Pilot Project Outline - Interoperability between Microsoft Lync /Skype for Business and Standards based Swansea University, May 2015 Address: Swansea University, Singleton Campus, Swansea SA2 8PP Email: support@wvn.ac.uk Author: Chris Swinney Tel: 0300 688 0688 Published: 26 May 2015
PILOT PROJECT OUTLINE - INTEROPERABILITY BETWEEN MICROSOFT LYNC /SKYPE FOR BUSINESS AND STANDARDS BASED VIDEOCONFERENCING GATEWAY SWANSEA UNIVERSITY, MAY 2015 INTRODUCTION Following on from our Infrastructure Update which was sent out toward the end of last summer, we would like to announce and invite you to join a pilot which would enable cross platform videoconferencing between those using Microsoft Lync/Skype for Business (SfB) and standards based (H.323/SIP) videoconferencing equipment. The pilot will utilise a centralised video gateway, as is indicated in Figure 1 and Figure 2 below. The ultimate benefits of deploying this centralised video gateway would include an ability for lecturers, students, remote workers or any Microsoft Lync/SfB enabled user within an organisation to be included in any scheduled standards based videoconference (such as those conducted via Vscene), or bring in specific standards based videoconferencing systems into a Microsoft Lync/SfB conference. It would leverage the existing infrastructure and an organisations investment in its Microsoft Lync/SfB deployment without a large capital outlay. It is likely that Microsoft Lync/SfB will become a major contender (if it isn t already) in the collaboration and video communications environments of Welsh Public Sector organisations. However, we believe that whilst PC and software based endpoints will become more commonplace, they will not fully replace room based systems, but rather complement them. Basic hardware based room systems are now relatively inexpensive and provide the quality, usability and overall reliability that users have come to expect. Software endpoints (such as Microsoft Lync/SfB), are inexpensive to mass deploy and they can offer acceptable quality and reliability as a personal system, however, the compromises involved in deploying such a system in a room environment often leads to poor results and render the solution not cost effective. There is already an extensive deployment of standards based room equipment across the Public Sector and beyond, a gateway between the two systems will deliver best value and maximise Return on Investment in the existing/legacy systems. Therefore we see the need to enable the two worlds to co-exist, but in a user friendly fashion, and that is cost effective for the organisations. As such, we ensure that our engineers are able to provide qualified consultative insight, both for the initial planning and deployment, but also maintaining and troubleshooting of a Microsoft Lync/SfB topology, and how it might best integrate with other videoconferencing systems. In addition, we are constantly looking at upcoming technologies (such as room based Lync/SfB devices/clients) and devices and hope that we can be a central point to share ideas and thoughts across the community, thus reducing any double efforts that may occur across organisations. WELSH VIDEO NETWORK Page 1
External Lync Users External Videoconferencing Users VCS Expressway Public DMZ Lync Edge Perimeter Internal Lync Internal VCS Control Figure 1 - View of a single organisation: Microsoft Lync/SfB and standards based videoconferencing technologies are generally incompatible. Page 2 WELSH VIDEO NETWORK
External Lync Users External Videoconferencing Users Centralised Video Gateway VCS Expressway Public DMZ Lync Edge Perimeter Internal Lync Internal VCS Control Figure 2 - With the addition of the pilot Microsoft Lync/SfB video gateway, callers from Vscene and other standards based systems can communicate with Microsoft Lync/SfB Users. WELSH VIDEO NETWORK Page 3
WHY ARE WE OFFERING THIS PILOT? After significant feedback from our customers and tracking developments in the videoconferencing industry over the last few years, there is need to remove interoperability barriers between competing videoconferencing technologies, and to gain knowledge and experience in this area. WVN has evaluated several different software based desktop video client alternatives over the past years, however, they have fallen short for various reasons, such as their difficulty to mass deploy and maintain, poor cost effectiveness, poor overall quality and reliability, or an inability to seamlessly interoperate with other installed systems. Our customers within the Public Sector in Wales are seeing an increasing scope to implement Microsoft s Unified Communication system called Lync/SfB, which would enable all of their users to utilise a single client that could also be used for video calling. It is likely that Microsoft Lync/SfB will become a major contender in the collaboration world, but whilst Microsoft s Unified Communications platform can provide its own conferencing facilities both within an organisation and to other federated organisations, it is not yet quite the Unified utopia that is needed to enable true collaboration. This is because Microsoft s implementation has taken open protocols (based on RFCs) and extended them in a proprietary fashion and also uses alternative media types. This means that it is not possible for Microsoft Lync/SfB to natively interoperate with other standards based equipment. Given its scale and existing deployment base, Microsoft offerings can be extremely attractive and may help to overcome some of the issues seen previously with desktop video deployments. Organisations should be cautious however, not to get stuck in a Manufacturer silo. WVN have looked at differing technologies to provide this bridge between Microsoft Lync/SfB and pre-existing standards based equipment. The technology to support this is in its relative infancy and either does not yet offer full interoperability (such as a limited ability to share content), or are designed with integration directly with an enterprise deployment in mind (meaning that each institution would need to invest in and deploy their own solutions). These limitations also apply to Microsoft s own interoperability solution (Video Interop Server (VIS), a new server role in SfB), and in-itself will only be available to on-premises users. We are now trialling some systems that we hope will enable full interoperability across Microsoft Lync/SfB and standards based Videoconferencing equipment that can be deployed centrally, and thus would provide significant benefit for all WVN customers, without the need for extensive individual organisation investment or infrastructure alteration/re-configuration. A centralised approach has many advantages including cost effectiveness, efficiency and ease of support. Page 4 WELSH VIDEO NETWORK
