, the Lecture Mode icon and indication is displayed.
The lecturer is indicated with the following icon:
You can mute and unmute participants and perform additional operations as
described in Chapter 6, “Operations Performed During On Going
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Presentation Mode
Presentation Mode is available in Continuous Presence conferences. In
Continuous Presence conferences set to Presentation Mode, when the current speaker’s speech extends a predefined time, the conference layout automatically changes to full screen, displaying the current speaker as the conference lecturer on all the conference participant monitors. When the
Presentation Mode is active, the speaker views the previous conference layout. When another participant starts talking, the Presentation Mode is cancelled and the conference returns to its predefined video layout.
To enable the Presentation Mode, define the time period that participants are able to speak before they automatically become the conference “speakers” and are viewed in full screen by all the conference participants (default time interval is 15 seconds).
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Presentation Mode Guidelines:
Presentation mode is available with:
—
—
—
Auto Layout
Same Layout
Conference On Port (COP) conferences.
In a COP conference, when the speaker becomes the conference presenter, the conference layout is automatically set to 1x1 (full screen) and all participants including the active speaker view this layout.
If the speaker in a video conference is an Audio Only participant, the
Presentation Mode is disabled for that participant.
Video Forcing can be applied while the conference is in normal speaker mode. Video forcing works in the same way as in Lecture Mode when
Presentation Mode is activated, that is, forcing is only enabled at the conference level, and it only applies to the video layout viewed by the lecturer.
Since the Presentation mode is available only in Continuous Presence conferences, it cannot be selected for Operator conferences. In addition, it is not available in Software Continuous Presence conferences.
When starting a conference in which Presentation Mode is set together with asymmetric conference layouts and the conference is scheduled to run on the Standard Video card, the conference is rejected by the MCU.
During an On Going Conference set to Presentation Mode that is running
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Chapter 10 - Lecture and Presentation Options
•
• on the standard Video card, asymmetric conference layouts are blocked and unavailable for selection.
When a conference set to both Auto Layout and Presentation Mode is run on the Standard Video card, the definition of the layouts selected for
Auto Layout changes. For more details, see the MGC Administrator’s
Guide, Chapter 5, “Confer.cfg Flags”, Sections “AUTO_LAYOUT” and
“AUTO_QUAD_LAYOUT”.
Presentation Mode must be enabled in the “system.cfg” configuration file, in the GENERAL section. For more details, see the MGC
Administrator’s Guide, Chapter 5, “Edit “system.cfg”.
Setting the Presentation Mode for a Conference
The Presentation Mode can only be set in Continuous Presence conferences.
It is selected in the Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box.
To select a Presentation Mode Conference:
1.
Click the Video Sources tab.
The Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
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2.
In the Lecture Mode list, select Presentation Mode.
The Presentation Mode icon appears at the top right corner of the dialog box.
Icon indicating that Presentation
Mode is active
3.
In the Interval field select the amount of time (in seconds) to wait before the speaker automatically becomes the conference lecturer and the video layout changes to full screen.
4.
Click OK.
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Chapter 10 - Lecture and Presentation Options
Presentation Mode Monitoring
When an On Going Conference is running in Presentation Mode, the
Presentation icon appears in the Status column of the Status and Monitoring panes.
The icon of the participant who is the current lecturer changes to the Lecturer icon.
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Participant designated as the Presenter
Presentation Mode status indication
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Enabling the Presentation Mode during an On Going
Conference
To enable the Presentation Mode during an On Going Conference:
1.
Right-click the On Going Conference icon and then click Properties.
The Conference Properties dialog box opens.
2.
Click the Video Sources tab.
The Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
Icon indicating that
Presentation
Mode is active
3.
In the Lecture Mode list, select Presentation Mode.
To disable the Presentation Mode, select None in the Lecture Mode list.
4.
In the Interval field, select the amount of time (in seconds or minutes) to wait before the speaker automatically becomes the conference lecturer and the video layout changes to full screen.
The conference switches to the Presentation Mode.
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Chapter 10 - Lecture and Presentation Options
Lecture Show
The Lecture Show feature offers users the possibility of hearing or viewing a broadcast without participating in the conference, as they can only hear and see the lecturer. The participant hears the conference/broadcast and is unable to interact or communicate, visually or verbally, as his/her audio and video channels are automatically muted. The lecturer or moderator is not able to receive any video or audio from any of the participants during the broadcast of the lecture/show.
•
•
•
•
•
Lecture Show Guidelines:
Requires the selection of one participant as conference lecturer
Lecturer selection is mandatory at the reservation stage. The lecturer cannot be changed or deleted during the On Going Conference
All participants excluding the lecturer have their audio and video automatically muted by the MCU. Participants can only hear and see the lecturer
Full screen (1x1) format is the only layout that may be selected for the
Lecture Show
Participants connecting to the conference prior to the lecturer/moderator logon, hear and see only themselves
Lecture Show Definition
When defining a new On Going Conference, Reservation or Reservation template set the conference as a Standard conference and define the
Conference Properties - General, Schedule, Settings and Participants,
parameters as described in Chapter 4, “Defining a New Video Conference” on page 4-35.
You must first add a defined participant (from the Participants Tab) to attend the conference prior to selecting the Video Sources tab and enabling the
Lecture Show option.
To define a new Lecture Show conference:
1.
Click the Participants tab.
The Conference Properties – Participants dialog box opens.
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2.
Select the participant to act as the conference lecturer. You can also select any number of participants to attend the conference. For details on
how to select participants refer to Chapter 4, “Participants” on page 4-65.
3.
Click the Video Sources tab.
The Conference Properties - Video Sources dialog box opens.
