Choosing the Right Solution

Sampling Various Videoconferencing Technologies

There's videoconferencing and then there's videoconferencing, which is sort of like the difference between ground beef and filet mignon. In the following sections, we introduce the three main classes of videoconferencing, so you can begin to narrow your options to the type of system you need:

• Desktop: Cheap and readily accessible
• Set top: So called "monster" (telepresence) systems that may be expensive and complicated, but will knock your socks off
• Managed services: Affordable turn-key solutions

Note: Your choice of system type always comes down to making some tradeoffs. Generally speaking, the more powerful the system, the more it costs and the harder it is to install, operate, and manage. If you go with something cheap, you can save a lot of money, but you can expect the quality and reliability to suffer, although the system may be a little easier to operate.

Desktop: Web conferencing
Grab yourself a computer with Internet access, a webcam, a set of speakers, and a microphone, and you can hop on the Web to participate in a Web conference. You and whomever you wish to meet can enter a virtual meeting room and videoconference with one another.

You're likely to encounter two types of Web conferencing:

• Hosted Web conferencing: With this type of Web conferencing, the vendor hosts the conference. You and other participants log in to the vendor's Web site and then enter a conference room that one of you has set up. Some vendors offer a scaled down version of their service for free or provide a free trial. To continue to use the full version, you either pay the vendor by "use" (time on the system) or "seat" (number of participants).
• In-house Web conferencing: The in-house option means that instead of logging on to a vendor's Web site to access the videoconferencing software, each participant installs the software on her computer. The in-house solution is particularly useful if you need to collaborate on projects in addition to communicating. This solution is not always the least expensive, but it can save a company money if they would otherwise have to pay a per seat fee for a large number of employees.

Security Issues
Web conferencing carries some potential security risks. Sophisticated crackers (hackers who intend to do harm or steal data), can conceivably intrude into your conference and gain access to sensitive files.

Caution: Web conferencing also utilizes collaboration and data sharing. If the data is proprietary or confidential, the risks may far outweigh the convenience of Web conferencing. Internet engineers are constantly working on enhancing and securing the Internet so the risk is minimal, but it still exists.

Reliability
As we all know, the Internet can be unreliable and unpredictable. One minute, you get right in and work for hours, and another minute you can't get in or it's so slow the system times out.

If you have a fast, reliable broadband Internet connection and a relatively powerful computer, you can expect your Web conference to proceed fairly smoothly and reliably. Keep in mind, however, that during your Web conference, your computer will be uploading and downloading large amounts of audio and video data. This will really put a strain on your broadband connection and your computer's resources.

Audio/Video Quality
Due to the amount of data that traverses the pipeline during a Web conference, audio and video quality can suffer considerably. If you're still using a 56K modem to connect to the Internet, you can pretty much forget about Web conferencing. You'll get better results with a DSL or faster connection, but you can still expect some delays and jerkiness in both audio and video.

Set top/Monster systems
Set top, "monster," systems aren't quite the equivalent of the Star Trek transporters that beamed people down and then back up again, but they're pretty close. These are the telepresence solutions introduced earlier in this chapter with audio/video quality that can knock your socks off.

In the following sections, we highlight the most important considerations you need to make when shopping for one of these monster systems.

$$$$$
Telepresence solutions are notorious for costing a lot of money. Before completely ruling them out as an option, however, realize that these systems are commonly available in three price brackets:

• Money is no object: If you're running a Fortune 500 company and can justify spending thousands or perhaps over a million dollars on a videoconferencing system, then an HD telepresence system may be the perfect solution for you. Do the math: A high-end system can cost as much as $500,000 per room to install plus $75,000 per month for the service. If you can save enough money in travel costs for top management to cover the cost of the system, then take the plunge. If the numbers don't work, consider a more affordable option.
• On the cheap: Low- to medium-priced telepresence systems can be installed in almost any conference-type room and don't require custom-built rooms, intricate audio and/or acoustical set up, or special IT (information technology) personnel. As a result, these systems are much more affordable for smaller businesses with smaller budgets. What's considered "affordable?" Prices start at about $6,000, and with proper bandwidth and network capability, you usually have no monthly fee.
• Rentals: If you can't afford to purchase a telepresence system and your videoconferencing needs are modest, consider renting one of the newer low- to medium-priced systems – for hundreds rather than thousands of dollars per month.

Note: The video communications market is evolving rapidly, and the newer equipment manufacturers and their resellers are offering affordable HD telepresence systems for sale and rent. These systems can accommodate the videoconferencing needs of almost any company that doesn’t want to spend a large sum of money.