WHAT ARE THE GOALS AND BENEFITS OF THIS PILOT DEPLOYMENT? Primary Goals To enable users of the current Vscene service to be able to add participants that use Lync/SfB clients directly into a conference. Local videoconferencing endpoints can be added as searchable contacts within Lync/SfB. To enable content sharing in both directions, in addition to two way audio and video in a multisite call. Additional Goals To enable Skype users to interact with multipoint videoconferences. To look to provide cross platform Virtual Meeting Rooms. To enable WebRTC videoconferencing. To explore the practicalities and service model required to deliver a production service. Primary Benefits Users will be able to use a single client and be involved in both Lync/SfB and Vscene conferences. This avoids the need for plugins, no complicated firewall rules and configurations. Your videoconferencing endpoints can be added to ad hoc Lync/SfB conferences and dialled directly from a Lync/SfB client. All users, no matter what technology they use, will be able to participate fully in the conference. Whilst Lync/SfB supports consumer Skype for point-to-point video calls, Skype users should be able to now join multiway videoconference calls. Users with different technologies (including mobile) can have an on demand place to meet. Users outside of an organisation without Lync/SfB or even standards based videoconferencing devices can connect with others simply by opening a browser. If the pilot is successful the knowledge and expertise gathered will help to design a production service that adds real value. WELSH VIDEO NETWORK Page 5
WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE PILOT? We have subdivided this in several sections: WHAT IS THE TECHNOLOGY WE ARE USING? Having evaluated the market and conducted some initial trials we have identified a product which may meet the requirements; but this is a rapidly evolving area and other products may reach the market during the pilot. The pilot will determine whether there is currently a product that is currently capable of providing the functionality needed. HOW LONG WILL THE PILOT LAST? The pilot will run from July 1 st 2015 until July 31 st 2015. We are now accepting expressions of interest from organisations who would like to be considered for the pilot; these should be submitted by 19 th June 2015. WHO CAN BE PART OF THE PILOT? The offer is open to all WVN supported organisations, however, we are only looking for limited numbers to take part in the pilot. We ask that your Lync/SfB deployment be fully operational, with the ability to accept external federated connections. The trial will be able to support both onpremises and Office 365 (or hybrid) Lync/SfB deployments. WVN will select the organisations that will take part and notify all those that apply whether they are included or not. HOW MUCH WILL THE PILOT COST? The pilot is FREE to chosen organisations, however, there may be a small administrative fee for the issuing of public certificates. WHAT WILL ORGANISATIONS HAVE TO DO TO BE PART OF THE PILOT? We will try and keep the amount of effort to a minimum., but organisations that take part in the pilot will be required to provide regular feedback which may require taking part in focus groups; we may also ask for information that will help to direct future design of a service, for example information on scale and costs. We may also ask participating organisations to take part in occasional demonstrations of the system and to consent to being included in any future proposal documents/marketing material. Since the length of the pilot is relatively short it is important that participating organisations are able to provide a commitment to respond in a timely manner to requests; while we do not expect interaction to be overly onerous it would be expected that participants respond consistently to queries within two working days. The most significant technical change will be the addition of DNS records, which will point standards based SIP lookups to existing WVN infrastructure. This will also have the benefit of potentially SIP Page 6 WELSH VIDEO NETWORK
enabling your existing videoconferencing deployment, but we can discuss the full ramifications of this change with you prior to your acceptance onto the pilot. The DNS changes do not interfere with your current Lync/SfB deployment as the records are completely different, which means that your Lync/SfB setup will continue to operate in exactly the same fashion is it does currently. In addition to the DNS records, we may require the addition of DNS names based on your zone (i.e. bridge.domain.ac.uk or pont.parth.ac.uk to be added to the certificates which will be issued to the trial devices. As these certificates will be domain validated and issued via JANET Certificate Services, a DCV email will need to be issued to and responded by a suitable administrator for your domain. However, in the first instance this may not be entirely necessary. If you run a closed federation on your Lync/SfB deployment, you will also need to add some SIP domains to your whitelist. There may be additional configuration changes (such as firewall modifications) that could be required in order to utilise all functionality (such as WebRTC), however, WVN will discuss this in more detail with the chosen organisations. WILL THIS BE A GUARANTEED SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE PILOT? Whilst we intend to run this as a continual service throughout the pilot, you may find that there service interruptions or configuration amendments that will need to be made. There will also be limited concurrent call capacity. WHO DO WE CONTACT TO BE PART OF THE PILOT OR REGISTER INTEREST? Please reply to the initial email (support@wvn.ac.uk), or contact WVN on 0300 688 0688. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE PILOT? We will assess the success of the pilot and determine whether it would be beneficial to investigate providing a production service. WHAT WILL BE THE LIKELY COST OF THE FULL SERVICE? At this point in time we do not know. Many factors need to be considered, but costs would be shared across multiple customers, thus reducing individual institution costs significantly, and will certainly be much reduced in comparison to any single organisation deciding to implement their own solution. WILL THE SERVICE CONTINUE BEYOND THE PILOT? This will depend on the feedback from the pilot, the amount of additional interest this raises across our community, changes to the marketplace and our environment. WELSH VIDEO NETWORK Page 7