Public Videoconference Directory (IP)

[Andrew_B]

We have a videoconference network in Alberta that connects 7 sites together. We are connected over the Internet using IP. Works very well. We are getting another 11 units installed throughout Alberta. We want to enter our sites into some public directory of videoconference sites. Is there a directory that is primarily for H323 sites? I found some directories that use H320, but it would be useless to join those (unless they had a bridge).

Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks,


Andrew

[tom9933]

Andrew,
Are you using a gatekeeper? If so you might check out the VideNet GDS (http://www.vide.net/). Also have you considered providing this directory with something like GMS or TMS?

[Andrew_B]

We have a gatekeeper. The E.164 numbers that we are using don't match up with any sort of service. We just randomly chose them. We are in the process of getting TMS installed, how could it help use with the videnet project? From what I've read (very little so far), it's just a global gatekeeper type network.

[tom9933]

Andrew,
Ok well it sounds like you are definitely on the right track; a gatekeeper should make your life a lot easier. As for your question it’s really a two part issue and I must tell you upfront that my TMS knowledge is a bit limited since we use GMS.
As you probably know TMS much like GMS is an endpoint management system that should allow you to provide a global address book. The way it works in GMS is that when the endpoints register with the server they are given the ability to download an address book that lives on the server. The address book can either use e.164 aliases or ip addresses. We use this on campus and it’s a very handy way to distribute a common address book.
On the ViDe side you are correct they have developed a global network of gatekeepers. So to participate in ViDeNet you setup a zone prefix and then neighbor your gatekeeper with the appropriate national gatekeeper. The main benefit of this is when you need to make a call between two different gatekeepers. Without ViDeNet you would have to manually put every neighbor gatekeeper in your gatekeeper. However with ViDeNet the gatekeepers automatically forward the call to the correct gatekeeper based on the dialing string.
Now the part that should get interesting is when we start to involve H.350 directories. I’m told that TMS now has some basic H.350 support. If this is true then you should be able to share a common H.350 directory with anyone else that’s H.350 compatible. The ViDe folks have done a lot of work in this area and their site is a good place to get additional information.
Hope this helps