Early last week, Polycom made several product announcements surrounding the RealPresence platform enhancements that include the industry’s first open standards-based SVC (Scalable Video Coding). The newly announced CloudAXIS Suite lets customers extend enterprise-grade video collaboration to users of Skype, Facebook, Google Talk and business video applications via a browser, for B2B and B2C video conferencing with the highest quality, reliability and security.

Polycom RealPresence Collaboration Server 800s, Virtual Edition
The Collaboration Server 800s is the newest multiparty solution to join the RealPresence Collaboration Server series family. An ideal fit for mid-sized enterprises or organizations wanting to expand an existing environment through the use of a Virtualization Manager. With both AVC (Advanced Video Coding) and SVC, the Collaboration Server 800s is totally interoperable with more than 2 million existing video conferencing systems.

Polycom RealPresence Group Series
With a new easy-to-use interface and high user adoption rate, the Polycom RealPresence Group Series offers full 1080p60 video and content sharing. The Group Series will connect to virtually any other standards-based video system.

Polycom RealPresenve VisualEdge
The Polycom RealPresence VisualEdge brings a unified communications system straight to your desktop. Used as both a high-resolution monitor and video communications tool, the VisualEdge system comes with an easy-to-use touch pad to control functions.

Set to release in early 2013, we can expect to learn even more about these announcements and enhancements in the months to come. To learn more about Polycom’s latest announcements, please reach out ot your SKC Account Executive or Contact Us to learn more.

Jeff Holton, Vice President of Technology

Security
There are a number of security issues with Skype, including hackers’ ability to find the location of users through the IP address used to log in. Here’s an example.

Quality
With true HD at the desktop, small conference room, large conference room, and Immersive Telepresence, video from SKC partners offer a much clearer picture than you receive using Skype. Combined with the higher bandwidth used for these video calls, you’ll have less interruptions due to choppy video or audio.

David Gillespie, Collaboration Engineer

Last week, SKC streaming partner Accordent was purchased by Polycom. Videoconferencing and streaming technologies cross paths everywhere in the distance learning, training and the UC space. This is a natural step for Polycom to take and one that SKC was ready for. SKC has been selling Accordent technology since 2009 and this move should excite those looking to streamline their videoconferencing sessions and streaming/testing needs.

Polycom has always been able to produce excellent recordings of videoconferences through its RSS platform, but struggled with managing and delivering those solutions to end users. The VMC 1000 developed by Cumu and OEM’d by Polycom brought the necessary tools for managing and delivering video on-demand content to users. However its high price point often made the VMC 1000 a desired but unobtainable product for our clients. Accordent on the other hand, has proven its worth with its integration into SharePoint and Lync as video deliverability portals.

I had dinner with Accordent the night before the announcement and they didn’t utter a peep except to say that Polycom could be a natural partner for them. Accordent has strong integration potential with Polycom’s RSS 4000, and brings a lot to the table: robust media management, streaming on and off network, a fully customizable user interface to match client needs and the ability for clients to create and manage testing and certification programs.

The Unified Communications formula here is Microsoft + Polycom + Accordent = Very strong UC.

Jeff Holton, Director of Technology

Today, Google announced that it will build its ultra high-speed fiber optic network in Kansas City, Kansas. As a neighbor to the south of KCK, we’re excited about the announcement and what it means for video communications in our community.

Google will provide broadband internet access to the city with speeds of about 1 gigabit per second. That’s around 100 times faster than what most Americans have available to them today. Essentially, this eliminates network limitations that can bog down business’ internet connections. We’ve already seen our clients utilize content sharing capabilities in video calls for meetings and distance learning, but with ultra high-speed internet, these calls can be taken to the next level.

The advantages go beyond the classroom and office. Homes will also have access to Google’s internet, making video calls from home easier to conduct. Teachers, doctors and enterprise employees will have more access to students, patients and co-workers from the comfort of their own homes without worries of slow connections.