Room requirements
If you get excited over stuff like HD TV, DV-R's, and home entertainment systems, then one of the money-is-no-object telepresence systems will make you drool. Companies that offer these systems will actually take a board room, gut it, and rebuild it with the latest and greatest in videoconferencing technology:

• Stereo surround sound with directional ceiling microphones and stereo speakers
• Seamless, custom display screens at the front of the room at resolutions of up to 3820 x 720 to create a cinematic experience
• Elegant furnishings, studio lighting, and acoustic batting around the walls and superior electronics
• Two to four HD video cameras mounted out of site to enable individual eye contact
• A laptop connection with optional peripherals for each seat

Most companies offer a selection of room configurations along with a choice of colors, carpet, wood, fabrics, and decor.

The lower end telepresence solutions offer nothing comparable. Most of these systems are adaptable to almost any room or office and require no restructuring or rebuilding. The monitor(s) are usually mounted on a wall or stabilized on a credenza of some type, and the camera(s) are positioned in between or above or below the monitor(s). The speakers are mounted for the best sound, and the microphone sits where the participants are sitting for full sound and transmission. The codec is usually somewhere under or around the monitors and any other peripherals that may be used, such as a laptop for presentations, a document reader, or a DVD for videos. Needless to say, these rooms aren't as luxurious as the high end solutions, but that’s one of the reasons they cost less.

"Must do" list to install/operate
One of the primary disadvantages of high-end telepresence systems is that they can take months to build. Properly equipping each room is like building a separate theater. The operation requires a team with expertise in several fields, including carpentry, construction, sound, video, electronics, networking, and interior design. Depending on the room, you may even have to hire a plumber! And this is just the first step.

Next, a team of specialists arrive from the vendor to actually install the equipment. After the installation, your company needs to work closely with the vendor to coordinate call scheduling, suite reservation services, call management, remote monitoring, and monthly reporting.

Getting a lower-end telepresence system up and running is much less of an ordeal. The systems are shipped from one or more manufacturers, and you can hire the vendors to install the equipment for you. These systems are not that complex to install, but the installation does need to be performed by qualified IT people who are familiar with video communications. An in-house IT person who knows what he's doing can usually handle it. After the system is up and running, you can choose to manage the system internally with in-house IT personnel.

Tip: Whether your purchase or rent your system, we recommend that you do so through a company that offers a managed service solution. Such a company has the expertise and experience to install, maintain, and troubleshoot the system. No problem is a new problem – they've seen it before and therefore offer quick results, especially when you need to expand or upgrade. Don't waste your internal resources trying to cut your teeth on a complex system.

Managed services
To drive a car, you don't need to know how an internal combustion engine works or how to fix it when it breaks down. This is the idea behind managed videoconferencing services. The service installs the equipment, gets the system up and running, and keeps it running. They do their job so you can do yours without the hassles and interruptions of service that can become commonplace with videoconferencing technology.

What many people who try to be do-it-yourselfers fail to realize is that HD quality video and complex audio streams utilize an extraordinary amount of bandwidth. These streams require technology management systems that monitor and report what is taking place up and down the network. When problems arise (and they will), a managed service provider has procedures in place to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve the problem immediately. All you have to do is pick up the phone, place the call, and report the problem.

Caution: Without an experience managed service, a sophisticated network operating center (NOC), and experienced personnel, identifying and fixing the problem can take several days or even weeks.

What does it include?
A managed service offers a true turn-key solution that gets your videoconferencing system up and running and keeps it running. Most services offer the following:

• System installation and integration
• Project management
• End user training
• System maintenance and monitoring
• Troubleshooting (preferably 24/7 including holidays)
• Database management
• End-to-end security management, monitoring, and reporting
• System expansion and upgrades

Managed service providers typically want their clients to experience ease of use and flexibility if their needs change. If a client decides she wants or needs to interface with another videoconferencing system, the managed service provider should be able to determine whether that can be accomplished and how. As clients add new systems or hardware and software, bandwidth requirements need to be analyzed and upgraded if necessary.

Weighing the pros and cons of managed services
You and others are more likely to use your videoconferencing system to its full potential when it operates reliably and meets or exceeds your expectations. This is why we strongly recommend that you hire a managed service vendor who has an excellent track record for maintaining performance and reliability.

The advantages of using a managed care service are numerous – peace of mind, troubleshooting expertise, availability, training, and so on. We can think of only one possible disadvantage – cost. Some may argue that they would prefer to have more control over their videoconferencing system internally, but you have no control if your IT people can't keep the system up and running and secure without a great deal of effort.

Now that you have a general idea of what the various videoconferencing solutions have to offer, you’re ready to start assessing your needs and narrowing your options in the next lesson, "Assessing Your Videoconferencing Needs."