*VidMid Conference Call*
September 10, 2001

*Attendees*

Ken Klingenstein (chair) - Colorado/Internet2
Steve Olshansky - Internet2
Jill Gemmill - ViDe/Alabama at Birmingham
Karen Krivaa - RADVISION
Ellen Vaughan - Internet2
Tyler Johnson - UNC Chapel Hill
Mairead Martin - Tennessee
Grace Agnew - Georgia Tech
Mary Fran Yafchak - SURA
Egon Verharen - SURFnet
Michael Gettes - Georgetown
Jim Whitlock - Buffalo
Art Vandenberg - Georgia State
Phil Galanter - NYU
Jim DeRoest - Washington
Ben Chinowsky (scribe) - Internet2

*Discussion*

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved without changes. The group reviewed progress on action items:

[20-August-2001 - Ben will post the why-video-needs-middleware document and reorganize the site to reflect its structure.]
Ben doesn't yet have the document; [AI] Ken will send the revised why-video-needs-middleware document to Ben, who will edit and post the document and reorganize the site to reflect its structure.

[20-August-2001 - Mairead will write a very short summary of VidMid's defining-VoD discussion.]
Still to do.

[20-August-2001 - Egon, borrowing freely from all of VidMid's scenario work so far, will rewrite the scenarios at http://www.surfnet.nl/innovatie/surfworks/showcase/h20.html in the agreed description-example-needs format.]
Ongoing. Egon gave a short update on his progress on the scenarios. He noted that he has found some scenario-writing guidelines on the web, and acknowledged the group's concern that the Needed Components section not become a list of particular pieces of hardware and software.

[20-August-2001 - All who have material for incorporation into VidMid scenarios will send it to Egon.]
Ongoing.

[20-August-2001 - All will send the list suggestions for a one-year VidMid workplan.]
Ongoing. [AI] Jill will incorporate a report on the August 15-16 ViDe workshop into the VidMid workplan.

[20-August-2001 - Egon will include firewalls in one of the VidMid scenarios.]
Still to do.

[6-August-2001 - All who have information on live streaming video in the context of a broader VoD service, will send it to the list.]
Ongoing.

[6-August-2001 - Samir will look into the availability and qualities of public SIP servers.]
Still to do.

VidMid agreed to form two subgroups to formulate and carry out workplans in the areas of videoconferencing and video on demand. There was a short dicussion of how VidMid's work relates to ViDe's. Ken characterized ViDe as the "advance scouts" and VidMid as following "one step behind but trying to lay the track while the scouts see that the territory is safe", and there was general agreement. Egon will lead the videoconferencing subgroup; Mairead will lead the video on demand subgroup; Steve will be a flywheel for both. [AI] All who want to participate in the VidMid subgroups -- videoconferencing (vidmid-vc@internet2.edu) and video on demand (vidmid-vod@internet2.edu) -- will send mail indicating the group(s) they want to join and the email address they want to use on its list, to Lisa Hogeboom (lhogeboom@internet2.edu) with a cc to Steve Olshansky (steveo@luminagroup.com). Ken noted that he thinks video will be "the most important enabling application" for middleware over the coming year; he will retain his role of overall VidMid coordinator. The group agreed to keep the general VidMid list going, and agreed that less-active participants ("lurkers") should be steered toward this list. A vidmid-announce list was also suggested for non-participants who want to be notified of important developments in VidMid's work. The group also agreed that the VidMid site needs to have specifics on the roles of the different lists and how to join them.

The group discussed Ken's list of items to be included in the videoconferencing workplan:

Purpose:
- To develop a set of simple, authenticated desktop videoconference clients, along with the associated directory and authentication components
- To identify network-based infrastructure to support community video
- To foster interoperability at the identifier, security and video stream levels
Timeframes and deliverables:
a. required directory object classes and attributes
b. recommended relationship of video directory to enterprise directory
c. H.323 client that can initiate video by target user identifier and present an authenticated initiator identifier to target for access control
d. SIP video client that can initiate video by target user identifier and present an authenticated initiator identifier to target for access control
e. H.323 to SIP gateway
f. Develop protocols for interrealm SIP