4.
In the Lecture Mode list, select Lecture Show.
The Lecture Show icon appears at the top right corner of the dialog box.
Icon indicating that Lecture
Show is active
5.
In the Lecturer Name list, select the name of the participant to act as the conference lecturer.
6.
Click OK to confirm the conference settings.
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Chapter 10 - Lecture and Presentation Options
Lecture Show Monitoring
A conference in which Lecture Show is enabled is started as any other conference. The conference runs as a Video Switching, Transcoding,
Continuous Presence conference until the lecturer connects to the conference.
If participants connect to the conference prior to the lecturer, the participants view only themselves.
The operator can only add or disconnect participants to the On Going
Conference, extend the conference duration or terminate the conference before its scheduled end time. For details how to perform these operations,
see Chapter 6, “Operations Performed During On Going Conferences”.
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Participant designated as the Lecturer
Lecture Show conference status indication
11
Click&View
Click&View is an endpoint application displayed on video endpoints that enables participants to modify their personal video layout and chairpersons to modify the conference video layout. These operations are performed by entering the appropriate code on the endpoint’s DTMF input device (usually a remote control). The Click&View application is activated from the MCU.
• Click&View requires Continuous Presence - Classic or Quad mode
• Click&View requires the Video+ and Audio+ cards.
• When Click&View is enabled for the conference, the Click&View splash screen is displayed for 5 seconds on the participant endpoint. If
Click&View is disabled for the conference, no splash screen appears.
Figure 11-1: Click&View Main Display
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
Enabling the Click&View Application
The Click&View application must be enabled in the IVR Service assigned to a conference so participants can select their personal Video Layout from their endpoint. You can create a new IVR Service or you can modify an existing
IVR Service to enable the Click&View application.
To enable the Click&View application by defining a new IVR Service:
1.
Connect to the MGC unit (MCU).
2.
Click the plus [+] icon next to the MCU icon to expand its options tree.
3.
Double-click the MCU Configuration icon, or click the plus [+] icon next to it to display the MCU Configuration options.
4.
Right-click the IVR Services icon, and then click New IVR Service.
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The IVR-Global dialog box opens.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
This dialog box enables you to define the general parameters of the IVR
Service.
5.
Follow the directions for defining a new IVR Service in the MGC
Manager User’s Guide, Volume II, Chapter 2, “Defining a New IVR
Message Service”.
6.
As you proceed through the wizard, you will open the Video Services dialog box.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
7.
Select the Enable Video Services check box. Selecting this checkbox also enables the Click&View checkbox.
8.
Select the Click&View check box.
9.
Continue following the directions for completing the wizard until you reach the DTMF codes dialog box.
This dialog box lists the default DTMF codes of the various functions that can be performed during the conference by all the conference participants or exclusively by the conference chairperson. For a list of
available DTMF codes see “Using DTMF Codes During a Conference” on page 6-95.
10. To modify the DTMF code assigned to a function, in the Name field, click the function whose code you wish to modify.
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The appropriate DTMF code appears at the bottom of the list.
11. Select Start Click&View in the Name field.
12. In the DTMF Code (left) field, enter the code. The default is a double asterisk (**).
13. In the Permission (right) field, select Everyone to enable this function to be used by all the conference participants.
14. Click Finish to complete the IVR Service definition.
The new IVR Message Service with the Click&View application enabled is added to the IVR Services list.
The number of IVR Services defined for a single MGC unit may not exceed 30
Services.
To enable the Click&View application by modifying an existing IVR
Service:
1.
Connect to the MGC Unit (MCU).
2.
Click the plus [+] icon next to the MCU icon to expand its options tree.
3.
Double-click the MCU Configuration icon or click the plus [+] icon next to the MCU Configuration icon to expand the MCU’s Configuration options.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
4.
Expand the IVR Msg Services tree.
11-6
The list of IVR Messages Services is displayed.
5.
Double-click an IVR Message Service or right-click the IVR Service you want to modify, and then click Properties.
The IVR Message Service dialog box opens.
6.
Click the Video Services tab.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
The IVR Message Service - Video Services dialog box appears.
7.
Select the Enable Video Services check box.
8.
Select the Click&View check box.
9.
Click the DTMF codes tab to view and/or modify the DTMF code assigned to the activation of the Click&View application from the participants endpoint.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
10. Select Start Click&View in the Name field.
11. In the DTMF Code (left) field, enter the required code. The default
DTMF code is a double asterisk (**).
12. In the Permission (right) field, select Everyone to enable this function to be used by all the conference participants.
13. Click OK to complete the definition of the IVR Service.
Enabling the Click&View Application for a Conference
To enable the Click&View Application in a Conference:
1.
Connect to an MCU and expand its tree.
2.
Right-click the On Going Conferences icon, and then click New
Conference.
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MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
The Conference Properties - General dialog box opens.
3.
In the Video Session box, click Continuous Presence and then select either Classic or Quad Views.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
4.
Click the Settings tab.
The Conference Properties - Settings dialog box opens.
11-10
5.
In the Msg Service Type field, select IVR to enable IVR services.
6.
Select an IVR service from the Msg Service Name drop-down list in which the Click&View option is enabled.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Using the Click&View Application
When a participant connects to a Click&View enabled conference, a
Click&View splash screen is displayed. From this point on, until the end of the conference, the participant may modify his personal video layout, or return to the conference video layout. The chairperson may also modify the conference layout. The Click&View application is activated from the endpoint’s DTMF input device, such as a remote control or a virtual remote control.
•
To activate the Click&View Application:
Enter the appropriate DTMF code via the DTMF input device.
