Table Of Contents

Functionality

Introducing the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU

About Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Users

Administrators

Chair Controllers and Operators

Conference users

Main Features

Port Capacities

Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU12 Port Capacity

Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU24 Port Capacity

About Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Architecture

About Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Topologies

Centralized Topology

Cascaded Conferences

Functionality

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This section describes the following topics:

•Introducing the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU

•About Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Users

•Main Features

•Port Capacities

•About Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Architecture

•About Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Topologies

Introducing the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU

The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU enables multimedia, multiparty collaboration in applications such as group conferencing, distance learning, training and video telephony. The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU supports multimedia, multiparty communications in the board room, at the desktop, in the home, or on the road over wireless.

The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU provides core IP-centric functionality, a wide range of layouts, powerful audio and video transcoding, an open API for customer application development, support of web-initiated data collaboration, and software upgradeable technology. Services are pre-configured so that they suit most conferencing requirements. However, when necessary, administrators can create customized services to suit their networks and user needs.

About Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Users

The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU provides an intuitive web interface with a single point of entry for configuring, controlling and monitoring the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU unit and conference sessions. Access to the interfaces is password-protected for four types of users—Administrators, Chair Controllers, Operators and conference users. For more information, see Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Access Levels, page 4-7.

Administrators

Administrators use the Administrator interface for configuring, controlling and managing the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU, conference services and supporting devices and applications.

Chair Controllers and Operators

Chair Controllers and Operators can use the Conference Control interface for controlling audio, video and data connections, for selecting advanced conference view image positioning and multiple layouts, and for creating new conferences and sub-conferences.

Chair Controllers can use the Conference Control interface to view conference details and manage a specific conference.

Operators have a global view of all current conferences, and can act as Chair Controllers for all current conferences.

Conference users

Conference users participate in actual video or audio conferences.

Main Features

Table 1-1 lists the main features provided by the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU for effective audio and videoconferencing and a satisfying user experience.

Table 1-1 Summary of Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Features 

Feature	Description
Flat capacity	Each conference participant can connect with his or her own optimal codec, resolution and bandwidth (from 64 Kbps up to 2 Mbps) without affecting other participants or the MCU capacity.
Superior video quality	Video and audio processing is carried out per user rather than per conference. Each user connects using unique, optimized audio and video settings to enjoy the best audio and video quality supported by his/her endpoint and network.
Seamless interoperability	The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU is built on the strong foundation of the Cisco H.323 and SIP software, ensuring full compliance and unmatched interoperability with IP and ISDN networks. The MCU enables H.323, SIP and SCCP devices to participate in the same conference session. When used with a Cisco gateway, the MCU also enables ISDN and V.35 wireless devices to participate in the same conference session.
Intuitive web-based management and control	Both the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU system and actual conference sessions are managed, configured, and dynamically modified through an intuitive, web-based interface that offers easy, high-level conference control and administrative flexibility for an enhanced user experience.
Supported protocols	•H.323 version 4 •SIP RFC 3261 for the Session Initiation Protocol •SCCP •H.243 for conference control •RFC 2833 for in-band DTMF with SIP •H.281 for far end camera control (FECC) •H.235 for IP-based media encryption •H.239 for standard simultaneous transmission of live video and presentation sharing feeds. •SDP (RFC 3264, 2327) •T.120 •H.320 (when using a gateway) Note The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU supports calls from H.323 and SIP endpoints in the same conference. Call signalling is handled on all ports regardless of the protocol type.
Audio transcoding codecs	•G.711 A/µ Law •G.722 •G.722.1 •G.723.1 •G.728 •G.729 A
Unmatched video quality	The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU delivers exceptionally high quality video and audio processing, using latest industry standards and leveraging upon advanced software upgradeable DSP chips. The Cisco QualiVision feature provides highly improved, standard-based video quality for networks with packet loss, assuring best video quality at all times. The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU achieves the best video quality by supporting the following video capabilities: •H.261, H.263 and H.264 in the same conference •A choice of 26 Continuous Presence layouts •Up to 2 Mbps on each stream without affecting capacity •QCIF, CIF and 4CIF in the same conference without affecting capacity •VGA, SVGA, XGA (supported for presentation channel only)
Multi-view (Dual Video)	Supports dual-screen video and data transmissions to endpoints supporting two monitors using the H.239 standard or TANDBERG DuoVideo. One monitor receives the conference video image and the other screen displays a presentation.
T.120 Data Collaboration support	Data collaboration is defined by the T.120 standard. Data collaboration using T.120 over the video conference connection enhances the conference by providing the tools for conference participants to share data instantaneously.
Security and privacy	•Administrator and operator password protection for accessing the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU web interfaces. •Optional PIN protection for joining a conference and web access. •Additional PIN protection for conference Chair Control. •The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU uses H.235-based encryption to achieve secure communication with endpoints that support this standard.
In-conference control using DTMF or H.243	During a conference, participants may use their endpoint remote control or keypad to perform actions such as mute, volume control, changing video layouts and inviting participants. Users interact with the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU via DTMF signaling or the onscreen GUI of H.243-compliant endpoints.
Optional no self see	The administrator can configure the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU service to remove the self-view for each conference participant. This feature enables more effective use of the video screen.
IVR messages	The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU includes pre-recorded greetings to conference participants and announcements as each new participant joins the conference. Using the CiscoAudio Message Utility, IVR messages can be recorded to provide custom greetings and announcements.

