Collaborations and Academic & Research Technologies

H.323-based Videoconferencing

H.323 is an international videoconferencing standard. It is pretty much ubiquitous in that affordable software and hardware is ready available and compatible systems exist at most universities and research laboratories (and some commercial companies) around the world. H.323 systems can be installed in a wide array of environments (large auditoriums, conference rooms, laboratories, and desktop and laptop computers) all of which are interoperable. H.323 systems do require good Internet connectivity in order to work well.

Desktop Videoconferencing
A description of desktop videoconferencing recommendations.

Server-based Conferencing

NUIT does not currently offer centralized server-based videoconferencing systems, but several NU schools or research centers do use these services. As examples, Adobe Connect is a server-based technology that supports video, audio, and data collaboration. Webex is another server-based system that is widely used in the educational community and supports data and audio conferencing. Both are available as a "pay per use" model or "server purchase" model.

NUIT A&RT has adopted the Adobe Connect technology in an Adobe Hosted service plan to support research activities and specialized online programs in 2009.

For more information about server-based conferencing services, contact Michael Curtis at NUIT Academic & Research Technologies.

Access Grid Videoconferencing

Access Grids are basically meant for close knit groups of researchers to collaborate. The systems are relatively expensive ($50,000 to $80,000 range) and must be installed in large conference room environments although it is possible to install the software on a desktop or laptop and interoperate with the room-based systems. Desktop environments, however, do no take advantage of the immersive environment provide by the Access Grid system. The systems typically provide facilities with four cameras, high quality audio, and three projectors projecting a continuous image on a fifteen foot or so wide screen. The projection will show multiple widows from the multiple cameras at all of the participating sites including the local site that can be moved around and resized. In addition to good Internet connectivity, the network must support multicast although a unicast bridge can be used. ART recommends that any AG installation at NU have ongoing technical support funds, as the AG platform is more technically demanding than other conferencing technologies.