The default DTMF code for activating the Click&View is doubleasterisk (**). This code can be modified in the IVR service.
On Polycom ViaVideo, you can use the virtual remote control to enter the appropriate DTMF code
Click the asterisk key twice to activate the Click&View application
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
The Click&View application is displayed on the endpoint’s screen.
Figure 11-2: Chairperson Click&View Display
11-12
Figure 11-3: Participant Click&View Display
The conference view in the Click&View main display area is 1x1 (in Classic conferences only).
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Click&View Menu Options
The Click&View application has two modes, Chairperson and Participant.
Conference
Layout
Personal
Layout
Back to
Conference
Layout
Help Menu
Back to previous screen. In the Main
Menu screen, this option closes the
Click&View application
Request
Operator’s
Assistance
For the Chairperson, the Home screen presents six options with the appropriate DTMF codes. For a Participant, five options are enabled while the conference layout option is disabled. To activate each menu option, use your DTMF input device to select a DTMF code (see the Help screen).
Table 11-1: Click&View Main Menu Options
Icon Description
Conference
Layout
DTMF
Code
1
Action
Enables the Chairperson to modify the conference layout for all participants.
Personal
Layout
2
Enables each participant to modify the video layout displayed on his/her screen. This change does not affect other participants.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
Table 11-1: Click&View Main Menu Options (Continued)
Icon Description
Return to
Conference
Layout
Help
DTMF
Code
Action
3
*
Enables the participant to cancel his/ her personal layout and view the layout currently selected for the conference.
Displays the Help screen.
Back
Operator
Assistance
#
0
Displays the previous screen. When selected in the Home Menu, closes the Click&View application for this participant.
Requests Operator assistance. Adds the participant to the Participants
Queue in the MGC Manager and exits the Click&View application.
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Conference Layout (Chairperson Only) Options
The Chairperson can change the current conference layout for all the conference participants viewing the conference layout. Participants who view their personal layout will not be affected. However, when they return to the conference layout, they will view the new conference layout.
To select another layout for the conference:
1.
From your endpoint activate the Click&View application.
2.
In the Click&View Home screen, enter 1 on the DTMF input device.
This DTMF value activates the Change Conference Layout screen.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
The video layout options available in the Classic or Quad Views are displayed in the Conference Layout menu.
11-16
The following video layouts are available in Continuous Presence -
Classic and Quad Views. Each layout is represented by a DTMF code.
Table 11-2: Available Video Layouts
DTMF Code
1
Classic CP Quad Views CP
2
3
4
5
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Table 11-2: Available Video Layouts (Continued)
Classic CP Quad Views CP DTMF Code
6
3.
On the endpoint’s DTMF input device, enter the DTMF code displayed next to the desired layout. For example, if the desired layout in
Continuous Presence Classic is the 5+1 layout, enter 5 as the DTMF code.
The Click&View application closes and the new conference layout is shown on the endpoint’s screen.
The new layout is viewed from any endpoint that is not currently using a personal layout.
Viewing the New Layout in the MGC Manager
The MGC Manager application is updated with the new layout selected for the conference. The new layout can be checked in the Conference Properties -
Video Sources dialog box.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
Personal Layout Options
Participants in a Click&View enabled conference may change their personal video layouts. This layout is viewed only by the participant modifying the layout. All other participants, except for participants currently viewing their own personal layouts, see the conference layout.
To select a Personal Layout:
1.
From your endpoint activate the Click&View application.
2.
In the Click&View Home screen, enter 2 on the DTMF input device.
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This DTMF value activates the Personal Layout screen.
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
The available video layouts are displayed in the Personal Layout menu
screen. Table 11-2 on page 11-16 lists the available layouts for
Continuous Presence Classic and Quad Views.
3.
On the endpoint’s DTMF input device, enter the DTMF code displayed next to the desired layout. For example, if the desired layout in
Continuous Presence Classic is 2x2, enter 4 on the endpoint’s remote control.
The Click&View screen closes and the new personal layout is shown on the endpoint’s screen. The new layout is only viewed on the endpoint selecting it.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
Figure 11-4: 2x2 Click&View Display
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To View the Personal Layout in the MGC Manager:
The MGC Manager application is updated with the new layouts selected for the participant.
The new video layout can be checked in the Participant Properties - Video
Sources dialog box.
The Personal Layout selected by the participant
Indicates that this participant is currently viewing a Personal Layout, as opposed to viewing the Conference
Layout
Personal Layout may also be modified from the Participant Properties - Video
Sources dialog box by the operator, or from the WebCommander application.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
Returning to the Conference Layout
If a participant has selected a video layout other than the conference layout, the participant can return to the conference layout display by entering the appropriate DTMF code in the Click&View application.
To return to the conference layout display:
1.
From the endpoint, activate the Click&View application.
2.
In the Click&View Home screen, enter 3 on the DTMF input device, to activate this option.
Click&View closes and the endpoint’s monitor displays the conference layout.
The Participant Properties are updated accordingly.
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Getting Help
You can get help for the Click&View options by entering the appropriate DTMF code in the Click&View application.
To get help about Click&View options:
1.
In the Click&View screen, on the endpoint’s DTMF input device, enter * to activate the Help option.
Help topic describing the
Click&View Home options, and how to select an option using the DTMF input device.
While viewing the Main Menu Help topic, you can get help on the various Click&View options.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
2.
On the endpoint’s DTMF input device, if you enter a number or symbol
(1,2,3,0, or *) that corresponds to a Click&View DTMF command, the appropriate help topic is displayed. For example, enter 2 on the DTMF input device and the system displays the Personal Layout topic.
Help topic describing how to change the participant’s
Personal Layout display.
