Cisco Telepresence "interoperability"

[Jlatessa]

So I'm looking for any end user experience with the alleged interoperability.

From the attached pdf from Cisco

"Essentially, any endpoint that can interoperate with a Cisco Unified Videoconferencing System will interoperate with Cisco TelePresence, including standards-based H.320, H.323, SIP, or SCCP video conferencing endpoints."

"All you need is a Cisco TelePresence Multipoint Switch running current software and a Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU or 3545 MCU that are running Version 5.1 or later."

Does anyone have any experience on this? I'd like to get some real world info rather than just some marketing hype.

[Joe Vallender]

We have that setup working. Our H.320/H.323 sites join a conference on our MGC's which connect H.323 to a conference on the Cisco 3515. The SIP telepresence rooms join the same Cisco conference via the CTM switch. The Cisco 3515 is registered to our H.323 gatekeeper and also registers SIP to the CTM switch.

[Sean Lessman]

Does anyone have any experience on this? I'd like to get some real world info rather than just some marketing hype.

Basically the Telepresence MCU is a packet switching server that connects all of the Telepresence sites. To bridge into the 'standards' world, Cisco uses the RADVision bridge to convert between the TP world and the videoconferencing world as a gateway. Last I checked this connection is limited to CIF and G.711, so the quality is a bit lower than the TP.

I also understand its quite the manual effort to connect 3rd party sites and its not simple. But I would also like to hear feedback on that if anyone has actually done it.

Sean

[BasicITOne]

I would have a hard time really believing in the interoperability of the Cisco TP.

I have seen a demo (only the 1000 model) and asked to see a 3rd party call and was told that he wasn't allowed to do it for only my brief session as the next scheduled demo was in 10min. And also that he didn't know who to call anyway.

10min wasn't enough to call an endpoint and I gave him an IP address and an ISDN number still no no chance. Now this was 6 months ago so things might have changed. If the Cisco TP quality is gong to be degraded to H261 then why even invest in Cisco TP if interoperability is even a small requirement?

[xsiquin]

Hi all,

Can someone could confirm whether the CUVC from Cisco is just the Scopia with a standard version?
So the question is, can I just buy from Radvision and by using a version like 5.6 I would be able to connect to a CTMS?
Or do I need to buy from Cisco?

Thanks

[Sean Lessman]

Hi all,

Can someone could confirm whether the CUVC from Cisco is just the Scopia with a standard version?
So the question is, can I just buy from Radvision and by using a version like 5.6 I would be able to connect to a CTMS?
Or do I need to buy from Cisco?

Thanks

The Cisco MCU is the RADVision MCU in an OEM form. In the software it identifies itself as a Cisco product so I imagine Cisco has a way to make sure you have to buy their version. Just a guess.

Sean

[BasicITOne]

The attached interop document is dated 07/08 yet the they say the in interop is to ship in early 08

"Q. When will interoperability be available?
A. The interoperability features are in trials now and are expected to ship in early 2008."

Besides the one poster here I have not seen first hand anyone with the interop working. I can't even get the local rep here to allow interop in a demo at a local Cisco office. A customer wanted to explore Cisco TP for use in a Tandberg enviorment. Project died because of no interop and they are now exploring Polycom TP (Tandberg T3 was not shipping when eval started).


So I'm looking for any end user experience with the alleged interoperability.

From the attached pdf from Cisco

"Essentially, any endpoint that can interoperate with a Cisco Unified Videoconferencing System will interoperate with Cisco TelePresence, including standards-based H.320, H.323, SIP, or SCCP video conferencing endpoints."

"All you need is a Cisco TelePresence Multipoint Switch running current software and a Cisco Unified Videoconferencing 3515 MCU or 3545 MCU that are running Version 5.1 or later."

Does anyone have any experience on this? I'd like to get some real world info rather than just some marketing hype.