Fourteen percent of American adults currently make video calls and 34 percent of that group is willing to pay for those calls. As more people become interested and familiar with video collaboration, the belief that video is just for the enterprise is becoming an outdated thought. Ultra high-speed fiber optic connections will only accelerate the process of video adoption in the home.

Congratulations to Kansas City, Kansas on being the first community in the country to receive Google’s ultra high-speed fiber optic network. We’re looking forward to the opportunities that it will present our community.

David Gillespie, Collaboration Engineer

It is rare to find a product that so perfectly and completely solves a problem. Last Wednesday, SKC account executive Victor Cuellar and I were given the opportunity to showcase the VGo video robot at the Texas State Capitol and discuss how it has turned life around for one child. I’ve heard this story a hundred times by now and I’m still taken by how perfectly things fell into place. Unfortunately, this story begins with a grave illness affecting a child with a giant personality.

Lyndon Baty is a 15-year old high school freshman whose body is rejecting a kidney transplant seven years after the surgery. His immune system has been depressed by doctors since December of last year to prolong the life of his donated kidney. As a result, he’s unable to join the outside world, much less go to school. To make that harsh reality even more difficult on Lyndon, he’s a very social kid with a big warm personality. When I met Lyndon and his family, I could tell that he was the life of the party. When Victor, collaboration engineer Paul Lively, and regional manager Scott Grimm conducted a demonstration of VGo’s first generation video robot at ESC Region IX in Wichita Falls, Texas, it was clear that this would give Lyndon the access to friends and teachers he needed.

His mom and dad told us repeatedly that before Lyndon could use VGo, his attitude was bleak. It was a struggle to get out of bed, eat and take medication. For Lyndon, he was missing out on the life his brothers and friends were all enjoying at school. The transformation was overnight; he’s up early, he’s been taking medication and eating much better. All around, this has been a real boost for Lyndon’s recovery and ongoing treatment.

Since then, Lyndon’s been on a wild ride. Local news ran a story that catapulted to NBC’s Today Show, then a Japanese news crew flew out to Dallas then drove to Knox City, Texas just to get a look at what VGo was doing for this young man… go ahead and google that drive. Last week, Lyndon and his family were invited to visit the Texas State Capitol and demonstrate what the video robot was capable of to his Senator, Robert Duncan on the Senate floor and to Governor Rick Perry, in the Governor’s office. Victor and I were there to support the demonstration and answer any questions that came up.

Hanging out on the floor of the Senate was pretty cool, I have to say. Of course the Senator and Governor were gracious hosts to us and the Baty family. At one point, during the photo-op in Governor Rick Perry’s office, Victor and I were talking with him and I needed to get the VGo onto the network before it could drive anywhere. I asked him, “Could you give me three minutes?” Governor Perry jumped back to the family, taking the cameras with him, so I could hurry up and get VGo online. After that, Lyndon was able to drive it behind the Governor back into his office area, where the Senator and Governor spent over half an hour entertaining the family and showing the kids all the crazy stuff Governor Perry had in his office.

Here’s Governor Perry sending a tweet about Lyndon, with some help from the man of the hour himself.

You can also check out the local news story here.

Anthony Stanley, Collaboration Engineer

While I am sad to report that the affordable flying car looks to be further still in the future, the telecommunications industry has fared far better in bringing practical and ubiquitous advances to market. Over the last several years, rural broadband penetration and Moore’s Law have enabled us to communicate with populations in rural areas over immersive IP video; a feat unthinkable just five years ago.

T1 speed connections that, in 2005, routinely cost $400 a month in major technology markets can now be purchased in rural townships for less than $100 a month from fiber and business cable providers. During this same time, advances in videoconferencing codecs have made HD video possible on inexpensive laptop computers. More efficient video codec compression algorithms, made possible by ever cheaper and more powerful processors have shrunk bandwidth requirements while pushing video quality to new highs. Large format, high resolution displays are also substantially more affordable than they were just a few years ago. All of this is good news for rural healthcare and education.