Returning to the Previous Screen
If you are in the Video Layout menu screen, you can return to the previous screen by entering the appropriate DTMF code (default code is pound key, #) on the DTMF input device.
If you are in the Help screen, selecting the back option, closes the Help topic and displays the Click&View Main menu screen.
•
To return to the previous screen:
Enter the pound key, # on the endpoint’s DTMF input device.
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Requesting Operator Assistance
You can request the operator’s assistance by entering the appropriate
DTMF code on the DTMF input device.
•
To request Operator Assistance from the Click&View screens:
On the DTMF input device, enter (zero) 0 to request the operator’s assistance.
The Click&View application closes and you are returned to the conference to wait for operator assistance.
There is no indication on your endpoint’s screen that you have been added to the Participant Queue.
Assistance Request in the MGC Manager Application
When the participant requests help from the Click&View application, the participant is added to the Participant Queue in the MGC Manager window.
In addition, an icon is displayed in the Status column indicating that this participant is waiting for assistance.
The status of a participant who has requested assistance.
This participant is also added to the participant queue.
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Chapter 11 - Click&View
11-26
A
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
If a participant was unable to connect to a conference or was disconnected from an On Going Conference, the Participant Properties -
Disconnection Cause dialog box indicates the cause category, whether it
is audio or video related, and details the cause message. In some cases, a possible solution may be indicated.
This appendix details the cause messages displayed in the Cause field and their explanation
For a full list of disconnection cause messages for the current MGC Manager version, refer to the topic: “ACCOngoingParticipant:GetDisconnectCause”, in the MGC C++ API e-book.
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons
Category Cause Message Description
Operator Disconnect
No Net Connection
Disconnected by operator
No net connection
The operator disconnected the endpoint from the conference.
The network failed to connect to the network card.
Participant Hang-Up Party hang up The endpoint hung up.
V-Gate No Response V-gate does not respond The V-Gate was unable to negotiate a connection with the endpoint. (Video participant parameter)
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Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
Security Failure
Cause Message
Remote device capabilities do not support encryption
A common key exchange algorithm could not be established between the MCU and the remote device
Remote device did not open the encryption signaling channel
Remote device key exchange algorithm message was not received by the MCU
The encryption setup process did not end on time
Remote device cannot encrypt
The remote device failed to start encryption system
The remote devices' selected encryption algorithm does not match the local selected encryption algorithm
Encryption key exchange failed
Description
The endpoint failed to encrypt. (ISDN)
The endpoint does not support the local encryption key exchange algorithm.
The endpoint did not open the encryption signaling channel.
The MCU did not receive the remote encryption algorithm capabilities from the endpoint.
The encryption setup process did not end on time.
The endpoint failed to encrypt. (ISDN)
The endpoint failed to start the encryption system. (ISDN)
The encryption algorithm selected by the endpoint does not match the MCU's encryption algorithm.
(ISDN and IP)
Encryption key exchange failed. (ISDN)
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Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
Bonding Failure
Bad H243
Connection
Cause Message
Bonding failure
Long delay between channels
Internal error
No answer from remote part
Error in dialing additional channels
No established H243 connect
Full bitrate connection failure
Description
Bonding negotiation failed. For example, the endpoint didn't reply.
(ISDN only)
The bonding channels cannot be synchronized by the MUX, because the delay in data transfer between the channels is too long, or downspeed is required and the endpoint supports downspeeding, but the
MCU doesn't. (ISDN only)
Internal error occurred.
(ISDN only)
Bonding failure due to timeout. (ISDN only)
H.221 bonding error.
The endpoint declared less channels than the
MCU wanted, or an error occurred when attempting to open additional channels.
(ISDN only)
Not currently used.
The system can not establish a connection with the participant using the maximum possible line rate capacity. (ISDN only)
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Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
Bad H243
Connection (cont.)
Cause Message
Capabilities exchange failure in establishing call
Capabilities exchange failure in change mode
Description
The initial capabilities exchange failed. For example, the endpoint didn't send any capabilities. (ISDN only)
Failure to exchange capabilities when the
MCU requested that the endpoint change protocol. For example, the endpoint didn't reply.
(ISDN only)
Resource Deficiency
Not received end of initial communication
Resources deficiency
Net port deficiency
MUX port deficiency
Audio port deficiency
Video port deficiency
Data port deficiency occurred.
The endpoint did not send an initial capabilities set. (ISDN only)
Insufficient resources available. (ISDN only)
Insufficient network resources to handle the
ISDN call. (ISDN only)
Insufficient MUX resources. (ISDN only)
Insufficient audio ports.
(ISDN and IP)
Insufficient video resources. (ISDN and
IP)
Not currently used.
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Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
Resource Deficiency
(cont.)
Cause Message
Audio message port deficiency
H323 deficiency
T123 port deficiency
Description
Insufficient audio resources available for
IVR or Greet and Guide messages. (ISDN and
IP)
Insufficient IP resources. (IP only)
Insufficient data resources. (ISDN and
IP)
Internal system error.
(IP only)
H323 call close
Gatekeeper connection
ID failed
H323 call close. No port left for audio
H323 call close. No port left for video
H323 call close. No port left for T120
H323 call close. No control port left
H323 call close. Small bandwidth
Insufficient audio ports.
(IP only)
The required video ports exceed the number of ports allocated to video in fixed ports. (IP only)
The required data ports exceed the number of ports allocated to data in fixed ports. (IP only)
The required control ports exceed the number of ports allocated to control data in fixed ports. (IP only)
The gatekeeper allocated insufficient bandwidth to the connection with the endpoint. (IP only)
A-5
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
Resource Deficiency
(cont.)
