The new video conferencing in CUCM 8.6

Hi Guys

As some of you may know from my previous blog post, the new version of CUCM 8.6 now supports Video Conferencing using just the PVDM3 DSP modules you have in your ISR G2 router! No need for an expensive MCU anymore, obviously there are some limitations but all in all it looks pretty nice.

When you go to add a new Conference Bridge, you will see some new options you might not have seen before! Here is details as to what they actually do:

Conferencing with Cisco Integrated Services Routers Generation 2

Cisco Integrated Services Routers Generation 2 (ISR G2) can be enabled to act as an IOS-based conference bridge that supports ad hoc and meet-me audio and video conferencing. DSP modules must be installed on the router to enable the router as a conference bridge.

Within Cisco Unified Communications Manger, the ISR G2 can be configured as one of three Conference Bridge Types:

•Cisco IOS Homogeneous Video Conference Bridge—This conference bridge type supports homogeneous video conferences. A homogeneous video conference is a video conference in which all participants connect to the conference bridge using the same video format attributes. The conference bridge sends the same data stream format to all the video participants.

•Cisco IOS Heterogeneous Video Conference Bridge—This conference bridge type supports heterogeneous video conferences. In a heterogeneous video conference, conference participants connect to the conference bridge with phones that use different video format attributes. The DSP provides transcoding and transsizing features to convert the signal between the various formats.

•Cisco IOS Guaranteed Audio Video Conference Bridge—This conference bridge type reserves DSP resources for audio conferencing, but does not reserve DSP resources for video conferencing. Callers on video phones may have video service if DSP resources are available at the start of the conference. Otherwise, the callers connect to the conference as audio participants.

(Source; http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/rel_notes/8_6_1/delta/delta.html#wp1601391)

Cheers!

Peter Revill, Dual CCIE #18371 Routing and Switching, Voice

http://ccierants.blogspot.com