Tyler argued against VidMid taking on the task of developing videoconferencing clients, and advocated instead a focus on developing LDAP materials and standardizing them so they can be taken up by vendors, and on video-enabling existing LDAP directories. With respect to the H.323-vs-SIP issue, Tyler suggested that VidMid follow Orit Levin's suggestion to develop models for H.323, as it is the more mature technology, but do so in such a way that they can largely be duplicated in SIP. Michael cautioned against developing a new authentication scheme, as vs. developing a specific directory scheme; VidMid needs to accommodate a variety of means of authentication. Ken asked the group where VRVS fits in; Jill noted that Philippe Galvez has said that he could directory-enable VRVS, but would need significant resources in order to do so. Egon noted that it's easier to develop for SIP than for H.323; Tyler agreed, arguing that if VidMid does any development work itself, it should be for SIP not H.323. He also noted he had demonstrated the object classes he's working on (H323user and H323zone) at RADVISION recently, and his contact there thought that they should be standardized and added to the ITU standard. Tyler is hoping to have a working demo of these object classes by early October.

Next was a discussion of Ken's corresponding list for VoD:

Purpose:
- To enable the R&E community to find video-based resources and securely access authorized resources.
Timeframes and deliverables:
a. Metadata about video resources
white paper on the appropriate use of directories versus databases (and catalogues)
recommendations on the conversion of MPEG7 and Dublin Core metadata into directory object classes
b. Access control mechanisms for both streaming and near-real-time video resources
recommendations for access control API

Mairead observed that VidMid's VoD work is now where its videoconferencing work was back when the group first formed. There was general agreement that the VoD subgroup needs to greatly expand on Ken's list, and that this in turn is dependent on gaining clarity on the boundaries of VoD. One participant characterized the essential distinguishing feature of VoD as "stored assets"; another suggested that it's "random access", adding that "being able to cue the first frame of Apocalypse Now isn't gonna cut it." Ken noted that the overall VidMid workplan will also need to have a place for things that don't fit in either the videoconferencing box or the VoD box.

The group wrapped up with a discussion of the timeline for the next several weeks. [AI] Ken will set up a conference call with VidMid-VC chair Egon, VidMid-VoD chair Mairead, and VidMid flywheel Steve, to discuss the launch of the VidMid subgroups and the writing of workplans; others are welcome to join the call, but these four will have the floor. [AI] The group will aim to have draft workplans to review at the October 1-4 Internet2 Member Meeting, to have all scenarios completed by October 15, and to complete a list of requirements drawn from the scenarios by November 15.

*Action Items*

[AI] 10-September-2001 - Ken will send the revised why-video-needs-middleware document to Ben, who will edit and post the document and reorganize the site to reflect its structure.
[AI] 10-September-2001 - Jill will incorporate a report on the August 15-16 ViDe workshop into the VidMid workplan.
[AI] 10-September-2001 - All who want to participate in the VidMid subgroups -- videoconferencing (vidmid-vc@internet2.edu) and video on demand (vidmid-vod@internet2.edu) -- will send mail indicating the group(s) they want to join and the email address they want to use on its list, to Lisa Hogeboom (lhogeboom@internet2.edu) with a cc to Steve Olshansky (steveo@luminagroup.com).
[AI] 10-September-2001 - Ken will set up a conference call with VidMid-VC chair Egon, VidMid-VoD chair Mairead, and VidMid flywheel Steve, to discuss the launch of the VidMid subgroups and the writing of workplans; others are welcome to join the call, but these four will have the floor.
[AI] 10-September-2001 - The group will aim to have draft workplans to review at the October 1-4 Internet2 Member Meeting, to have all scenarios completed by October 15, and to complete a list of requirements drawn from the scenarios by November 15.
[AI] 20-August-2001 - Mairead will write a very short summary of VidMid's defining-VoD discussion.
[AI] 20-August-2001 - Egon, borrowing freely from all of VidMid's scenario work so far, will rewrite the scenarios at http://www.surfnet.nl/innovatie/surfworks/showcase/h20.html in the agreed description-example-needs format.
[AI] 20-August-2001 - All who have material for incorporation into VidMid scenarios will send it to Egon.
[AI] 20-August-2001 - All will send the list suggestions for a one-year VidMid workplan.
[AI] 20-August-2001 - Egon will include firewalls in one of the VidMid scenarios.
[AI] 6-August-2001 - All who have information on live streaming video in the context of a broader VoD service, will send it to the list.
[AI] 6-August-2001 - Samir will look into the availability and qualities of public SIP servers.