Gatekeeper Failure
Cause Message Description
H323 call close. No port left
Called party not registered
Invalid permission
Request denied
Undefined reason
There are no free ports left in the IP card. (IP only)
The called endpoint is not registered in the gatekeeper. (IP only)
Not currently used.
Not currently used.
Not currently used.
Caller not registered The calling endpoint is not registered in the gatekeeper. (IP only)
Route call to gatekeeper Not currently used.
Not currently used.
Invalid end point identifier
Rsrc unavailable
Security denial
QoS control not supported
Not currently used.
Not currently used.
Not currently used.
Incomplete address
H323 call close. ARQ timeout
The endpoint sent an
ARQ message to the gatekeeper, but the gatekeeper did not respond before timeout.
(IP only)
A-6
MGC Manager User’s Guide
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
Gatekeeper Failure
(cont.)
H323 Failure
Cause Message
H323 call close. DRQ timeout
H323 call close. Alt
Gatekeeper failure
Description
The endpoint sent a
DRQ message to the gatekeeper, but the gatekeeper did not respond before timeout.
(IP only)
An alternate gatekeeper failure occurred. (IP only)
H323 call close.
Gatekeeper failure
A gatekeeper failure occurred. (IP only)
H323 call close. Remote busy
H323 call close. Normal The call ended normally, for example, the endpoint disconnected. (IP only)
H323 call close. Remote reject
H323 call close. Remote unreachable
The endpoint was busy.
(Applicable only to dialout and IP only)
The endpoint rejected the call. (IP only)
The gatekeeper could not find the endpoint's address. (IP only)
H323 call close.
Unknown reason
H323 call close. Closed by MCMS
H323 call close. Need maintenance
The reason for the disconnection is unknown, for example, the endpoint disconnected without giving a reason. (IP only)
The MCU disconnected the call. (IP only)
A card failure occurred.
(IP only)
A-7
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
H323 Failure (cont.)
Cause Message
H323 call close. Small bandwidth
H323 call close.
Gatekeeper failure
H323 call close.
Gatekeeper reject ARQ
H323 call close. No port left
H323 call close.
Gatekeeper DRQ
H323 call close. No destination IP value
H323 call close. Remote has not sent capability
H323 call close. Audio channels not open
H323 call close. Need to wait T120 board
H323 call close. Bad remote cap
H323 call close.
Capabilities not accepted by remote
Description
The gatekeeper allocated insufficient bandwidth to the connection with the endpoint. (IP only)
A gatekeeper failure occurred. (IP only)
The gatekeeper rejected the endpoint's
ARQ. (IP only)
There are no ports left in the IP card. (IP only)
The gatekeeper sent a
DRQ. (IP only)
For internal use. (IP only)
The endpoint did not send its capabilities to the gatekeeper. (IP only)
The endpoint did not open the audio channel.
(IP only)
For internal use. (IP only)
There was a problem in the capabilities sent by the endpoint. (IP only)
The endpoint did not accept the capabilities sent by the gatekeeper.
(IP only)
A-8
MGC Manager User’s Guide
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
H323 Failure (cont.)
SIP Failure
Cause Message
H323 failure
Description
Internal error occurred.
(IP only)
The endpoint stopped responding. (IP only)
H323 call close. Remote stop responding
H323 call close. No matching switch keys alg
H323 call close. Rmt doesn't support encryption
H323 call close. Master slave problem
SIP bad name
SIP bad status
SIP busy everywhere
SIP busy here
A People + Content cascading failure occurred. (IP only)
The conference name is incompatible with SIP standards.
A general IP card error occurred.
The participant's endpoints were contacted successfully, but the participant is busy and does not wish to take the call at this time.
The participant's endpoint was contacted successfully, but the participant is currently not willing or able to take additional calls.
A-9
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
SIP Failure (cont.)
Cause Message
SIP capabilities don't match
SIP card rejected channels
SIP client error 400
SIP client error 402
SIP client error 405
Description
The remote device capabilities are not compatible with the conference settings.
The IP card could not open the media channels.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 400 (Bad
Request) response.
The request could not be understood due to malformed syntax.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 402
(Payment Required) response.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 405
(Method Not Allowed) response.
The method specified in the Request-Line is understood, but not allowed for the address identified by the
Request-URI.
A-10
MGC Manager User’s Guide
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
SIP Failure (cont.)
Cause Message
SIP client error 406
Description
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 406 (Not
Acceptable) resources.
The remote endpoint can not accept the call because it does not have the necessary responses. The resource identified by the request is only capable of generating response entities that have content characteristics not acceptable according to the Accept header field sent in the request.
SIP client error 407
SIP client error 409
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 407 (Proxy
Authentication
Required) response.
The client must first authenticate itself with the proxy.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 409
(Conflict) response.
The request could not be completed due to a conflict with the current state of the resource.
A-11
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
SIP Failure (cont.)
Cause Message
SIP client error 411
SIP client error 413
SIP client error 414
SIP client error 420
Description
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 411 (Length
Required) response.
The server refuses to accept the request without a defined
Content Length.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 413
(Request Entity Too
Large) response.
The server is refusing to process a request because the request entity is larger than the server is willing or able to process.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 414
(Request-URI Too
Long) response.
The server is refusing to service the request because the Request-
URI is longer than the server is willing to interpret.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 420 (Bad
Extension) response.
The server did not understand the protocol extension specified in a
Require header field.
A-12
MGC Manager User’s Guide
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
SIP Failure (cont.)