For telehealth, recent changes announced by the Department of Health and Human Services that greatly expand how providers can bill Medicare for services rendered, and the corresponding ripple effect that will have on private insurance and Medicaid reimbursement will drive adoption of telehealth by providers that been waiting for a sustainable business model. Enormous pools of grant funding for rural telehealth and education like the USDA’s RUS-DLT program, complete the trifecta. We are witnessing a perfect convergence of affordable and ubiquitous connectivity, low equipment costs for increasingly advanced tools, and a way to sustain the effort without temporal project funding sources.

SKC is hosting a webinar on Polycom Telemedicine Solutions on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 10 a.m. CST. For more information and to register, visit our registration page.

Darren Cheshier, Senior Audio Visual Architect

A teacher’s job is, first and foremost, to teach. Rather than burdening teachers with the task of dealing with the distance learning equipment, schools are utilizing the expertise of technology administrators to handle the systems. Many times, one administrator will manage multiple classrooms at the same time, which can become overwhelming without the proper tools.

Several software packages exist to help manage a large number of distance learning video endpoints and bridges. They can start and stop calls based on a schedule, fix settings to ensure everyone can see and hear the remote instructor, and monitor network traffic to ensure proper delivery of the content.

Specialized equipment can also be customized to manage every aspect of the classroom. These systems can control call scheduling, endpoint management, content delivery, media selection, audio level, camera tracking, and even environmental aspects of the room such as lighting, HVAC settings and motorized shades or drapes.

These types of management tools can offer remote support to instructors who want to control their own distance learning environment. Additionally, technology administrators can utilize all of these tools remotely from anywhere they can connect to the network via computer. A central control room can also be set up in order to manage every classroom in the environment from a set location. We see many of our clients utilize these central command centers and some even proactively monitor video conferences in place to avoid issues or to address problems the second they occur.

With systems like this in place, teachers can work through their lesson plans without interruption of solving technical video issues, allowing more time for instruction and learning.

Lance Ford, Educational Technology Advocate for TANDBERG, now part of Cisco

Prior to Tandberg, Lance served as a teacher and technology facilitator/coordinator for Howe Public Schools in rural Oklahoma, where he was a part of building a distance learning program to give students access to 21st century curriculum environments. Lance has served as a speaker for both state and national conferences on technology integration. He is also the incoming president of the Oklahoma Distance Learning Association.

Interactive video in the classroom can have a powerful impact when placed at the heart of the classroom experience. Video, integrated as the core of a rich media classroom, can provide a series of opportunities for today’s learners. Leveraging tools such as an interactive electronic whiteboard as the portal for interactive video allows teachers to build on skills they already possess. The infusion of video technologies must scaffold onto current classroom practices so that daily routines can become augmented with this incredible tool.

When interactive video impacts the classroom experience, the door to an external world of opportunities is opened wide. External expertise in the form of interactive virtual field trips can augment the curricular delivery by providing real-world, real-time expertise around a variety of topics. Whether it’s exploring marine life at the Mote Marine Laboratory, visiting with a pro football hall of famer, or taking a dive on the Great Barrier Reef, students and teachers can interact in real time with a myriad of subject matter experts.

Central to the necessary skill set for tomorrow’s workforce is the ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with peers. Communications fostered via video provide an authentic preparation for these learners. Book discussions, writing projects, team video editing and collaborative science experiments allow teachers and students to learn from their peers. Culturally diverse collaborations provide a rich opportunity for personal growth for all involved.

With these opportunities realized, the natural outgrowth is creativity. Students empowered as content creators with video can engage remote groups as subject matter experts. Application of core curriculum skills including research, writing, history, and geography foster real-world usage of acquired knowledge. Video at the heart of the class allows these students to interact in real-time with the world around them.

Ancillary to these “live” uses of interactive video, many teachers are actively looking to make a home connection with parents. In the interactive video classroom, content can easily be captured and distributed via an LMS or CMS portal for student review after hours. Or content can be pushed to online blogs and other media outlets so that parents can experience the amazing things their students are doing day in and day out.

