[THEGrid] Video arrangements: Internet2 Southern Region LHC Data and Networking Needs workshop

[Alan Sill]

For those who are not able to attend the Internet2/LEARN/TIGRE/ 
THEGrid data and networking needs workshop in person, we have set up  
the following video arrangements.  There is a short form and a longer  
version of these instructions.  Use the summary if you are already  
familiar with ESNet or VRVS conferencing, or the longer instructions  
if this information is new to you.

Summary:

Both VRVS Saturn and ESNet meeting ID 8842542 should work for this  
meeting.

Connect using ESNet meeting ID 8842542
or GDS 00113498842542
or 8842542 at 198.128.3.86
or connect your video system to 198.128.3.172 and choose the I2LHC  
meeting from the menu
or VRVS Saturn on the day of the meeting
or phone 1-510-883-7860 8842542# (limited number of connections)

Longer instructions for those unfamiliar with these systems:

The ESNet H.323/SIP video system will be configured to respond to  
meeting ID "8842452" for directly registered systems or for systems  
with Global Dialing System access, "00113498842542" as the GDS prefix  
is 0011349 for ESNet.  This meeting will also be bridged to the VRVS  
videoconferencing system in meeting room Saturn.  (Send me questions  
if you have any on this option.  ESNet connects well and  
interoperates with VRVS.)

For an H.323 or SIP system that is NOT already directly registered to  
ESNet and does not have GDS access, it is usually sufficient to  
connect to the ESNet Codian entry point at 198.128.3.172 and select  
the meeting ("I2LHC") from the list of meetings supplied there.  It  
is also sometimes possible to connect H.323 clients using the full  
meetingID at gatekeeper designation, in this case 8842542 at 198.128.3.86  
would be the connection string.  This works with some desktop clients.

Phone connections are also automatically provided in ESNet  
conferences.  A limited number of phone dial-ins can be supported  
using the dial-in number: 1-510-883-7860 and enter the meeting ID  
followed by the # key (8842542# in this case) when it answers.  The  
number of such connections that is possible varies according to load,  
ranging from a few up to a couple of dozen at most, so connections by  
video if possible are preferred.

To facilitate testing, I have defined the conference already and the  
above numbers will be available for testing from now through the  
duration of the workshop.  Please call and test it with your  
equipment and send me any questions ahead of time so I can address  
them before posting the summary information above to the workshop page.

The ESNet Codian is known to work with several IP-based H.323 clients  
and systems, including  room-based and desktop video systems (Polycom  
PVX, Mac OS X Xmeeting, GnomeMeeting/Ekiga, etc.).  SIP capability  
has recently been added, although I have not personally tested this  
option.

if you would like me to connect to the conference number at a certain  
time to facilitate testing ahead of time, this can also be done.   
Only the VRVS portion will not be active until the day of the meeting  
-- but a separate bridge can be set up for testing ahead of time if  
you would like to use VRVS to connect.

If none of the above options work, but your system is open to outside  
connections, we can set up a request to connect to your system to  
this conference externally from the control console of the Codian.   
Making connections on your own using one of the above options would  
be preferred, though, since this would leave connection and  
disconnection or repeated connection under your control rather than  
having me intervene.  The Codian has many options, but it would be  
better to leave as much connectivity as possible under remote user  
control.

Please test it and send any questions ahead of time.  Note the short- 
form instructions we post to the workshop page will be the ones in  
the summary, rather than the full explanation above!

All options except the VRVS one should work from now through the  
duration of the meeting.  Please let us know what connection option  
works best for you, and if you have problems, what client you are using.

Alan Sill, Ph.D
TIGRE Senior Scientist, High Performance Computing Center
Adjunct Professor of Physics
TTU

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:  Alan Sill, Texas Tech University  Office: Admin 233, MS 4-1167  :
:  e-mail: Alan.Sill at ttu.edu   ph. 806-742-4350  fax 806-742-4358  :
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