Cause Message
SIP client error 481
SIP client error 482
SIP client error 483
SIP client error 484
SIP client error 485
SIP client error 488
SIP forbidden
Description
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 481 (Call/
Transaction Does Not
Exist) response.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 482 (Loop
Detected) response.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 483 (Too
Many Hops) response.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 484
(Address Incomplete) response.
The server received a request with a To address or Request-URI that was incomplete.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 485
(Ambiguous) response.
The address provided in the request (Request-
URI) was ambiguous.
The endpoint sent a SIP
Client Error 488 (Not
Acceptable Here) response.
The SIP server rejected the request.
The server understood the request, but is refusing to fulfill it.
A-13
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
SIP Failure (cont.)
Cause Message Description
SIP global failure 603
SIP global failure 604
A SIP Global Failure
603 (Decline) response was returned.
The participant's endpoint was successfully contacted, but the participant explicitly does not wish to or cannot participate.
A SIP Global Failure
604 (Does Not Exist
Anywhere) response was returned.
The server has authoritative information that the user indicated in the Request-URI does not exist anywhere.
SIP global failure 606
SIP gone
A SIP Global Failure
606 (Not Acceptable) response was returned.
The requested resource is no longer available at the Server and no forwarding address is known.
SIP moved permanently The endpoint moved permanently. The user can no longer be found at the address in the
Request-URI.
SIP moved temporarily The remote endpoint moved temporarily.
A-14
MGC Manager User’s Guide
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
SIP Failure (cont.)
Cause Message Description
SIP not found
SIP redirection 300
SIP redirection 303
SIP redirection 305
The endpoint was not found.
The server has definitive information that the user does not exist at the domain specified in the
Request-URI.
A SIP Redirection 300
(Multiple Choices) response was returned.
Not currently used.
A SIP Redirection 305
(Use Proxy) response was returned.
The requested resource
MUST be accessed through the proxy given by the Contact field.
SIP redirection 380
SIP remote cancelled call
SIP remote closed call
A SIP Redirection 380
(Alternative Service) response was returned.
The call was not successful, but alternative services are possible.
The endpoint canceled the call.
The endpoint ended the call.
SIP remote stopped responding
The endpoint is not responding.
SIP remote unreachable The endpoint could not be reached.
A-15
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
SIP Failure (cont.)
Cause Message
SIP request terminated
SIP request timeout
SIP server error 500
SIP server error 501
SIP server error 502
Description
The endpoint terminated the request.
The request was terminated by a BYE or
CANCEL request.
The request was timed out.
The SIP server sent a
SIP Server Error 500
(Server Internal Error) response.
The server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the request.
The SIP server sent a
SIP Server Error 501
(Not Implemented) response.
The server does not support the functionality required to fulfill the request.
The SIP server sent a
SIP Server Error 502
(Bad Gateway) response.
The server, while acting as a gateway or proxy, received an invalid response from the downstream server it accessed in attempting to fulfill the request.
A-16
MGC Manager User’s Guide
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
SIP Failure (cont.)
Cause Message
SIP server error 503
SIP server error 504
SIP server error 505
Description
The SIP server sent a
SIP Server Error 503
(Service Unavailable) response.
The server is temporarily unable to process the request due to a temporary overloading or maintenance of the server.
The SIP server sent a
SIP Server Error 504
(Server Time-out) response.
The server did not receive a timely response from an external server it accessed in attempting to process the request.
The SIP server sent a
SIP Server Error 505
(Version Not Supported) response.
The server does not support, or refuses to support, the SIP protocol version that was used in the request.
A-17
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
Table A-1: Primary Disconnection Reasons (Continued)
Category
SIP Failure (cont.)
Cause Message
SIP temporarily not available
SIP timer popped out
SIP transport error
SIP unauthorized
SIP unsupported media type
Description
The participant's endpoint was contacted successfully but the participant is currently unavailable (e.g., not logged in or logged in such a manner as to preclude communication with the participant).
OUT (IP only)
The endpoint did not respond in the given time frame.
(IP only)
Unable to initiate connection with the endpoint.
(IP only)
The request requires user authentication.
The server is refusing to service the request because the message body of the request is in a format not supported by the requested resource for the requested method.
A-18
MGC Manager User’s Guide
Table A-2: Secondary Disconnection Causes
Category
Incoming video channel does not match conference video settings
Remote Device does not support the current video parameters
Cause Message Possible Solution
The incoming video parameters are incompatible with the
Conference Video parameters
Parameters in the
Software CP conferences are incompatible with the incoming video parameters
Remote device is not compatible with the conference video settings
Inadequate video card resources
Match conference video settings with remote device video capabilities
Match conference video settings with remote device video capabilities
Match conference video settings with remote device video capabilities
When moved to a
Transcoding or
Continuous Presence conference, the participant's video capabilities are not supported by the video cards
Video connection could not be established
Match conference video settings with remote device video capabilities
Match conference video settings with remote device video capabilities
The remote device lacks
VCPC or VCFX capabilities
Match conference video settings with remote device video capabilities
Match conference video settings with remote device video capabilities
A-19
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
Table A-2: Secondary Disconnection Causes (Continued)
Category Cause Message
Remote Device does not support the current video parameters (cont.)