Port Capacities

The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU12 and Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU24 are delivered with a predetermined number of ports.

Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU12 Port Capacity

Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU12 supports a fixed number of ports as follows:

•24 ports of fully transcoded audio.

•12 ports of fully processed video (up to 2Mbps).

–Any Continuous Presence layout.

–All ports are fully video processed.

–Video and audio processing per user, not per conference. Each user connects using unique, optimized audio and video settings to enjoy the best audio and video quality supported by his/her endpoint and network.

–Any mixture of H.261/H.263/H.264.

–Mixed QCIF/CIF/4CIF conferences (4CIF is provided with H.263 at 15fps).

–Unlimited number of conferences.

Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU24 Port Capacity

Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU24 supports a fixed number of ports as follows:

•48 ports of fully transcoded audio.

•24 ports of fully processed video (up to 2Mbps).

–Any Continuous Presence layout.

–All ports are fully video processed.

–Video and audio processing per user, not per conference. Each user connects using unique, optimized audio and video settings to enjoy the best audio and video quality supported by his/her endpoint and network.

–Any mixture of H.261/H.263/H.264;

–Mixed QCIF/CIF/4CIF conferences (4CIF is provided with H.263 at 15fps).

–Unlimited number of conferences.

About Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Architecture

The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU enables both voice-only and video conference calls for H.323, SIP, H.320 and regular PSTN network telephones. H.323 and SIP devices can connect to a conference directly through the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU. Other devices such as voice telephones and video conferencing terminals (H.320) can connect to a conference via a gateway, such as the Cisco gateway.

Figure 1-1 Supported Devices and Protocols

The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU supports devices that can send and receive video streams, as well as those that cannot send but only receive video streams. This means that terminals without a video camera or video capturing capabilities can participate in a conference as voice-only participants while benefiting from seeing the other participants.

About Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU Topologies

The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU can work in a centralized or cascaded topology. This section describes these two options.

Centralized Topology

In a centralized topology, the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU performs media processing for all connected terminals. The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU can handle multiple conferences simultaneously.

Figure 1-2 Centralized Topology

Cascaded Conferences

The Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU allows you to combine two or more conferences resulting in a larger conference with many more participants. This is called cascading. Cascading creates a distributed environment that helps reduce the drain on network resources. In addition, the processing resources required by the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU are distributed between participating MCUs. Costly telephone or ISDN line usage can be further reduced with the mediation of a gateway.

Cascading occurs when one conference with "x" number of participants invites another conference with "y" number of participants. The two conferences effectively become one large conference. The bandwidth required across a cascaded conference link is only that of one audio/video stream between the two conferences. This is significantly less than the accumulated bandwidth of all the participants. Each separate Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU unit participating in a conference retains control of its individual conference resources and participants.

The cascaded conference in Figure 1-3 minimizes the use of network bandwidth while distributing processing among the participating the Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU units.

Figure 1-3 Cascaded Conference