The crucible for tomorrow’s workforce is today’s classroom, and as the world becomes “smaller” these classrooms must become more interconnected.  Interactive video at the core of the connected classroom provides a ripple of incredible opportunities.

Ty Bechtel – Video Engineer

When I think of firewalls, I envision security and trust. From a traditional videoconferencing perspective, firewalls were a foe. In the infancy of video over IP networks, firewalls were taboo to the point that in order for video to work on the internet, systems were placed outside of the firewall. I am happy to see where we have now evolved.

Videoconferencing has transformed to a point of cooperation with typical network security. No longer do we need to ask IT security for more public IP addresses or ports to be opened so that we can make a call. No longer does the security team cringe when they have to work with videoconferencing. We can now work effectively together in a network that will allow security and at the same time, enable video users to grow and move as needed.

How did we get to this point? Video aware firewall solutions and a little protocol named H.460. There are a few other gems out there, but at this point these are the two major solutions in the marketplace. They each have their place in the network design. Each provides one IP address for access and limited port visibility. The bottom line is that they each allow video networks to grow and move while still adhering to the security standards of most networks.

Video aware solutions typically sit on the edge of the network alongside an existing client firewall and route traffic to and from the video network as requested and acknowledged from behind the firewall. This eliminates rogue calls into the network. In addition to the internal call acceptance, the firewall ports typically needed for video calls are no longer continually open. Ports are opened and closed as calls occur. No more open ports at 3 a.m. on a Saturday for hackers to work over.

H.460 is an ideal way to enable multiple locations access back to a central location. H.460 appliances sit outside the firewall and communicate back into the network on a session basis. The key for H.460 is that call control is from behind the firewall. All call setup is performed outbound, so as long as your firewall has just a few ports open out to the internet, you will be able to make calls. The slick part of H.460 is that even when a call comes into a network behind a H.460 appliance, the call is established outbound. From a security standpoint, all validation occurs from a trusted source inside the network. Once again, no rogue calls. The added benefit of owning a H.460 appliance is that in the event your organization is working with a site that has a H.460-enabled video device, but may not have firewall rules set to support NAT, etc., you may be able to still call them. They simply register to your appliance and connection is established through your H.460 appliance.

My experiences over the last few years have been that we, as video users, can now supply a solution to our own network security team that allows video to grow.

Anthony Stanley,  Video Engineer

An IT engineer at a major health care system comes home one night to his wife, who is a doctor. He excitedly tells her about a large physician mobility project that IT plans to roll out system-wide which provides five new tools they believe will make their doctors’ jobs easier. His wife listens to him explain all the features and benefits that the new technologies have to offer, how they think it will improve patient care, and all the costs the new system will save.

Then, his wife tells him, “I don’t think we could use any of that. It simply does not offer any value to us, as physicians. You should really have talked to us about what we needed first.”

This is a true story from one of SKC’s large health care system clients. As technologists, I think we focus far too much on medical gizmos and gadgets when exploring opportunities in telehealth. More often than not, our conversations begin with devices, networks, cameras, and carts. We move on to data sheets, quotes, and purchase orders, often before any of us really know what the clinicians actually need to do with them. The most successful telehealth programs are driven by clinicians, who become evangelists for the program to other clinicians. They talk among themselves, at conferences, in the break room, over a round of golf. They publish papers on the clinical application, process, methodology and outcomes. Unlike many of us, the means by which they do it is much less important than the way they do it.

Any vendor can promise that the telehealth equipment they sell will work as they represented it would.  But, only the really good ones have a platform comprehensive enough to tailor it to the way your physicians want to work. The key is to get your clinicians in early, identify who among them are thought leaders and who can be your clinical champion. Beware of telehealth point solutions and specialty-specific systems. Just like in IT, a stew of specialty platforms does not a system make. Learn the clinical workflow from the clinicians and then partner with a vendor that can deliver the integrated solution your physicians ask for.

It only takes one influential doctor to derail the best-laid plans of IT if mishandled. But it also only takes one to champion a snowball of enthusiasm for your telehealth project, if IT provides them with what they want.