Remote device failed to change its video parameters
The participant video settings are not compatible with the
Conference On Port video settings
The participant video settings are not compatible with the
Conference protocol
New conference H.264 settings are not compatible with remote device settings
New conference video settings are not compatible with remote device video settings
The endpoint cannot reopen the video channel after the conference video mode was changed
The outgoing video channel failed to reopen in a COP conference
Video stream violation during session
Possible Solution
Match conference video settings with remote device video capabilities
Force the conference video settings to match remote device video capabilities
Force the conference video settings to match remote device video capabilities
Force the conference video settings to match remote device video capabilities
Force the conference video settings to match remote device video capabilities
Remote device shut its video channels
Video stream violation due to incompatible annexes
The incoming video rate is incompatible with the conference rate
Force the conference video settings to match remote device video capabilities
Disconnect and reconnect the remote device
Disconnect and reconnect the remote device
Disconnect and reconnect the remote device
A-20
MGC Manager User’s Guide
Table A-2: Secondary Disconnection Causes (Continued)
Category
Video channel rejected by inadequate H.323 card resources
Conferencing
Limitation
Cause Message
H.323 card failure
Video connection for
SIP participant is temporarily unavailable
Possible Solution
Reset the H.323 card
Set the video conference to CP or
Video Switching with defined video parameters
A-21
Appendix A: Disconnection Causes
A-22
B
Appendix B: Glossary
This appendix lists the terms and abbreviations that are related to the MGC functionalities and technologies, and are commonly used in the MGC
Manager documentation.
Abbreviation/
Term
AMI
Asynchronous
ATM
Audio Bridge
B8ZS
Explanation
Alternate Mark Inversion. A T1 line coding format, inverting alternate ones.
A transmission method used by dial up modems. Data is transmitted using a start bit at the beginning of a character and a stop bit at the end. The time interval between characters may be of varying lengths.
Asynchronous Transfer Mode. High speed (up to 155
Mbps) high bandwidth network that integrates voice, video and data. ATM provides connectivity to LANs,
WANs, private networks and sub-networks.
ATM supports applications requiring high transmission speeds, large transmission capacities, and bandwidth on demand.
Used to mix multiple audio inputs and to output composite audio to each of the endpoints connected to a conference.
Bipolar 8-Zero Substitution. A T1 line coding format substituting each group of eight consecutive zeros with an established pattern. See also T1 line.
B-1
Appendix B: Glossary
Abbreviation/
Term
Bandwidth
BAS
B-Channel
Bonding
Bps, Kbps
BRI
Carrier
Cascading
Conference
Explanation
Defines the information carrying capacity of a channel. In analog systems, it is the difference between the highest frequency that a channel can carry and the lowest, measured in hertz. In digital systems, bandwidth is measured in bits per second. The larger a connection's bandwidth, the more data can be transmitted in a given amount of time, allowing for greater video resolution and more sites in a conference. See Line Rate.
Bitrate Allocation Signal. BAS codes are used to exchange information about capabilities and commands between devices at opposite ends of a digital video connection.
Bearer Channel. A channel in a span or in a group of spans, that carries audio-visual data. The ISDN circuitswitched bearer channel is capable of transmitting 64
Kbps of digitized information.
Bandwidth ON Demand INterpolarity Group. A transmission protocol that aggregates two 64 Kbps B channels to function as one 128 Kbps channel. When using several BRI channels, Bonding means that only one
D-channel serves all BRI channels, while the remaining
D-channels are used for data transfer.
See also: BRI.
Bits and kilobits per second; a unit of bandwidth, that is the amount of data that can flow during one second over a communications line (using a transmission medium).
1 Kbps=1000 Bps
Basic Rate Interface. A type of ISDN connection for transmitting data, consisting of 3 channels: two Bchannels (each of 64 Kbps) and one D-channel (16
Kbps).
A telephone or other company that provides telecommunication transmission services.
The use of two MCUs in a multipoint video conference, allowing for multipoint conferences with more than 12 video participants.
B-2
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Abbreviation/
Term
CAS
CIF, 4CIF, QCIF
Circuit
Codec
Conference
CSU
D-Channel
Explanation
Channel Associated Signalling. An interface for Audio
Only conference participants. See also T1-CAS.
Common Intermediate Format, an optional part of the
ITU-T's H.261 and H.263 standards. CIF specifies 288 non-interlaced luminance lines, that contain 176 pixels.
CIF can be sent at frame rates of 7.5, 10, 15, or 30 per second. When operating with CIF, the amount of data to transmit cannot exceed 256 K bits (where K equals
1024).The CIF video format has the capacity to transmit video images of 352x288 pixels at 36.45 Mbps and 30 frames per second. A 4CIF format has four times the capacity of CIF; QCIF has quarter the capacity of CIF.
Another term for span; a T1 or E1 line.
Coder-decoder. A device that converts voice and video into digital code, and vice versa. Refers to the endpoint video camera and video board that are used for videoconferencing.
Connection between two or more endpoints exchanging video and audio information. If only two endpoints are involved, a conference is called point-to-point and no
MCU is required. If more than two endpoints are involved, it is called a multipoint conference, and an MCU
(Multipoint Control Unit) is required as the management system. See also MCU.
Channel Service Unit. Customer-provided equipment that is used as an interface between a communication network and the data terminal.
The channel in a span or in a group of spans, which is used to transmit signaling information between the (public or private) switch and the MGC-100.
B-3
Appendix B: Glossary
Abbreviation/
Term
DTMF
E1 line
Endpoint
FECC
Frame
Frame Rate
G.711
G.722
G.728
Gatekeeper
H.221
H.230
Explanation
Dual Tone Multi Frequency. A system of coded signals used by touch-tone telephones in which a specific sound, frequency or tone is assigned to each key so that the signal can be easily recognized by a computer. The codes enable data input and control of voice-processing systems. DTMF signals can pass through the entire connection to the destination device and therefore are used for remote control after the connection with the MCU is established.
A 2 Mb digital switched line used in Europe.
An endpoint is any videoconferencing unit.
Far End Camera Control. In certain video cameras, the accompanying software that enables a participant to control a remote camera. Used in Continuous Presence video conferences in conjunction with the LSD option.
See also LSD.
A group of bits that make up an elementary block of video data for transmission by certain protocols.
The number of video frames displayed on-screen during one second, measured in fps (frames per second).
ITU-T audio algorithm, 64Kbps, 3.4 kHz.
ITU-T audio algorithm, 64Kbps, 7 kHz.
ITU-T audio algorithm, 16Kbps, 3.4 kHz.
A type of server that performs two main functions: translates LAN alias addresses of terminals and gateways to IP addresses and provides bandwidth management.
ITU-T standard that defines how to multiplex video, audio, control, and user data into one serial bit stream.
ITU-T standard that defines simple multipoint control systems procedures and describes network maintenance functions.
B-4
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Abbreviation/
Term
H.231
Explanation
H.242
H.243
H.261
H.263
H.264*
H.264
H.320
H.323
IMUX or Inverse
Multiplexing
IP
ISDN
ITU-T standard that defines a set of MCU functions and operational requirements.
ITU-T standard that defines initiation of communications between systems and capabilities negotiation procedures.
ITU-T standard that defines initiation of communications between systems and capabilities negotiation procedures in multipoint conferences.
ITU-T standard that defines the Px64 video coding algorithm.
ITU-T standard that provides improved compression and quality of video images at a line rate lower than 384 Kbps.
This standard is not supported by all codecs.
A proprietary Polycom Video compression standard.
ITU-T standard that provides improved compression and quality of video images in lower line rate connections and is part of the Highest Common mechanism in Video
Switching conferences.
ITU-T standard that defines how the H-series video conferencing recommendations work together.
ITU-T standard for audio, video and data communications across IP-based (LAN) networks, including the Internet.
A feature that allows high speed serial data streams to be divided into multiples of 56 or 64 Kbps for transmission over public digital switched networks (PSTN). At the remote end, all the channels are phase-aligned and synchronized to recreate the original data stream.
Internet Protocol. The working protocol that forms the basis of the internet.
Integrated Services Digital Network. A set of protocol and interface standards (voice, video and data) that comprise a telephone network. There are two types of ISDN lines:
BRI and PRI.
B-5
Appendix B: Glossary
Abbreviation/
Term
Explanation
ITU-T Standard
LAN
Line Rate
Leased Line
LSD
LDAP
MCU
International Telecommunications Union,
Telecommunication Standardization Sector (formerly
CCITT). An international group that produces official standards for telecommunications.
Local Area Network. A group of computers and other devices linked via a network’s operating system.
The amount of bandwidth used by a communication device, measured in Kbps (kilobits per second).
A dedicated PRI line supplied by the telephone company.
See also PRI line.
Low Speed Data. A data channel that allows the participant to transfer commands from one endpoint to the camera of another endpoint and control its camera from far. See also FECC.
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.
Multipoint Control Unit. Device which allows more than two sites to be connected in a video conference.
MPI
Network Service
Multi Protocol Interface that supports connection to endpoints using communication protocols such as V.35
RS-449 and RS-530 over a serial connection.
A collection of spans from a fixed service provider.
Network services can be any of the following types:
•
Private Network
•
Public Utility, including:
•
Long distance service
•
Local service
•
PTT
•
PBX; local switchboard leased line
Null modem cable
A serial cable designed to eliminate the need for communication equipment when two digital devices are directly connected to each other.
B-6
MGC Manager User’s Guide - Volume I
Abbreviation/
Term
Port
POTS
PRI
QCIF
QoS
RS-232
SIP
Span
Switched 56 line
T.120
T1 Line
ToS
WAN
Explanation
One of 23 channels in a T1 PRI; one of 24 channels in a
T1 leased line; or one of 30 channels in an E1 PRI.
Plain Old Telephone System. Conventional analog telephone line.
Priority Rate Interface. An ISDN interface designed for high volume data communication. Consists of 23 B channels of 64 Kbps each and one D channel of 64 Kbps.
In Europe, the PRI line provides 30 B channels + one D channel.
Quarter CIF. A video format with image size of 176x144 pixels that transmits 9.115 Mbps at 30 frames per second
(a quarter of the capacity of CIF). See also CIF.
Quality of Service. QoS defines the performance of a network service, such as the average delay between packets.
A standard for serial interface connection.
Session Initiation Protocol. An application-layer protocol designed to work over IP networks. A SIP service defines the properties and the IP addresses of the SIP network components.
An ISDN line or leased line. A span may be of either T1
(United States) or E1 (Europe) type. Also called a circuit.
A line using protocols pre-dating the ISDN protocols; also called a robbed bit signaling line or a pre-ISDN line.
A standard for data and application sharing. Users can share and manipulate data as if they were in the same room.
An 1.5 Mb digital switched line used in the United States.
Type of Service. Tos defines optimization tagging for routing audio and video packets.
Wide Area Network. A communications network that services a geographical area larger than the LAN.
B-7
Appendix B: Glossary
Abbreviation/
Term
Whiteboard
Explanation
An on-screen shared notebook for placement of shared documents.
B-8
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Key features
Universal transcoding
Dynamic continuous presence
Multiple switching modes
IVR-enabled conferencing
Entry queue
Video+ features
Encryption
Conferencing capabilities and options
Conference reservations features
Conference setup features
Frequently asked questions
Polycom 7.5 supports up to 250 participants in a single video conference.
Yes, Polycom 7.5 is interoperable with a wide range of video conferencing systems, including those from Cisco, Avaya, and Microsoft.
To start a video conference using Polycom 7.5, simply click on the "Start a meeting" button in the MGC Manager interface. You can then invite participants by entering their email addresses or by selecting them from your contacts list.